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Nak Armstrong has opened a flagship store for his namesake brand on South Congress. (Nak Armstrong)
South Congress is getting more luxe by the minute with Soho House Austin debuting earlier this year, pristine handbag brand Hermes announcing it would open next year and Nak Armstrong opening its doors most recently.
Award-winning designer Nak Armstrong is celebrating the 10th anniversary of his namesake jewelry brand by opening a flagship boutique next to Austin's new Soho House, where it will be the only local brand in the development.
Opening on South Congress' newest development Music Lane, Nak Armstrong Fine Jewelry opened its doors for the first time last week. The new store carries Armstrong's entire collection, including his diffusion line, Nakard. Though it is Armstrong's first freestanding store, he has been featured in boutiques like Bergdorf Goodman, Barneys New York and Net-A-Porter.
A designer with a background in architecture, Armstrong has made a name for himself with his signature "stone plissé" setting that imitates ruched fabric and pixelated foliage-inspired designs. The store was designed to emulate Armstrong's complex design with geometric nuance, the brand's signature muted chartreuse and natural influences.
The store has been in the making for three years, as Armstrong sought to create a place that radiated a laid-back atmosphere and felt like Austin. Walking in, you'll see plenty of chartreuse velvet, hand-cut mosaic floors made with terracotta as a nod to Austin's Latin influences and Milanese accents, all brought to life by a team of Austin-based artisans and designers.
"Austin is so informal in some ways, yet people are craving another interpretation of that— something luxe but approachable," Armstrong said. "(It's) like a beautiful residence you wouldn't want to leave."
The jewelry boutique is nestled between Soho House and St. Cecelia Hotel and Residences in a long space where they house jewelry along parallel narrow walls. The space will open up a variety of events, like designer meet and greets, new collection launches, local art collaborations and upcoming 10th-anniversary celebrations according to a press release.
"Austin is not only a place that has fostered and supported my work, but it has also become a dynamic luxury market," Armstrong said. "If you had told me only a few years ago that South Congress was going to transform into a place that could support brands like mine, I wouldn't have believed you. You can feel the shift, and it's exciting to be a part of it."
The store is open from Tuesday-Saturday 11 a.m.-6 p.m.
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Popular
Volkswagen ID.5 (Volkswagen)
Whether you’re making the switch out of a gas-powered car or thinking of adding another EV into the mix, tax credits could go away for your desired car.
The climate-health-tax package could become law soon. And while Democrats had aimed to expand consumer tax credits for battery-powered vehicles Sen. Joe Manchin called for some supply chain requirements in order to go along with the broader bill.
The Alliance for Automotive Innovation estimates that’ll cut vehicles eligible for the credits from 72 to 25. Brands eligible for a tax credit include BMW, Ford and Rivian. As Electrek reports, sales can push manufacturers over the predetermined threshold of qualified sales, and Tesla is part of that group.
For some EV owners, however, this incentive wasn’t an influence on their decision anyway.
Anuarbek Imanbaev, VP of the Tesla Owners Club Austin, said the credit played very little role in his decision to get a Tesla.
He views his first Tesla as a more luxurious type of purchase that’s a different approach than what other car shoppers have.
“That's a different segment,” Imanbaev said. “I think in that segment, it was nice to have, but it wasn't anything that affected whether I would buy the vehicle or not.”
Still, Imanbaev thinks for those shopping for vehicles up to about $65,000, the tax credit could increase demand.
Reginald Collins, a sales professional at Onion Creek Volkswagen, has talked to the clients who weigh cost more when buying a vehicle and he said the tax credit is a “huge deal.”
“On top of the fact that you're not paying for any gas. And you're saving Earth, it's not a combustion vehicle,” Collins said, referring to Volkswagen’s ID.4 that people can buy with a $7,500 tax credit.
What’s its appeal over a Tesla or other electric vehicles?
“Just the flexibility of it, it's much less expensive,” Collins said.
And while EVs require some wait—Collins estimates the ID.4 taking about 8 to 10 months— he also said that the plant in Chattanooga, Tennessee is making for faster production.
“If you need parts, you can order them from the states instead of ordering them in Germany,” Collins said. “So if you have customer issues they can get parts quicker.”
So if you’re trying to get a deal on an EV, you may need to act quickly. The Senate sent the plan, known as the Inflation Reduction Act, to the House earlier this week meaning it could be headed to President Biden’s desk soon.
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(Pexels)
A chain of plant-based restaurants and wellness centers is getting its start in Austin.
Following time in executive-level positions with Austin-started Whole Foods Market, Betsy Foster, former senior vice president, retiring co-founder and CEO John Mackey and former Whole Foods co-CEO Walter Robb are onto their next project: a startup called Healthy America LLC.
The venture raised $31 million from investors earlier this year to create a national network of wellness centers and vegetarian restaurants.
Bloomberg reported on a now-closed job posting for Healthy America, which described it as “an evidence-based lifestyle company, leading the convergence of culinary, healthcare, and wellness.”
The posting mentions an aim to “meaningfully transform the health and wellbeing of individuals.” Aside from food, educational, fitness and spa services may also be offered.
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