With an emphasis on artistry, sustainability, and a feeling of community, Nina Berenato sought to further develop her connection to her clients with the opening of her second retail store and her brand’s introduction into Dallas.
The Dallas location joins Berenato’s original store in Austin, where she has established a reputation for hosting local events, creating artist-forward jewelry, and setting trends with her permanent jewelry bar as well as with her celebrity clients.
Berenato has had a retail presence in Austin for more than five years, and that space was put together on a shoestring budget and a do-it-yourself mentality, Berenato says. She wanted to bring that same feeling to Dallas but with a refined approach for the location.
“I knew that I wanted [the Dallas store] to have a different personality, but it also had to be similar,” Berenato says. “In Austin, it was DIY everything—we were putting together ourselves. That works for us because it’s very Austin. In Dallas, we really had the opportunity to create whatever we wanted to create. But we still wanted a feeling that it was a place for women to gather and feel happy when they step in the door.”
That also meant the Dallas site had to adhere to Berenato’s brand quality, which means everything feels handmade by an artist, Berenato says. It is unique, and that ties into the physical and emotional soul of her name and brand.
The resulting interior design at the Dallas store is one that evokes a sunny aura. There are photos of Berenato’s friends and family as well as some of her celebrity clients, such as Angelina Jolie in Berenato’s chin cuff. There are found objects throughout the store, creating displays that are one of a kind yet also speak to her mission of sustainability and recycled metals.
“It’s a brand-new space, but it still feels lived in,” Berenato says. “We wanted people to feel the warmth and humanity of the space.”
The store is segmented into two areas: One devoted to her jewelry selection and one that provides an area for gathering. This gathering space has a seating area as well as the permanent jewelry bar where people can meet, have parties, and celebrate in person, Berenato says.
“After COVID, people really wanted to get together, and we cherished that opportunity to meet in person,” Berenato says. “We want to invite people into the space and have that experience of the power of creating.”
Berenato says she is a believer in having a brick-and-mortar space that tells her story and also gives people a sense of belonging—something she worried initially she might not be able to achieve in a new city.
But Dallas has turned out to be welcoming and ready to embrace her both as a jeweler and a person, she says.
“Brick-and-mortar is a way bigger part of our business than online. It’s a bigger driver of sales,” Berenato says. “If you’re able to create something unique and people can interact with the product and the space is something they’re willing to drive to, then it will work.… We decided to bring ourselves to Dallas and they’ll either love us or they won’t. And they love us.”
Top: In December Nina Berenato celebrated the grand opening of her second full-line retail store, which features her signature permanent jewelry zapping bar as well as specialty murals and her artist-forward jewelry (photos courtesy of Nina Berenato).
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