KC luxury watch startup, Niall lands in Tivol stores
June 10, 2015 | Bobby Burch
Luxury timepiece-maker Niall will soon be selling its watches with one of Kansas City’s most prestigious jewelers.
The Kansas City-based watchmaker will start selling its timepieces at two Kansas City Tivol stores on June 18, offering it both exposure and validation, Niall CEO Mike Wilson said. Tivol is the company’s first major retailer, Wilson said.
“It’s huge for us,” Wilson said. “This was a very important step for us because it’s huge validation that someone like Tivol — who’s been around 100 years and only deals with the best brands — has chosen to work with us, a young company.”
Wilson said that Niall’s partner, Salva O’Renick, has been invaluable in helping the company gain traction. Also CEO of marketing and sales tech firm Chemistry, Wilson said that Salva O’Renick has been particularly helpful with getting its products into the hands of consumers.
“One complication was building market validation,” he said. “We had the marketing piece of it, but really the piece that was missing was sales and distribution. People that like Niall would like to see it in a case next to a Rolex or Panerai.”
Founded in 2014, Niall watches start at $3,950. Niall is manufactured in Kansas City, and nearly all of its parts derive from within the United States, Wilson said.
Featured Business
2015 Startups to Watch
stats here
Related Posts on Startland News
Nell Hill’s founder returns to retail with ‘this little secret’ — a micro shop with an old-fashioned, in-store experience
Mary Carol Garrity’s last home furnishings store was 18,000 square feet. Her new one? A “petit bazaar” at just 400. Garrity is teaming up with longtime friend, Rebecca Wood, on diebolt’s in Midtown’s Gillham House Antiques & Furnishings. The shop, which is scheduled for an April 19 soft opening, is expected to offer a “fun…
Urban designer behind Royals’ Crossroads ballpark pioneered the modern MLB stadium (and he has the bats to prove it)
It’s difficult to find a Major League Baseball stadium that Earl Santee hasn’t influenced with his philosophy of community-oriented design. Called the “Godfather of ballparks,” Santee — the recently named CEO of Populous and literal architect of the proposed Kansas City Royals ballpark district in the East Crossroads — either designed or renovated two dozen…
Royals change stadium plan to keep Oak Street open to traffic, but fate of businesses is uncertain
Editor’s note: The following story was published by KCUR, Kansas City’s NPR member station, and a fellow member of the KC Media Collective. Click here to read the original story or here to sign up for KCUR’s email newsletter. The Royals’ original plan was to place the team’s corporate offices and entertainment venues on Oak Street, which would close the…
Royals Crossroads ballpark plan revs parking debate; how ‘creatures of comfort’ would need to adapt to a new downtown
Editor’s note: This story was originally published by Kansas City PBS/Flatland, a member of the KC Media Collective, which also includes Startland News, KCUR 89.3, American Public Square, The Kansas City Beacon, and Missouri Business Alert. Click here to read the original story. Here’s the essential message that the Kansas City Royals have for folks fretting about…