James Avery debuts Modern Hill Country store concept in Texas

James Avery is betting that a jewelry store can still do something a screen cannot: let shoppers feel the weight of a charm, try on a ring, and make a gift feel personal before it leaves the counter. The retailer opened its first Modern Hill Country store concept in Schertz, Texas, using the site near its Hill Country roots and along the I-35 corridor between San Antonio and New Braunfels as a test case for what physical retail should become.

The new format is built to feel more open, intuitive and design-forward. James Avery said the Schertz store uses real stone, wood, limestone-inspired textures and handmade tiles, along with an airy neutral palette, larger-format digital screens, storytelling areas and more product displayed along the walls. The effect is less cluttered selling floor, more guided browsing, with the store arranged around discovery, personalization and the kind of in-person shopping that matters most when the purchase carries sentiment.

That is the real challenge James Avery is trying to solve. Jewelry is not just another category for fast checkout. It is often a gift, a milestone or a daily ritual, and the ability to see scale, compare finishes and talk through a choice still matters. CEO John McCullough said guests still value “seeing pieces up close” and personalizing them, while Karina Dolgin, the company’s chief product and revenue officer, said retail remains one of the most important ways people experience James Avery.

The Schertz opening also reinforces the brand’s long-standing Texas identity. James Avery was founded in 1954 in a Kerrville garage and now says more than 90% of its pieces are crafted in Texas. The family-owned company describes itself as a vertically integrated, multi-channel retailer with more than 130 stores in four states, over 220 Dillard’s locations and a presence at airports and military exchange locations. It also says it offers more than 600 charm designs, a category that depends heavily on storytelling and the ability to build a bracelet one piece at a time.

The timing suggests momentum, not a one-off remodel. James Avery opened new stores in Manor on Feb. 4, 2026, and in Edinburg on March 19, 2026, before adding Schertz to the mix. By using a store format that leans into touch, service and personal meaning, James Avery is making a pointed argument: in jewelry, the stores worth visiting in person are the ones that make discovery feel slower, clearer and more human.