Baubles, bangles, all things bright and shiny
Tiffany & Co. takes its place in new region
BY CARA SCHULTZ Correspondent
Brilliant diamonds, lustrous sterling silver and gleaming gold jewelry are designed to dazzle even the most blasé shopper who peruses the display cases at the newly opened Tiffany & Co. at 105 Broad St.

The arrival of the iconic jeweler is considered by many to be a coup that solidifies the cachet associated with Red Bank's gentrified downtown.

For Tiffany & Co., with roots deep in New York's exclusive Fifth Avenue, the Nov. 9 opening was a response to customers' wishes.

"We've seen the growth that has occurred here. We have customers in the area who have been asking us to open a store in this area, and the community reached out to us and asked us too," said store manager Vicky Shortland.

With a store at the Short Hills Mall in North Jersey being the closest Tiffany to Monmouth County, the new Red Bank store allows people in the area to do their shopping locally.

"We hope that having a Tiffany here will attract a lot of new customers and new visitors to Red Bank," said Shortland.

Tiffany & Co. has moved into space carved out of the formal, red brick building formerly occupied by highend men's clothier Garmany, whose founder, Laureano Garmany, is credited with luring Tiffany to Red Bank.

Renovations to the building took about six months, Shortland said, and included specific Tiffany architectural accents such as two massive, brushed stainless-steel doors and two expansive show windows.

The brushed stainless-steel doors lead into a gallery decorated with rusticated stone, dark makore wood and neutral carpeting.

Tiffany & Co. has branched out far and wide since its first store was established in the late 1830s in New York City.

Charles Lewis Tiffany and John B. Young opened the store as a "stationery and fancy goods" boutique. By 1870 the store had evolved to incorporate jewels and watches. Currently, Tiffany & Co. has stores all over the world, from Egypt to Uruguay and now Red Bank.

In addition to the high-end jewelry and timepieces Tiffany is known for, the store carries items for all types of occasions, such as housewarming gifts and sweet 16 gifts.

"We have everything from $25 champagne flutes all the way up; we have a full range," said Shortland.

The store has several departments, including fine jewelry, an engagement section, giftware, jewelry and accessories for gentlemen, sterling silver and charms, and a fashion jewelry department that includes Tiffany's main designers like Elsa Peretti and Paloma Picasso.

Like all Tiffany locations, the Red Bank store is staffed by associates selected for their excellent customer service skills.

"If we are looking for a salesperson, we are looking for someone who understands what Tiffany represents, who can portray Tiffany in the correct way, who has good customer service skills, who is polite above all else. Basically, we need somebody to really understand what we do and the way that we do it," said Shortland.

According to Shortland, Tiffany & Co. really wants to become a part of the Red Bank community

"Our opening event was in conjunction with four local charities," she said. "We really do want to be involved with the community and be involved with local groups."

Tiffany & Co. is open Monday through Wednesday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., Friday 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., Saturday 10 a.m. to 7 p.m., and Sunday noon to 5 p.m.