Rewards
Rewards
Written by Mark Collins Wednesday, 07 November 2007
Exclusivity offers shoppers the subtle signs of success
Rewards owners Russell and Claudia Stromberg have been able to subtly turn a local Austin belt, buckle and jewelry store into a national commodity.
The Strombergs started Rewards 12 years ago when Russell retired and moved to Austin from Los Angeles. A former president of a healthcare system, he had no experience in the industry, but had been a longtime belt and buckle collector.
“It was a strategic plan,” Russell said. “We had to develop the location, develop the store, develop inventory and build it. We did it all from scratch.”
The Strombergs chose the Arboretum because “it was the nicest shopping center in Austin,” and was “surrounded by high end, nice stores.”
Now, Rewards is the largest seller of silver and gold belt buckles in the United States. The store carries many exclusive designs and more than 350 different buckles, as well as belts made of everything from alligator and crocodile to bison and ostrich.
“Basically, we don’t carry anything that anyone else in Austin carries,” Stromberg said. “There are only 20 excellent buckle makers, and we carry the top 15.”
Products from Rewards have been worn by the likes of President George W. Bush, Mack Brown and more than 20,000 Austinites Russell said. Rewards was also chosen as an official vendor for President Bush’s inauguration parties in 2001 and 2005.
“We carry both western and contemporary belt buckles. Half our belt buckles aren’t western at all,” Russell said. “They can be worn with suits, sport coats and slacks and jeans.”
Much of the store’s inventory is comprised of handmade jewelry. Featuring Angels with Attitudes and StoryWheels, the Rewards collection is an array of jewels and precious metals.
“We’ve always been half jewelry and half belt buckles,” Russell said. “This way the husband can buy the wife something, and the wife can buy the husband something, and they can both buy something for themselves.”
In addition, the store also sells cufflinks, money clips, wallets, watches and hats, all items exclusive in Austin to Rewards.
The Strombergs have considered moving Rewards from its home in the Arboretum Market, next to Saks on Great Hills Trail, but wouldn’t change what has worked for so long.
“I think we have the most wonderful customers in the world,” Russell said.
One of the exclusive buckles in Rewards is the 55-cent buckle set. The set, made of both sterling silver and 14k gold, has three old silver Mercury dimes cut into Texas stars on the two keepers and the tip, and a pre-1947 silver quarter cut into a Texas star on the buckle. The coins add up to 55 cents, hence the name. The buckle set, by famed silversmith Matt Hackett, takes six hours to create.
Rewards, 9722 Great Hills Trail, 502-9799, www.shoprewards.com
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