Thomas Jewellers to spend $3.3 Million

3.8 k views | Posted July 23, 2012 |

Victorian retail chain Thomas Jewellers has unveiled plans for a $3.3 million re-fitting of its Geelong store in a showing of strong faith for a future return to retail prosperity in the area.

Thomas Jewellers, a primarily regional Victorian jewellery chain that opened its first store in 1896 in Ballarat, announced the refurbishment plans last week and aimed to create a memorable retail experience.

"We want this to become one of the most beautiful jewellery stores in Australia," Geelong store manager Paul Whittaker told Jeweller. "We also hope that this development will be one of the catalysts in revitalising the Geelong CBD. It's certainly a town in transition, we believe it's going to come back to its former glory."

The Geelong location was the second Thomas Jewellers store to open, more than 80 years after the original Ballarat store, but Whittaker said the Geelong boutique would become the chain’s most prized outlet.

"We've got 10 stores, we started in Ballarat but Geelong will be our flagship store, it's a beautiful building," Whittaker said. "We're certainly going a lot more upmarket, we're going to where our strengths are. We will specialise in Italian gold jewellery, fine diamonds, hand crafted rings, prestige watches, and South Sea pearls."

Paul Whitaker, the manager of Thomas Jewellers in Geelong.

Plans for the redesign suggest a comprehensive renovation of the façade and interior of the store. Whittaker said there would also be a dedicated Swarovski crystal section constructed inside the store, while new signage would be installed and a new grand entrance built.

"We're completely gutting the store in Geelong and revamping into a much more modern, spacious, elegant store," he said. "We're spending $3.3 million on the job, we're renovating the jewellery and watchmakers workshop and putting in a computer engraving system. It will be a state of the art workshop area. There will also be a Swarovski crystals shop-in-shop, which will be one of the finest Swarovski displays outside Austria."

The refurbishment was slated to begin at the end of July and completed prior to the commencement of the Christmas trading period. The store would be closed for seven weeks due to works.

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