Kendra Scott News In Austin Mix Of Good, Bad

AUSTIN, Texas — News related to noted Austin jeweler Kendra Scott emerged on Tuesday, and it was a decidedly good news/bad news mixed bag. The former alerted to the designer's husband's success with a tequila brand while the latter centered on news of a smash-and-grab robbery at her flagship store.

At around 3:40 a.m. on Tuesday, a burglar caught on surveillance security cameras ransacked through the flagship Kendra Scott store before fleeing with thousands of dollars of merchandise, Scott said in a prepared statement. She is now offering a $10,000 cash reward for information leading to the unknown man's arrest while working closely with police.

"Austin is our heart and home, and our flagship store honors those roots," Scott said in a post. "It is with a heavy heart this evening that we alert our community that an intruder broke into this property and removed thousands of dollars of precious merchandise around 3:40 a.m. this morning."

By robbing the store, the burglar effectively stole from the community, Scott explained: "Our culture of giving back is a core value of ours and when we are robbed of our merchandise this also robs the proceeds of the impactful causes in our community we are committed to supporting."

Broadcast media outlets in Austin posted the camera surveillance video in their reports:

In happier news, Scott's husband, Matt Davis, is reporting tremendous success with his Playa Real tequila Real operation, which has consistently gained national exposure with a lineup of three 100 percent blue agave, 80-proof, triple-distilled tequilas, including two fruit-infused varieties in pineapple and mandarin flavors. This year marks the brand's one-year anniversary, officials said.

The company has been hitting strides since a deal was struck last year with Republic National Distributing Co., according to a press advisory emailed to Patch. The tequila is already for sale in four states other than Texas, including Colorado, Connecticut and Oklahoma, officials said. Within weeks, a deal to distribute the tequila in Louisiana is expected to be finalized.

Founder and CEO Matt Davis said this is only the beginning. Playa Real Tequila is preparing for the next phase of growth, including two product launches, line extensions, and continued market expansion, he said. “I couldn’t be prouder of the growth Playa Real Tequila has achieved in one year,” Davis said.

“We knew our tequila was special when we launched as a small, grassroots operation, and we hoped others would embrace the unique taste of Mexico we’re delivering," Davis said. "But to see that idea grow into the business it is today has been more rewarding than I could have ever imagined.”

In addition to continued market expansion, Playa Real Tequila has earned impressive industry awards and accolades since its January 2018 debut. Most recently, the brand took home Gold Medals for its Silver and Pineapple products at the 2018 Artisan Awards, with Mandarin receiving a Silver Medal. Additionally, the brand was awarded the Silver Medal for all three tequila products at the 2018 San Francisco World Spirits Competition. The company plans to launch two new tequila products in the year ahead, company officials said.

“The success Playa Real has achieved in one year of business indicates to us that the tequila category is strong,” Davis said. “We look forward to continuing to shake up the infused spirits category in 2019 and also have some fun developments up our sleeve.”

For more information on Playa Real, visit www.playarealtequila.com and follow the brand on Instagram atwww.instagram.com/playarealtequila.