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Samuel Gordon Jewelers closing up shop
After 111 years in business, the Oklahoma City jewelry store is closing its doors.
This shot provided to National Jeweler shows the inside of Samuel Gordon Jewelers store in downtown Oklahoma City in 1948.
Oklahoma City--After 111 years in business, Samuel Gordon Jewelers is closing its doors.
Principal Gary Gordon, who could not be reached for comment by National Jeweler Tuesday, told The Oklahoman that his reason for closing the store was that he wants to retire. “I’ve done this for 48 years, and I’m going to allow myself to rest,” the 67-year-old told the newspaper.
Gordon’s grandfather Samuel opened the family jewelry store in 1904 after immigrating to the United States from Europe and settling in Oklahoma City. His son Norman followed him into the business and ran the store with his wife Betty after the elder Gordon died in 1956.
Gary Gordon took over in 1980 upon the death of his father Norman. It was in 1990, under Gary’s direction, when the retailer consolidated its three locations into one 12,000-square-foot store, taking over a space once occupied by a Goodyear tire store.
Gordon’s son Dan, who is known in the industry for his social media savvy, worked alongside his father for years but announced in 2013 that he was “pivoting out of the family jewelry business.” He eventually took a job doing sales and social media at The Diamond Cellar and moved his family from Oklahoma City to Columbus, Ohio.
For an article on jewelers that are 100 years or older published last year, Gary Gordon told National Jeweler that focusing on watches, advertising at bridal events and maintaining a healthy mix of advertising between traditional mediums and social media were among the store’s secrets to staying open for 110 years.
“My advice to any retailer is this: Take care of your customers, your employees, your vendors and yourself, and everything else will pretty much fall into place,” he said.
According to The Oklahoman, the store will start its going-out-of-business sale this week and will close up shop once everything is gone.
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