CRBJ Biz Wire: Diamonds Direct celebrates grand opening with array of festive events
Charleston, S.C. – Diamonds Direct, a direct diamond importer based in Charlotte, N.C., will celebrate the opening of its newest location in Mt. Pleasant with a series of events set to benefit Shawn Jenkins Children’s Hospital at the Medical University of South Carolina (MUSC). The new store is the first location in the state and seventh in the U.S. for the diamond importer and retailer, which got its start in 1995.
The grand opening VIP celebration, “Diamonds and Dreams,” will be held Thursday, March 10 from 6:00 to 9:00 p.m. at the showroom, just by Towne Centre at the entrance to Sweetgrass Corner. The event will be catered by Hamby’s, with entertainment by Robert Lewis and Gerald Gregory. Robert is lead alto saxophone player for the Charleston Jazz Orchestra and director of the jazz studies program at College of Charleston.
The “Diamonds and Dreams” theme underscores how this event, by raising money for the new hospital building, can help little ones affected by a medical issue and give them the chance to dream and “imagine” the possibilities as a result of the expert team and resources available at MUSC.
On Friday, March 11, and Saturday, March 12, Diamonds Direct will host a trunk show, open to the public, featuring five designers from around the country, including Tacori, Henri Daussi, Verragio, Amden and Christian Bauer. Over the weekend, customers will be offered a 20% discount, with a percentage of profits being donated to the MUSC Children’s Hospital.
Following the celebration and benefit weekend, on Monday, March 14, Diamonds Direct will co-sponsor the Charleston Fashion Week kickoff luncheon, also benefiting MUSC’s Children’s Hospital.
Located at 1911 Hwy. 17 N., Diamonds Direct features a 6,500-square-foot showroom featuring a wide selection of mounted and loose diamonds, varying in size, carat weight, shape and certification.
About the Campaign for the MUSC Shawn Jenkins Children’s Hospital
Named in honor of Charleston-based BenefitFocus’ co-founder and CEO, MUSC Shawn Jenkins Children’s Hospital will replace the 28-year-old MUSC Children’s Hospital currently located on Ashley Avenue, providing much needed space for the thousands of patients and families served by MUSC each year. The new facility will provide more spacious, family-centered amenities and expanded services, including an expanded neonatal intensive care unit, an entire floor dedicated to the care of children with cancer, and the most comprehensive pediatric heart center in South Carolina. The Campaign for the MUSC Shawn Jenkins Children’s Hospital launched publicly in February 2015 and is co-chaired by entertainer Darius Rucker and his wife, Beth, both of whom are members of the MUSC Children’s Hospital Fund Advisory Board. In May 2015, Mr. Jenkins, in consultation with his family, made a $25 million commitment to the campaign, and Medical University’s Board of Trustees subsequently voted to name the new hospital in his honor. The Medical University expects to break ground in 2016 and open the doors to the new hospital in 2019 on the corner of Calhoun Street and Courtenay Drive.
Diamonds Direct’s founders began as diamond manufacturers based out of Tel Aviv Israel. In 1995, the first Diamonds Direct opened in Charlotte, N.C., eliminating the middleman and selling diamonds directly to the end customer from the manufacturing facility in Israel. Today, Diamonds Direct is one of America’s largest and most successful independent jewelry companies with seven locations in the U.S. Each Diamonds Direct offers loose and mounted diamonds, a multitude of engagement ring mountings by America’s top designers, diamond and gemstone fashion jewelry, wedding bands, pearls and much more. Diamonds Direct’s retail stores are located in Charlotte, N.C., Raleigh, N.C., Birmingham, AL, Richmond, VA, and Austin, TX, with new locations opening in Oklahoma City, OK, and Charleston, S.C., in early December. For more information visit www.DiamondsDirect.com.
