ColumnistsFeb 11, 2025
Peter Smith: 9 Store Manager Archetypes Smith details the types of store managers he’s encountered, with the goal of helping retailers find a person who’s a fit for their store.
IndependentsMar 15, 2018
Jewelry Industry Veteran and Retailer Robert Corey Dies
He founded Robert’s Jewelry Store with his wife in Madawaska, Maine in 1955.
Robert Corey, founder of Robert’s Jewelry Store in Maine, died Feb. 11 at the age of 90. He’s pictured here at his grandson, Joe Corey’s, wedding in 2014.
Waterville, Maine--Robert Corey, who founded Robert’s Jewelry Store with his wife, died Feb. 11 in Fort Kent, Maine. He was 90 years old.
Corey and his wife, Enid, started Robert’s Jewelry Store in Madawaska, Maine in 1955. The store is currently owned and operated by his son, Robert. Corey also was the father of Jeff and Jim Corey, the current owners of Day’s Jewelers, a seven-store chain in Maine and New Hampshire.
Corey started his life-long career in the jewelry business at the age of 11, working for Day’s Jewelers when it was owned by the Davidson family in Portland, Maine.
He enlisted in the Marine Corps. at the age of 17 and served as a military policeman stationed in Japan after World War II.
After he finished his military service, Corey returned to Portland and at the age of 19 was put in charge of opening and managing a Day’s Jewelers in Caribou, Maine. It was one of 22 Day’s stores located in Maine, New Hampshire and Vermont at the time. (In 1988 his sons Jeff and Jim and Jeff’s wife Kathy purchased Day’s Jewelers.)
It was there he met his future wife, Enid Marie Sleeper, and the two were married in 1950.
In 1955, the two moved to Madawaska, where they opened Robert’s Jewelry Store.
This presented an interesting challenge for the couple given that, at the time, French was the predominant language in northern Main and the two spoke only English. But it was often said, according to Corey’s family and friends, that he “possessed a magical quality of being able to communicate with his eyes.”
Robert and Enid raised their seven children in Madawaska, where the family grew up working together in the jewelry store.
Corey loved to spend time with his children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren at their summer home on Long Lake in Sinclair, Maine. He also loved his hunting trips with friends as well as his final trip to the Arctic with his sons and grandsons.
Corey was a devout Catholic “who was very much in touch with his heart,” his family said, and often sang and recited poetry.
He will be missed for his wit and humor, and for his ability to always find goodness and kindness in life and in people, they added.
He also was passionate about the industry and how jewelry symbolized special moments in life.
Corey and his wife, Enid, started Robert’s Jewelry Store in Madawaska, Maine in 1955. The store is currently owned and operated by his son, Robert. Corey also was the father of Jeff and Jim Corey, the current owners of Day’s Jewelers, a seven-store chain in Maine and New Hampshire.
Corey started his life-long career in the jewelry business at the age of 11, working for Day’s Jewelers when it was owned by the Davidson family in Portland, Maine.
He enlisted in the Marine Corps. at the age of 17 and served as a military policeman stationed in Japan after World War II.
After he finished his military service, Corey returned to Portland and at the age of 19 was put in charge of opening and managing a Day’s Jewelers in Caribou, Maine. It was one of 22 Day’s stores located in Maine, New Hampshire and Vermont at the time. (In 1988 his sons Jeff and Jim and Jeff’s wife Kathy purchased Day’s Jewelers.)
It was there he met his future wife, Enid Marie Sleeper, and the two were married in 1950.
In 1955, the two moved to Madawaska, where they opened Robert’s Jewelry Store.
This presented an interesting challenge for the couple given that, at the time, French was the predominant language in northern Main and the two spoke only English. But it was often said, according to Corey’s family and friends, that he “possessed a magical quality of being able to communicate with his eyes.”
Robert and Enid raised their seven children in Madawaska, where the family grew up working together in the jewelry store.
Corey loved to spend time with his children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren at their summer home on Long Lake in Sinclair, Maine. He also loved his hunting trips with friends as well as his final trip to the Arctic with his sons and grandsons.
Corey was a devout Catholic “who was very much in touch with his heart,” his family said, and often sang and recited poetry.
He will be missed for his wit and humor, and for his ability to always find goodness and kindness in life and in people, they added.
He also was passionate about the industry and how jewelry symbolized special moments in life.
Editors' Picks
Sponsored by
He is survived by his wife of 67 years, Enid Marie, and their seven children: Jeff and his wife, Kathy; Jolene and her husband, James Cleland; Jean and her husband, David Foster; Jayne Johnston; Robert and his wife, Sylvie; James and his fiancée, Amy Schmidt; Anne and her husband, Douglas Cyr; as well as 14 grandchildren.
More on Independents
The Latest
WatchesFeb 11, 2025
Bulgari, MB&F Launch Reimagined ‘Serpenti’ WatchThe brands immersed one of Bulgari’s most famous historical icons in MB&F’s ultra-mechanical universe of haute horlogerie.
FinancialsFeb 11, 2025
Boucheron a Bright Spot as Kering’s Full-Year Sales Sink 12%The luxury titan’s full-year performance was weighed down by struggling sales at its star brand Gucci.
Brought to you by
3 Ways to Capitalize on America’s Newfound Love of Colored GemsColored stones are stepping into a jewelry spotlight typically reserved for diamonds—are you ready to sell color?
CrimeFeb 11, 2025
2 Men Charged With Selling Stolen Jewelry, Watches in NYC Diamond DistrictOne of the men is said to be connected to the South American crew charged with burglarizing Cincinnati Bengals QB Joe Burrow’s home.
Weekly QuizFeb 06, 2025
This Week’s QuizTest your jewelry news knowledge by answering these questions.
MajorsFeb 11, 2025
Midas Chain Releases First Diamond CollectionThe jewelry manufacturer has launched more than 100 pieces made with natural diamonds.
SurveysFeb 10, 2025
Jewelry Resilient in 2024 Even As Luxury Sales Slipped, Says Bain & Co.Bain & Co.’s latest report on the luxury market examines why the market’s customer base is shrinking and how to appeal to consumers in 2025.
Brought to you by
3 New Year’s Resolutions for Jewelry Lovers The new year feels like a clean slate, inspiring reflection, hope, and the motivation to become better versions of ourselves.
CrimeFeb 10, 2025
Counterfeit Jewelry Kept Kentucky Customs Agents Busy in January, CBP Says Officers in Louisville seized 28 shipments of fake jewelry and watches that would have been worth more than $27 million if genuine.
CollectionsFeb 10, 2025
Hearts on Fire Flips Jewelry ‘Inside Out’ in New CollectionThe collection centers on the art of tailoring, inspired by designs that feature folded fabrics, such as a tuxedo lapel.
Events & AwardsFeb 10, 2025
Select Jewelry Show Heads to NashvilleThe trade show has added a new location to its fall line-up.
CollectionsFeb 07, 2025
Piece of the Week: Jade Trau’s ‘Ladybird’ CharmFrom the brand’s latest collection of lucky charms, the ladybird is seen as a bearer of good fortune and a ward against negative energy.
SourcingFeb 07, 2025
De Beers’ Production Guidance Slashed, Anglo Anticipates Another WritedownThe moves come amid a prolonged period of lower demand for diamonds, particularly in China.
Events & AwardsFeb 07, 2025
Registration Opens for Stuller’s Bench Jeweler WorkshopThe workshop returns in March, along with the “Battle of the Benches” mini challenge series.
MajorsFeb 06, 2025
Oscar Heyman Employee Celebrates 60 Years With the Company Adam Heyman joined the family business in 1965, just weeks after graduating from Columbia Business School.
CollectionsFeb 06, 2025
De Beers Jewellers’ New High Jewelry Pays Homage to the Beauty of TreesThe “Essence of Nature, Chapter One” collection echoes trees and roots, literally and figuratively, through three sets of high jewelry.
CrimeFeb 05, 2025
‘The Timepiece Gentleman’ Sentenced to 5-Plus Years Behind Bars Luxury watch dealer Anthony Farrer pleaded guilty late last year to defrauding clients in a scheme with Ponzi-type elements.
FinancialsFeb 05, 2025
Pandora Posts Double-Digit Growth After Strong Holiday SeasonIn its full-year results, the retailer shared its 2025 outlook and an update on the global rollout of its lab-grown diamond collection.
TrendsFeb 05, 2025
Amanda’s Style File: Feeling Fabulous in FebruaryCelebrate February birthstones and the gem shows in Arizona this month with a versatile stone like amethyst.
MajorsFeb 05, 2025
DCA Promotes Kristen Scheetz to Director of Education, MembershipScheetz has been with the nonprofit since 2007.
SourcingFeb 04, 2025
New Deal With Botswana Is Done, De Beers Confirms The agreement will allocate an increasing proportion of the country’s rough diamonds to the government of Botswana over the next decade.
Events & AwardsFeb 04, 2025
Van Cleef & Arpels’ Astronomy-Inspired Jewelry to Land at AMNH“Cosmic Splendor: Jewelry From the Collections of Van Cleef & Arpels,” opens April 11 at the American Museum of Natural History.
SurveysFeb 04, 2025
Valentine’s Day Jewelry Spending Forecast to Hit Record High, Says NRFThose celebrating Valentine’s Day this year are expected to spend a record $27.5 billion on jewels, flowers, candy, and more.
EditorsFeb 03, 2025
Best Jewelry Moments From the 2025 Grammy Awards From Lady Gaga’s 1930s Tiffany & Co. necklace to Taylor Swift’s “T,” Michelle Graff recaps the night’s most memorable jewelry looks.
MajorsFeb 03, 2025
Qurate to Close HSN’s Florida HQ Amid RestructuringLayoffs will reportedly start next month as HSN plans to move into QVC’s location in Pennsylvania.
EditorsFeb 03, 2025
Q&A: 5 Jewelry Designers on Shopping the 2025 Tucson Gem ShowsA group of creatives talked to Associate Editor Lauren McLemore about their approach to the annual Tucson gem, mineral, and fossil shows.
AuctionsJan 31, 2025
Elizabeth Taylor’s Diamond Bracelet Outshines Estimate at U.K. AuctionThe auction also featured the sale of a Cartier necklace made when Egyptomania was sweeping Great Britain.
