When Invoice Levine met his spouse Birdie he found on their first date that her dream was to personal a jewellery retailer.
It was a dream the couple went on to share for greater than 45 years with Van Cott Jewelers in Vestal, New York.
However now the beloved jewellery retailer owned by the couple has closed down after greater than 100 years in enterprise.
Van Cott Jewelers was based in 1914 in Binghamton, New York, and later was acquired by the Levine household.
Invoice and Birdie took over the enterprise from Invoice’s father Herbert in 1979.
‘That is one thing we’ve to do,’ they wrote on the corporate’s web site in April. ‘For over a century, Van Cott Jewelers has been honored to serve this unbelievable neighborhood.
‘Thanks to your loyalty, your belief and for permitting us to be part of your lives for all these years. The recollections we have shared with you’ll stick with us without end.’
‘We have been a part of so many particular moments — serving to you pick the proper engagement ring, celebrating milestones, or just discovering the piece of jewellery that makes your coronary heart sing,’ the Levines wrote in a due to their prospects on Fb.
Third-generation house owners Birdie and Invoice Levine are closing the shop after greater than 100 years
The couple stated ‘latest life-changing occasions’ had led them to reevaluate their priorities, Nationwide Jeweler reported.
Van Cott specialised in engagement rings, earrings bracelets and pendants.
It remained common over the many years, being voted primary jeweler within the Southern Tier for 38 years.
Loyal prospects and workers shared their grief on the retailer’s closure and their pleased recollections.
‘5 years in the past I retired from Van Cott Jewelers, it was the most effective household to work for after 44 years & so admire the “household of gems” there’ former worker Jessie Murphy wrote on Fb.
‘My ex husband purchased my ring from Invoice’s father again within the day. We have been younger and had little cash however he bought it to us on credit score,’ Theresa Detrick recalled.
‘By the years I received anniversary presents ONLY from Van Cotts as a result of they believed in us.
‘The wedding did not final however the items I received from there nonetheless do. In truth I handed the ring down as a household heirloom.’
Van Cott specialised in engagement rings in addition to necklaces and bracelets
The New York retailer held a sale earlier than it closed its doorways for the ultimate time
One other buyer Kate Bidwell recalled her household’s love of the shop: ‘My mother handed down her love of Van Cotts to my sister and I and we each requested our husbands go there for our engagement and wedding ceremony rings.’
The shop was based by immigrant Rubine ‘Ruby’ Levine after he labored in a jewellery manufacturing unit throughout the First World Battle.
Levine was fluent in eight languages and shortly constructed up clientele among the many native immigrant shoe staff employed by The Endicott-Johnson Shoe Firm.
‘My grandfather Ruby all the time taught us that it was higher to make buddies than prospects,’ Invoice advised the Nationwide Jeweler.
‘My dad, Herbert, believed that everybody ought to go away our retailer with a smile.’
‘His success resulted from his integrity and humanity as he diligently went door to door promoting something from wedding ceremony rings and non secular gadgets to eye glasses,’ the shop defined on its web site.
‘Thanks to your loyalty, your belief and for permitting us to be part of your lives for all these years,’ the Levines wrote.
‘We hope to see you earlier than our last day and we wish to specific simply how a lot your help has meant to each of us.’
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