Stuller, Lafayette, La., issued a statement saying it will be closed Tuesday, as a result of conditions surrounding Hurricane Gustav.

“In order to allow our associates to take care of the immediate needs of their families and property, we’ve shut down all systems in preparation for the hurricane,” said Kerry Hand, Stuller’s executive director of Marketing Services and Public Relations. “Customers will not be able to contact us via phone, fax or web.”

According to Hand, the DTC Sightholder and manufacturers and distributors of fine jewelry and jewelry-related productssaid it will assess re-opening the Lafayette, LA based manufacturing and administrative facility on a day-to-day basis.

The one-time category 3 hurricane that hit the Gulf Coast west of New Orleans Monday was downgraded to a tropical depression Tuesday. The storm’s center moved over eastern Lafayette at 2:30 p.m. Monday, according to media reports.

JCK