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BEARDEN

Kendra Scott custom jewelers opens Knoxville store

John Shearer
Shopper News

Kendra Scott is known for its custom jewelry, and manager Marissa Campbell hopes the whole store shines as well in its new location in Bearden.

The fast-growing, Texas-based chain had a soft opening of its first Knoxville store in the Vertex shopping center at 5350 Kingston Pike on Jan. 18, and plans to have its formal grand opening on April 5.

“We’re just getting the word out we’ve opened,” said Campbell, adding that they have begun a strong marketing effort.

People know brand, but unaware of store    

“A lot of people are familiar with the brand, but don’t know we’re here.”

As part of its equally refined core values of family, fashion and philanthropy, the store will also host a benefit for the Levi’s Legacy water safety education foundation.

From 6 to 8 p.m. that Friday, April 5, 20 percent of the sales will go toward the nonprofit organization started after a drowning death.

Assistant manager Jami Shell and manager Marissa Campbell stand inside the new Kendra Scott store, which opened in Bearden in January.

Campbell added that the store enjoys hosting fundraising benefits, and welcomes other groups.

Among its merchandise, the store also sells such gifts as picture frames, candles, jewelry boxes and trays.

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While a lot of jewelry and related items can be found at numerous others stores, Campbell said the business was started due to something Kendra Scott did not see anywhere else. “She saw a white space in the market,” she said.

Jewelry selection that's 'in the middle'   

“It was really just costume jewelry that wasn’t high quality and would break on you, and there was fine jewelry. She wanted something in the middle.”

She said that most of the pieces are between $50 and $200.

Some of the finer jewelry pieces for sale at Kendra Scott.

Campbell added that customers can put together pieces with the help of the store staff, and even have special color bar parties with friends. At such events, they also get a 15 percent discount on items and can enjoy sips of champagne and sweets.

Campbell, who is helped by assistant store manager Jami Shell, said Kendra Scott had opened her first store in 2010 in Austin, Texas. She had actually entered the jewelry-selling field with only $500 in 2002, when she started selling to boutiques. She later had department store wholesale accounts.

After the economic recession of 2008, she decided to focus on having her own stores. The business has taken off, as Knoxville is the 98th store in the chain. She helps with or approves all the jewelry piece designs.

Campbell — who is originally from California but attended Auburn University as a third-generation student — had heard about Kendra Scott and thought it would be a great place to work after visiting the store in Austin, where her mother lives.

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“She took me to it and I fell in love with the store experience,” she said. “I researched the company more and wanted to be a part of it.”

Customers would travel to Nashville 

She was able to start working at the Nashville Kendra Scott in July 2015, and in 2016 became assistant store manager.

Campbell had noticed that some of the Nashville customers were from Knoxville, and was excited to get the opportunity to come and help open the Knoxville store.

“I didn’t think I’d ever be a store manager but I’m glad it turned out that way,” she said.

She said her best friend went to the University of Tennessee, and she also has a cousin here. And now she is happy to be here with Kendra Scott, too.

“I have always loved the product and what Kendra stands for and how you can make jewelry that has an impact on people’s lives,” she said.