The Kay Jewelers location in New York City has won first place in the Chain Store Age magazine Retail Stores of the Year store design competition, its parent company Sterling said in a statement. The Manhattan store, 136 W. 34th Street, won the award in the Hard Lines category (less than 5,000 square feet) for its strong contemporary design.

Jencen Architecture, Cleveland, Ohio, designed the 2,160 square foot space for Kay Jewelers, which opened June, 2005. Described by Chain Store Age as a three-dimensional version of the brand itself, the store establishes a feeling of quality and comfort, while communicating key brand elements such as romance and trust.

An oversized rotating diamond-pendant fixture above the entrance and hologram videos in storefront windows, are among the architectural elements that elevate the brand and the customer experience.

The judges in this year’s competition included experienced architects, designers, and retailers. They selected winners for the 24th annual retail store design competition based on three criteria: project objective, unique project characteristics, and special design elements/materials. All the winning projects are profiled in February’s special section of Chain Store Age.

JCK