COUTURE: What’s notable about your store? What’s your unique point-of-view?

Emily Williams: I bought the store over a year ago after shopping here forever and having great ties to the store. When I bought it, I thought it was perfect and needed no changes however, when it came down to it, I wanted to re-do a lot! It has become more of a reflection of me and my tastes. I also own a design business, so I have sprinkled my interior design dust throughout the store. We have custom hide rugs, newly upholstered chairs, I added new lighting and changed the cases.

COUTURE: Wow! Tell me about why you decided to buy the store?

EW: My sister-in-law was one of the previous owners, and she wanted to move on and do something else and she told me they were going to explore selling the store. That piqued my interest and since I already owned part of another retail store, I have a retail background. And I’m a jewelry lover! So we went out for a glass of wine and talked about it and I went home and told my husband I wanted to buy a jewelry store. At first he was hesitant, he told me, “I’m a guy, I love cars, but that doesn’t mean I want to buy a Ferrari dealership. I know you love jewelry but you don’t have to buy a jewelry store!” I explained that it’s similar to when we’re doing interiors, I see all of the different jewelry and think of how you can layer it and play with it and put it together and it’s fun and creative to me. So he said, “Let’s buy a jewelry store!”

COUTURE: How exciting! So did you maintain the staff?

EW: Absolutely! We had a fantastic staff, some of whom have been with the store for over twenty years and have so many great ties with the customers, so there was very little disruption, other than a little bit of construction during the store face lift and some new, fun lines being added.

COUTURE: I’m sure it’s a lot to process being a new owner of a heritage store!

EW: I bought the store in April and we were able to attend COUTURE in August of 2021. It is a little overwhelming and a lot to process, but it’s also not so different from a fabric show room. I feel like I have more under my belt now and it is getting easier, but we are digging into the inventory and seeing what I love, what I don’t love, what we should let go of, so we’re constantly combing through our cases.

COUTURE: What COUTURE brands are your clients responding to lately?

EW: Suzanne Kalan is one we brought in new last year in the summer that has been really good for us. Our clients love the color, the uniqueness of the design, the shapes and the way she puts things together.

Piranesi is another one that we brought in that we’re very excited about. They have such a breadth of product and we loved their flowers, we got them in all of the colors and they have been very well received.

PIPO PEREZ and Helchi Belluni are also doing really well for us. And we love Kwiat; our ability to mix in the vintage Fred Leighton with the contemporary pieces from Kwiat has been huge for us, it’s an incredible assortment.

For me it’s a big balancing act between a maintaining a consistent, super traditional fine jewelry store with a little bit fresher, younger pieces that I personally love.

COUTURE: What’s the best place in town for a quick lunch?

EW: I’d have to say Hillstone. It’s consistent it’s on a beautiful lake so you’ve got a gorgeous view.

COUTURE: What’s the best restaurant for entertaining out of town guests?

EW: Definitely Ava. It’s a new restaurant, very tony, the owners are from Miami; it’s kind of the new hot spot, very exciting, sexy bar with gorgeous people.

COUTURE: What’s the best bar in town for a cocktail, both “high/low” options

EW: I don’t really do a low bar. I think I’m triggered from college!  But a super fun bar is Prado, it’s a neighborhood bar and a great Italian restaurant that’s always packed, it’s a great spot to hang out.

If I have to give a “low” option I’d say Big Daddy’s. To give you an idea of its vibe, I think you might still be able to smoke in there!

COUTURE: What’s your favorite cultural spot?

EW: The Orlando Museum of Art. It’s right down the street, it’s small so the installation are always intimate and pretty, it has a beautiful rotunda that’s light and spectacular, and it’s on a beautiful piece of property. You can have lunch there and send your child to camp there!

COUTURE: What’s special about your town?

EW: Winter Park is this little, sweet, treed, spot nestled in Central Florida, so it’s very un-Florida. We have palm trees, a chain of lakes, oak lined and grassy brick streets, we have our own downtown which is Park Avenue. It’s nice also because there are other places in central Florida that are neighborhoods but Winter Park is a municipality, we have 25,000 or 30,000 residents. It’s a nice size, you can really connect with people, it’s a great place to raise children, it feels very good.