As I do every year, I would like to start 2021 by paying tribute to all the jewelers who closed their physical stores over the last year.
Some worried that a unprecedented number of jewelry stores would close in 2020, given the COVID-19 pandemic and the resulting strain on the economy. Yet, like the Jewelers Board of Trade, I didn’t find as many closures this year as I had in the past, and I am not sure why.
Perhaps some retailers decided it just wasn’t a great time to shut their doors. Maybe it was a little easier to make deals with landlords. And, most of the information here is gathered from local news sources; a store closing isn’t always a big story these days, especially with so many other businesses going under. It’s also a little tougher to determine who is closed, given so many stores have limited hours, and people, including reporters, are staying home.
The roll call below covers brick-and-mortar jewelry stores that either shut their doors or announced they were shutting their doors in 2020. It is not exhaustive.
Just like every business is different, every business closing is different. In several cases below, the business might be shutting its brick-and-mortar store but will continue to operate online. In other cases, the store may reopen. The “source” link generally contains additional context, and I tried to add that context when it was available. If there’s anything else that you believe is relevant to a store’s placement on this list, feel free to either leave a comment on this post or email me so I can update it.
In the past, there were a few instances where the jeweler changed its mind, or the store ended up reopening. If that’s the case with any of the entries below, let me know, as well as of any closings we may have missed.
It is always bittersweet to see longtime businesses close. Some retailers on this list have over a century of history behind them. At least one was the oldest retailer in its city.
Most of their owners worked long and hard to build a good, honest business. Some made a deliberate decision to retire, while others simply couldn’t hang on. Whatever their reasons for closing, this is my effort to make sure they are not forgotten.
So, here’s to you…
ARIZONA
Master Creations Jewelry, Phoenix (Source)
CALIFORNIA
A. L. Jacobs & Sons Jewelers, San Diego (Source)
Arnold’s Fine Jewelry, Pasadena (Source)
K & Co. Family Jewelers, Brentwood (Source)
Jest Jewels, Berkeley (Source)
Marinelli Fine Jewelry, Dana Point (Source)
McCarty’s Jewelry, Long Beach (Source)
Rogers Jewelry Co., Visalia (Source)
Teter’s Oakdale Jewelry, Oakdale (Source)
COLORADO
Creative Gold, Colorado Springs (Source)
Meanwhile Back at the Ranch, Fort Collins (Source)
Rabbask Designs, Loveland (Source)
CONNECTICUT
Hatfield & Co. Jewelers, Torrington (Source)
FLORIDA
Stewart Jewelry, College Park (Source)
GEORGIA
Zia Couture Jewelry, Savannah (Source) Going online only
IDAHO
Barron’s Jewelry Repair & Design, Idaho Falls (Source)
ILLINOIS
Cole & Young Co. Jewelers, Lansing (Source)
INDIANA
Evans’ Fine Jewelry, Portland (Source)
Nelson Jewelers, Brownsburg (Source)
Kruckemeyer & Cohn, Evansville (Source)
Pazols Jewelers, Muncie (Source)
IOWA
Bookin Jewelry Co., Ottumwa (Source)
Thorpe and Co. Jewellers, Sioux City (Source)
KANSAS
Briman’s Leading Jewelers, Topeka (Source)
LOUISIANA
Champagne Jewelers, Slidell (Source)
Jules Madere Creative Jewelers, Baton Rouge (Source)
MAINE
Beals Jewelry, Ellsworth (Source)
MARYLAND
Julie Ellyn Designs, Bel Air (Source) Going online only
MASSACHUSETTS
Imagine Jewelers, Greenfield (Source)
Kramer Jewelers, Canton (Source)
Silverscape Designs, Northampton (Source)
Swiss Watch & Jewelry Co., Brookline (Source)
MICHIGAN
George Koueiter Jewelers, Grosse Pointe Woods (Source)
Hacker Jewelers Designers & Goldsmiths, Tecumseh (Source)
J&M Jewelers, Washington (Source)
MINNESOTA
Robert’s Fine Jewelry, Waite Park (Source)
MISSISSIPPI
Rae’s Jewelry, Columbus (Source)
Sollberger’s, Curator of Exceptional Jewelry and Timepieces, Ridgeland (Source)
MISSOURI
MSG Jewelers, St. Louis (Source)
NEW HAMPSHIRE
Amidon Jewelers, Keene (Source)
Sawyers Jewelry, Laconia (Source)
NEW YORK
Fortunoff Fine Jewelry, Westbury (Source) Going online only
Me&Ro, New York City (Source) Going online only
J. V. Carter & Co. Jewelers, Ozone Park (Source)
WJ Hinman Jewelers, Oneida (Source)
OHIO
Jan Jewelers, Avon Lake (Source)
Stafford Jewelers, Cincinnati (Source)
Wannemacher Jewelers, Ottawa (Source)
OKLAHOMA
The Jeweler’s Box, Checotah (Source)
PENNSYLVANIA
K.E. Jones Jewelers, Carlisle (Source)
New World Jewellers, West Reading (Source)
TEXAS
Beads of Splendor, Dallas (Source)
Gold N Things, Duncanville (Source)
Meyerland Jewelers, Houston (Source)
UTAH
Goldsmith Co. Jewelers, Provo (Source)
VIRGINIA
B&C Jewelers, Alexandria (Source)
WASHINGTON
Wiitamaki Jewelry Store, Aberdeen (Source)
Chris Francisco Jeweler, Mercer Island (Source)
WISCONSIN
Fortier Jewelers, Union Grove (Source)
Grubba Jewelers, Stevens Point (Source)
Thiet Jewelers, Whitefish Bay (Source)
Two final thoughts:
This list is dedicated to jewelers, but there are many local businesses that are just hanging on right now. Remember to (safely) support your neighborhood restaurants, bookstores, grocers, toy stores, hair salons, pharmacists, etc. Not only do they need us right now, but we need them.
At the end of this list, I usually give a final salute to all those jewelers who have closed their doors, and wish their owners the best as they move on to the next phase of their lives. But perhaps this year, it’s more appropriate to raise a glass to everyone in this business, as we are all challenged, and are all trying to stay afloat through this crazy, uncertain, tumultuous time.
So let’s tip our hat to all of our comrades in arms, and wish the best to everyone, as we hope for better days ahead.
(Photo: Getty Images)
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