For all of us at Bagley and Company Jewelers, I thank our customers, friends and community for our successful 131 years and four generations in business. We will all greatly miss you and are extremely grateful for your support.
As you can imagine, the decision to close the store took much thought (“End of an era for Duluth's oldest jewelry store,” April 18). We came off of our best year last year. But I still didn’t have a successor. And after having worked the last two years on the Superior Street renovation plan to replace all of downtown’s 100-plus-year-old utilities, I kept wondering whether we were strong enough to survive multiple years of difficult access for our customers.
We were very aware of the changing consumer habits in our industry, toward bridal registry, giftware and jewelry purchases in general. Internet purchases are growing daily, and we weren’t part of it. The store’s business plan needed to be reinvented again, and I didn’t have it in me to do it. And I didn’t want to risk our success on speculation that we’d survive the street project.
So I made the decision to close the store in the most positive and fun way we could. We had the most wonderful three months with our customers as we celebrated many memories and added new ones and as we took care of everyone in the Bagley way right till the end. We enjoyed going out on top with all of you.
I am sorry to be leaving the downtown community. We’ve been one of those traditions that we all want to have last forever. Running a going-out-of-business sale, with all its signage and media blitz, is not a very positive image for any of us. For all of my years supporting downtown, it’s not the way I wanted to leave.
ADVERTISEMENT
But I am very grateful for being so peaceful with my decision. And our going out of business does make our space and buildings much more affordable for someone to step in and bring a new future to the block. So while one legacy comes to an end, a new opportunity arises.
Please do continue to support your downtown. It needs you - and we need it.
God bless and thank you!
Rick Heimbach is the longtime owner of Bagley and Company at 315 W. Superior St., which is closing after 131 years in business.
