Kendra Scott jewelry designs coming to Mall of America by year's end

The bold and gemstone-infused jewelry designs of Kendra Scott will land at the Mall of America later this year, marking the company's first brick-and-mortar expansion into Minnesota.

The store, one of about 80 nationwide, will be located in the south wing on the first floor, according to a mall spokesman. It also will offer home-decor items, such as scented candles and bejeweled boxes, and a customizable jewelry section.

Scott launched her Austin, Texas-based company in 2002 with $500 and turned it into a billion-dollar enterprise, according to the company's website.

The statement pieces are rich in color and texture, using beads, metals and gemstones in supersized scale. The items also are sold online and at such luxury retailers as Nordstrom, Neiman Marcus and Bloomingdale's and more than 600 specialty boutiques worldwide.

Separately, the Mall of America said Monday it will launch a new service this week that will enable Chinese shoppers to use mobile payments. Through a partnership with Citcon, an mobile-payment platform, retailers will be able to provide seamless payment for Chinese shoppers who use Alipay and WeChat Pay, two of that country's most common payment and shopping apps.

The Mall of America draws 40 million people from across the globe, about four in 10 are tourists. Officials couldn't immediately say how many come from China, but the country is expected to continue to drive growth in the global luxury market. Chinese travelers spend more per trip on average than tourists from any other country, according to the Mall of America.

"Chinese consumers have become accustomed to the idea of doing everything on mobile," Chuck Huang, founder and CEO of Citcon, said in a statement.

"Retail experience begins with knowing your customers. Accepting the familiar and preferred mobile payment options has become a necessity for retailers to deliver exceptional customer experience that matches with the changing behavior of today's Chinese consumers."

jcrosby@startribune.com • 612-673-7335