Janie Colbaugh, who spent more than a decade managing Rone Regency before starting her own jewelry store two years ago in downtown Chattanooga, is expanding her customized jewelry business to Ooltewah with a new store at Cambridge Square.
The Finery House will celebrate the grand opening of its 1,000-square-foot storefront from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Friday on the public square of the Ooltewah complex. Colbaugh's shop features jewelry pieces conceived based on the personalities, profiles and preferences of the individual customer. In cases of re-design, Colbaugh said pieces can be transformed to better suit the client's taste.
"We are thrilled to have come this far," Colbaugh said in an announcement of her new move from a small office in the downtown Loveman's Building to Cambridge Square. "We have a tremendous amount of support from our existing customers and are looking forward to meeting new people at our location in Cambridge Square. We love the community's commitment to local business owners and its relaxed shopping environment, which both fit well with our business model."
Based on her experience in a larger retail environment, Colbaugh said she wanted The Finery House to have a much more intimate, customized feel for its customers. She said she works with suppliers in places such as New York, Israel and Italy, but the selection process for the individual pieces all takes place at the local level.
"We do everything in house," Colbaugh said. "We have an onsite jeweler who has more than 30 years' experience in the business, and he works in the shop alongside the sales and design teams. Every element of the buying or repair experience takes place right here in Ooltewah, which allows our clients to play an active role in the process."
The Finery House will be the first jewelry store and the third boutique retail outlet at Cambridge Square, which includes a variety of restaurant, entertainment, fitness, medical and office tenants just off Interstate 75 on Bradmore Lane in Ooltewah.
"We are very excited for Janie and her team, and we know that Cambridge patrons will find The Finery House to be a great addition to the square," Jim Cheney who oversees marketing and leasing for the development, said in a statement Thursday. "The Ooltewah area continues to grow, and this offers more of a boutique shopping experience with locally owned merchants and businesses."
— Compiled by Dave Flessner