One might say Sissy’s Log Cabin rolled the dice on its newest boutique, located within the Saracen Casino Resort in Pine Bluff, Ark.—it’s smaller than other Sissy’s stores and has a unique interior layout.
At a petite 450 square feet, the Saracen boutique is also the smallest of Sissy’s retail locations. But Bill Jones, CEO of the family-owned and -operated jeweler, says it still has the character and elegance of a traditional Sissy’s store.
Jones describes Saracen Casino Resort as one of Arkansas’ most luxurious hospitality and entertainment destinations. The casino itself opened in 2020, and the property recently finished an expansion that includes a 320-room, 14-story hotel tower and 1,600-seat performance and event venue.
Saracen had approached Sissy’s about opening a store at the casino, seeing the jewelry retailer as an all-American brand deeply connected to the Pine Bluff and Arkansas community. For Sissy’s Log Cabin, the partnership offered access to the casino’s more than 1 million annual guests, says Jones.
Sissy’s also hopes to attract people attending events at the resort’s theater. Its August performance lineup includes singer-songwriter John Legend, R&B great Johnny Gill, and classic rocker John Waite.
“Customers who come in from out of town or out of the state want to see the best in entertainment, so it makes sense for us to have a jewelry store there,” Jones says.
Now with eight locations in Arkansas and Tennessee, Sissy’s Log Cabin was founded in Pine Bluff by Bill’s mother, Sissy, in 1970 (she was on hand for the casino boutique’s grand opening). Sissy’s longtime architect Jesse Balaity worked on the Saracen store, using wood tones—a nod to the chain’s original log cabin location—along with brighter blues.
What makes the Saracen location unique among Sissy’s stores is how the Jones family chose to set up shop: Some jewelry cases face into the casino, and passersby can see all the cases and merchandise from outside the store.
“We’re working on our mix of merchandise to see what works and what price points people want, but it is going to be a lot of one-on-one selling as customers see us from the casino floor and come in,” says Jones. “It’s different than normal, but it’s fun to bring them in from the outside.”
Inside the store, salespeople stand side-by-side with shoppers at the minimalist-style cases. Guests can spend their casino winnings on a Sissy’s purchase—come in with a pile of casino chips and walk away with a piece of fine jewelry,
“It’s great because people are having a good time, they can use their poker chips as payment, and we can be open more hours than at our other locations. It’s a win-win for Sissy’s and our customers,” Jones says.
Top: Sissy’s Log Cabin opened a boutique earlier this month at the Saracen Casino Resort in Pine Bluff, Ark., the retailer’s hometown. (Photos courtesy of Sissy’s Log Cabin)
- Subscribe to the JCK News Daily
- Subscribe to the JCK Special Report
- Follow JCK on Instagram: @jckmagazine
- Follow JCK on X: @jckmagazine
- Follow JCK on Facebook: @jckmagazine
