Jules and Jim Cocktail and Bottle Shoppe led by Rob Pietroforte and Jesse Jahr from the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania has won the 2015 Edens Retail Challenge, a nationwide university student competition seeking the most compelling new retail concept. The competition culminated with final presentations in New York City on Monday, March 2nd.
Jules and Jim is a craft cocktail and bottle shoppe seeking to change the way people experience cocktails at home through retail stores that provide custom cocktail curation and education as well as a subscription service.
"Jules and Jim embodies innovation, passion and a keen understanding of the retail landscape," says Jodie McLean, Edens President and Chief Investment Officer.
The founders of Jules and Jim will receive a monetary award as well as additional support from Edens' in-house team of financial, marketing and design professionals as they continue to build their brand. Past retail challenge winners include Follain and Artis, which are successfully open for business and growing rapidly - a testament to the value of the support and resources the program provides.
"Jesse and I are humbled by the victory and incredibly grateful to have been Finalists among great competitors," said Pietroforte. "We're thrilled to be a part of the Edens family and look forward to working together as we take the next steps towards launching of our first retail location in the fall of 2015."
Jules and Jim was selected after an intensive, six-month process of competition, which evaluated some of the best and the brightest concepts from colleges and universities around the country.
The other finalists of the 2015 Edens Retail Challenge were Dagny Scott (Columbia University), a fashion-forward, groundbreaking women's golf apparel brand, and T&Co (Babson College), a forward-thinking tea service company with a modern take on the traditional high tea.
Source: Edens
