Kendra Scott decorated its flagship store on South Congress with a lemonade theme for SXSW.
Kendra Scott, an Austin-based jewelry brand known for vibrant designs and engaging retail experience, is making significant strides in its expansion across the United States. With over 150 stores already operating nationwide, the brand aims to open another 25 this year. So far, it has opened three locations in Asheville, NC, Arlington, TX, and Beavercreek, OH. Alongside this growth, Kendra Scott opened its third Yellow Rose store in Houston, reflecting a new chapter for the brand.
CEO Tom Nolan highlights the strategic importance of physical retail: “Physical retail represents the largest portion of our business. More importantly, it’s a great way to connect with the customer, and I think physical retail is really there to have your brand, outside of great wholesale partners, come to life.”
While Kendra Scott is now synonymous with colorful jewelry and personalized retail experiences, its initial journey into retail was not without setbacks. The brand’s founder, Kendra Scott, initially avoided traditional retail after an unsuccessful venture into hat stores. Nolan explains, “Our retail business was really born out of failure. Kendra had a hat store years ago before starting Kendra Scott and had one physical location in Austin, which failed. She had completely sworn off retail and had strictly a wholesale business at Kendra Scott for the first dozen years of our inception.”
Kendra Scott’s first Yellow Rose store opened in 2024 on South Congress in Austin.
However, in 2008, the recession forced Kendra to think outside the box, and she took another chance on retail with the brand’s first store on South Congress in Austin. It was a distinctly inviting and interactive jewelry-buying experience, allowing customers to feel and try on pieces throughout the store rather than behind glass counters—an experience that, at the time, was rare in the jewelry industry. And despite current economic uncertainty, the brand has continued to see double-digit growth over the last few years.
The Growth Of Yellow Rose
The Yellow Rose concept is the newest expression of Kendra Scott’s evolving retail strategy. Described by Nolan as “a passion project of Kendra, the individual who turned significant business,” Yellow Rose captures the spirit of Western heritage blended with contemporary style. Inspired by Texas’s official state flower and Scott’s connection to her ranch, Rose Ranch, Yellow Rose represents a tribute to Texas’s cultural richness and authenticity.
Stores under the Yellow Rose banner are lifestyle-oriented, featuring curated Western brands, home décor, and distinctive experiences such as customized hats—echoing Kendra Scott’s successful color bar concept. Customers can also enjoy refreshments at Beau’s Bar, named after Scott’s horse. Since its debut in 2023’s Texas rodeo season, the Yellow Rose stores have exceeded expectations; as Nolan confirms, “We started very small with a tiny house, and today, we have three stores, including our first store right across from our flagship in Austin on South Congress. It’s been great. The store is not just jewelry; it’s a true lifestyle experience.”
The Western category has really taken off in recent years. According to GQ and Lyst, a global fashion search engine, the searches for “cowboy” and “Western boots” were up double and triple-digits in spring last year following the release of Beyonce’s Cowboy Carter. Brands like Tecovas, known for its western boots, has opened over 40 stores across the US, including 11 last year and its most recent in SoHo. Similarly, Wrangler has grown its retail footprint, opening 10 stores over the last year and catering to Western customers. It’s, therefore, no surprise that the Yellow Rose has succeeded in the growing western category.
Yellow Rose by Kendra Scott showcases various western apparel, jewelry, and other home goods.
Kendra Scott’s Customer-Centric Experience
At the heart of Kendra Scott’s success is its distinctive retail experience, characterized by personalization, warmth, and genuine connection. Nolan emphasizes, “We want them to be welcoming, interactive, and most importantly, we hire great talent. The people that work in our stores have fun. We treat them really well. Our human resource and retail teams have done a great job building great leaders who appreciate where they work, understand that they work for the customer, and treat people well.”
Personalization remains core to the brand, initially introduced through its popular color bar, which allows customers to create bespoke jewelry pieces. This customization has become integral to the Kendra Scott shopping experience, consistently drawing customers back and building lasting relationships.
Philanthropy also plays a central role, setting the brand apart through meaningful community engagement. Since 2012, Kendra Scott’s in-store events have raised over $70 million for charitable causes. Nolan proudly shares,”Philanthropy is at the center of what we do, and it’s a great venue for us to connect to our local communities and have it be a conduit for doing give-back events. We did 24,000 events in our stores last year, and a large majority of those were for give-back and philanthropic causes.”
Looking Ahead
The Kendra Scott store experience allows for shoppers to feel, touch, and try on product as they … More
As Kendra Scott continues its ambitious retail growth, strategic expansion remains a priority, supported by detailed market insights. The brand has upcoming openings in centers like Boca Raton Town Center, Birmingham Summit, Fort Worth’s University Park Village, and Burlington Mall, amongst several others. All of its stores so far have demonstrated positive impacts across the brand’s channels, significantly boosting online and wholesale performance. Nolan cites strong sales and increased market engagement following new store launches as clear indicators of the brand’s successful omnichannel strategy.
“I’ll use our Iowa Coralville store as an example; when we opened that store, we saw a 187% increase in e-commerce sales, and a 115% increase in retail store sales post-launch. Triple-digit gains are not normal, but that’s just a good example of the Midwest.” The brand also saw 64% new customer growth in the market. In general, 70% of Kendra Scott’s revenue comes from repeat customers, pointing to the opportunity retail stores have to acquire new customers.
Expanding beyond jewelry, Kendra Scott has recently introduced successful product lines in fragrance and will introduce an eyewear partnership with Marchon later this year. Nolan explains, “We’re famous for jewelry… but Kendra has a strong appetite to become a global lifestyle brand. She has the ability to do that as an individual, and the brand has the strength to do it because the customer is voting for it. We spend a lot of time talking to her and him, and they want more from us. This is us giving them more of what they’re asking for.”
As Kendra Scott continues its strategic growth, the brand remains committed to delivering authentic experiences, innovative retail concepts, and meaningful community impact. Despite market challenges, its product quality and retail experience have built a solid foundation for success.
