First Look: Embark Fine Jewelry makes an entrance with its first Baton Rouge location

During the COVID-19 lockdown, dreamer Erin Judize and go-getter Katie Kennedy were enjoying a walk when they decided their years of experience in the wholesale jewelry industry had prepped them to start their own business. Once they roped in third co-owner Michelle Robertson, they were off to the races.

What was originally an online-exclusive jewelry store soon pivoted to become brick-and-mortar, to the owners’ surprise. “Everybody wants to touch and feel and have that in-store experience,” says Kennedy. Now, what began as a pick-up business around Kennedy’s dining table has transformed into a team of over 15 women and two locations at Embark Fine Jewelry–one in Lafayette and a recent addition in Baton Rouge. 

“It just keeps growing and growing,” says Robertson. “It’s a blessing.”

The move to the Coterie Exchange development at 7575 Jefferson Hwy. was quite the whirlwind. Leases were signed in June, and after some renovations, the second-story space was ready to go for a soft opening on Sept. 8. 

The store is graced with transom windows and soft golden lighting to accentuate the pieces on display. Soft pinks warm the room along with some light wood cases for gifts such as perfumes, candles and jewelry cases, along with rings, bracelets, necklaces and earrings. 

“I think it gives the air of a place women want to come and shop,” Robertson says.

In a spacious private room, ear piercing services are provided with hollow, single-use needles that are safer and less traumatic to the ear compared to other piercing methods. At Embark, customers can also receive help with curation, from planning piercing placements and earring purchases to the overall design of an earring stack. The owners plan to continue doing pop-ups at different businesses and sorority houses in the area.

“Everybody wants an ear piercing now. It’s wild,” says Robertson.

At the “dream bar,” customers can build the perfect ring from scratch, creating pieces from all different price points and qualities. Kennedy says Embark has built $1,000 engagement rings but has also done $200,000 engagement rings, so the sky really is the limit with customization.

“It’s more of a concierge model. It’s really how we started out–this intention to have these one-on-one appointments and make it very personable, approachable and easy for people,” says Robertson. “We’ve really kept that thread throughout, even as we’ve grown. We have this beautiful showroom, but we still love the private appointment aspect of what we offer.”

The range of jewelry offerings includes pieces starting as low as $20, creating opportunities for all kinds of gift shopping: graduations, birthdays and “all the different moments that we go through each and every day,” Judize says.

Gifting is a huge aspect of the business. Embark offers local pickup and shipping as well as gift wrapping for any purchase. Customers can build wish lists both online and in-store, so friends and family always have a ready-made registry for jewelry sizes and preferences.

Embark’s owners say they are hoping to soon open a third location in the Houston area, where Judize is based. And as Kennedy adds, the three women are always texting new ideas to each other. “Our team is very creative,” says Robertson. “We never stay stagnant.”

This Friday, Sept. 12, Embark will host an event to celebrate its new location with ear piercings, Caroline’s Cookies, plus a few other fun extras sprinkled throughout the day. An official grand opening will take place sometime in October.

Visit Embark Fine Jewelry at 7575 Jefferson Hwy., Ste. H., or take a look at the business’s website.