PITTSFIELD, Mass. — Customers were picking through the bling at Crown Jewelers on Thursday looking for that special ring or bracelet or necklace. 

 

Not surprising with Valentine's Day less than two weeks away. But this was a bit different — the jeweler is closing up shop after 45 years and liquidating its inventory. 

 

Owners Tim and Mary Whalen are handing in their ring sizers to enter retirement.

 

"We can't thank everybody enough in Berkshire County, talk about loyalty, oh my God, it's amazing, without them we wouldn't have made it for 45 years," Whalen said. "We can't thank our customers enough for helping us get to this point."

 

In between customers, she said the decision to retire had not been easy.

 

The jewelry store first announced its closure last week along with a liquidation sale. This week, the news made it to Facebook as a post on the store's page.

 

Since the announcement, the store has been buzzing with customers looking to make a final purchase from the jewelers that their parents — or even grandparents — shopped with.

 

"It was a very difficult decision for sure, we were not prepared for the reaction at all," Whalen said.

 

Crown Jewelers was first opened by partners Edward Chandler and Leo Charland in 1977 and has remained in the Allendale Shopping center since. The Whalens took over 20 years later (with then co-owner Paul Warren) and have almost 60 years of combined time with the store.

 

Their business philosophy has been centered around customer service and has proven to be effective, they said. For decades, area residents have chosen to mark special occasions such as engagements, anniversaries, and birthdays with the jewelers.

 

The couple has seen generations of families walk through their door.

 

Crown Jewelers has been named Best of the Berkshires almost every year and won a bid in 2004 to provide lapel pins for then Gov. Mitt Romney's staff that lead to a large order of cuff links to be used as gifts for visiting dignitaries to the State House. 

 

There is no set date for closure as the Whalens sell out their inventory. An announcement will be made a week or two before the doors officially close.

 

The jewelers currently have a few full-time employees, a part-time employee, and the help of family.

 

Though closing comes with a degree of sadness, the Whalens said they are anticipating retirement and reflect fondly on their years of adorning Berkshire County.