Paul Morelli Relocates On Madison Avenue
● The jeweler has moved to a larger storefront that pays homage to his theatrical roots.
Paul Morelli is relocating to a larger storefront on Madison Avenue.
After nearly 10 years running his New York boutique on Madison Avenue and 72nd Street, the fine jeweler is moving to 725 Madison Avenue, a 1,450-square-foot storefront that's almost double the size of his original store.
The move is meant to accommodate larger foot traffic and increase the jeweler's ability to display new collections and engage with his clientele. Morelli, who works alongside his daughter Maris Leo, chose to stay on Madison Avenue as they've become familiar with their neighboring businesses.
“I've been doing this for a long time and I've been a slave to department stores, retailers and specialty stores,” Morelli said. “I've enjoyed it and I respect it, but when you have your own [store], it's a whole different story. You can do whatever you like.”
The store's design takes inspiration from Morelli's family heritage, including from the Philadelphia Theatre District where the brand was founded.
“My grandfather, [Paul's] father, was a theatrical costume designer so his childhood was full of him making my grandmother clothing and hats and always being a part of the theater,” Leo said. “I think that's what the connection is with these grand arches and [the store] kind of looking like a stage.”
Morelli worked with architect and founder of Labo Design Studio Raffaella Bortoluzzi for the store's design. The jeweler and architect worked together to design a bright, open layout that would be inviting for customers.
“My view was that we wanted it to be transparent,” Morelli said about the layout. “When you walk by, you want to look in and see what was inside. We learned that from our boutique on 72nd Street, because we had three windows and you could actually see [inside]. You didn't feel apprehensive about walking in.”
In addition to the storefront, Paul Morelli's retail partners include Bergdorf Goodman, Neiman Marcus and various specialty stores across the U.S. The jeweler's next goal is to open a store in Beverly Hills, and possibly look to international expansion.