Stuart Tamres was busy on Christmas Eve morning, helping last-minute shoppers pick the perfect jewelry piece at Talles Jewelers in Bel Air.
Tamres said he even sold diamond earrings for $12,000 the day before. But it was still going to be a slow holiday season, with sales down about 30 percent from the year before.
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“But from what I’ve heard that’s happening out there, down 30 percent, I’m happy with,” said Tamres, president of the Tri-State Jewelers Association. “The little guys are down, the national chains are down.”
With consumers pulling back spending in all areas this season, independent jewelers are starting to feel the crunch. In the Baltimore area, Chip Smyth Jewelers in Ellicott City and Mirkin’s Jewelers in Pikesville recently announced they were going out of business, Tamres said.
“Each year, about 800 jewelry stores go out of business,” Tamres said. “Normally, new people come in and take their place, but I don’t know if you’re going to see the stores replaced next year. This year has really hurt the weaker stores.”
in progress
Jewelers look for after-Christmas sales boost
1226emsbizJewelry
None
12/26/09 9:05:00 PM
26897389
Jewelers look for after-Christmas sales boost
By Andrew Cannarsa
Examiner Staff Writer
Baltimore
www.baltimoreexaminer.com
Stuart Tamres was busy on Christmas Eve morning, helping last-minute shoppers pick the perfect jewelry piece at Talles Jewelers in Bel Air. Tamres said he even sold diamond earrings for $12,000 the day before. But it was still going to be a slow holiday season, with sales down about 30 percent from the year before.
“But from what I’ve heard that’s happening out there, down 30 percent, I’m happy with,” said Tamres, president of the Tri-State Jewelers Association. “The little guys are down, the national chains are down.”
With consumers pulling back spending in all areas this season, independent jewelers are starting to feel the crunch. In the Baltimore area, Chip Smyth Jewelers in Ellicott City and Mirkin’s Jewelers in Pikesville recently announced they were going out of business, Tamres said.
“Each year, about 800 jewelry stores go out of business,” Tamres said. “Normally, new people come in and take their place, but I don’t know if you’re going to see the stores replaced next year. This year has really hurt the weaker stores.”
in progress
Jewelers look for after-Christmas sales boost
1226emsbizJewelry
None
12/26/09 9:05:00 PM
26897389
Jewelers look for after-Christmas sales boost
By Andrew Cannarsa
Examiner Staff Writer
Baltimore
www.baltimoreexaminer.com
Stuart Tamres was busy on Christmas Eve morning, helping last-minute shoppers pick the perfect jewelry piece at Talles Jewelers in Bel Air. Tamres said he even sold diamond earrings for $12,000 the day before. But it was still going to be a slow holiday season, with sales down about 30 percent from the year before.
“But from what I’ve heard that’s happening out there, down 30 percent, I’m happy with,” said Tamres, president of the Tri-State Jewelers Association. “The little guys are down, the national chains are down.”
With consumers pulling back spending in all areas this season, independent jewelers are starting to feel the crunch. In the Baltimore area, Chip Smyth Jewelers in Ellicott City and Mirkin’s Jewelers in Pikesville recently announced they were going out of business, Tamres said.
“Each year, about 800 jewelry stores go out of business,” Tamres said. “Normally, new people come in and take their place, but I don’t know if you’re going to see the stores replaced next year. This year has really hurt the weaker stores.”
in progress
Jewelers look for after-Christmas sales boost
1226emsbizJewelry
None
12/26/09 9:05:00 PM
26897389
Jewelers look for after-Christmas sales boost
By Andrew Cannarsa
Examiner Staff Writer
Baltimore
www.baltimoreexaminer.com
Stuart Tamres was busy on Christmas Eve morning, helping last-minute shoppers pick the perfect jewelry piece at Talles Jewelers in Bel Air. Tamres said he even sold diamond earrings for $12,000 the day before. But it was still going to be a slow holiday season, with sales down about 30 percent from the year before.
“But from what I’ve heard that’s happening out there, down 30 percent, I’m happy with,” said Tamres, president of the Tri-State Jewelers Association. “The little guys are down, the national chains are down.”
With consumers pulling back spending in all areas this season, independent jewelers are starting to feel the crunch. In the Baltimore area, Chip Smyth Jewelers in Ellicott City and Mirkin’s Jewelers in Pikesville recently announced they were going out of business, Tamres said.
“Each year, about 800 jewelry stores go out of business,” Tamres said. “Normally, new people come in and take their place, but I don’t know if you’re going to see the stores replaced next year. This year has really hurt the weaker stores.”
in progress
Jewelers look for after-Christmas sales boost
1226emsbizJewelry
None
12/26/09 9:05:00 PM
26897389
Jewelers look for after-Christmas sales boost
By Andrew Cannarsa
Examiner Staff Writer
Baltimore
www.baltimoreexaminer.com
Stuart Tamres was busy on Christmas Eve morning, helping last-minute shoppers pick the perfect jewelry piece at Talles Jewelers in Bel Air. Tamres said he even sold diamond earrings for $12,000 the day before. But it was still going to be a slow holiday season, with sales down about 30 percent from the year before.
“But from what I’ve heard that’s happening out there, down 30 percent, I’m happy with,” said Tamres, president of the Tri-State Jewelers Association. “The little guys are down, the national chains are down.”
With consumers pulling back spending in all areas this season, independent jewelers are starting to feel the crunch. In the Baltimore area, Chip Smyth Jewelers in Ellicott City and Mirkin’s Jewelers in Pikesville recently announced they were going out of business, Tamres said.
“Each year, about 800 jewelry stores go out of business,” Tamres said. “Normally, new people come in and take their place, but I don’t know if you’re going to see the stores replaced next year. This year has really hurt the weaker stores.”
in progress
Jewelers look for after-Christmas sales boost
1226emsbizJewelry
None
12/26/09 9:05:00 PM
26897389
Jewelers look for after-Christmas sales boost
By Andrew Cannarsa
Examiner Staff Writer
Baltimore
www.baltimoreexaminer.com
Stuart Tamres was busy on Christmas Eve morning, helping last-minute shoppers pick the perfect jewelry piece at Talles Jewelers in Bel Air. Tamres said he even sold diamond earrings for $12,000 the day before. But it was still going to be a slow holiday season, with sales down about 30 percent from the year before.
“But from what I’ve heard that’s happening out there, down 30 percent, I’m happy with,” said Tamres, president of the Tri-State Jewelers Association. “The little guys are down, the national chains are down.”
With consumers pulling back spending in all areas this season, independent jewelers are starting to feel the crunch. In the Baltimore area, Chip Smyth Jewelers in Ellicott City and Mirkin’s Jewelers in Pikesville recently announced they were going out of business, Tamres said.
“Each year, about 800 jewelry stores go out of business,” Tamres said. “Normally, new people come in and take their place, but I don’t know if you’re going to see the stores replaced next year. This year has really hurt the weaker stores.”
in progress
Jewelers look for after-Christmas sales boost
1226emsbizJewelry
None
12/26/09 9:05:00 PM
26897389
Jewelers look for after-Christmas sales boost
By Andrew Cannarsa
Examiner Staff Writer
Baltimore
www.baltimoreexaminer.com
Stuart Tamres was busy on Christmas Eve morning, helping last-minute shoppers pick the perfect jewelry piece at Talles Jewelers in Bel Air. Tamres said he even sold diamond earrings for $12,000 the day before. But it was still going to be a slow holiday season, with sales down about 30 percent from the year before.
“But from what I’ve heard that’s happening out there, down 30 percent, I’m happy with,” said Tamres, president of the Tri-State Jewelers Association. “The little guys are down, the national chains are down.”
With consumers pulling back spending in all areas this season, independent jewelers are starting to feel the crunch. In the Baltimore area, Chip Smyth Jewelers in Ellicott City and Mirkin’s Jewelers in Pikesville recently announced they were going out of business, Tamres said.
“Each year, about 800 jewelry stores go out of business,” Tamres said. “Normally, new people come in and take their place, but I don’t know if you’re going to see the stores replaced next year. This year has really hurt the weaker stores.”
in progress
Jewelers look for after-Christmas sales boost
1226emsbizJewelry
None
12/26/09 9:05:00 PM
Jewelers look for after-Christmas sales boost
By Andrew Cannarsa
Examiner Staff Writer
Baltimore
www.baltimoreexaminer.com
Stuart Tamres was busy on Christmas Eve morning, helping last-minute shoppers pick the perfect jewelry piece at Talles Jewelers in Bel Air. Tamres said he even sold diamond earrings for $12,000 the day before. But it was still going to be a slow holiday season, with sales down about 30 percent from the year before.
“But from what I’ve heard that’s happening out there, down 30 percent, I’m happy with,” said Tamres, president of the Tri-State Jewelers Association. “The little guys are down, the national chains are down.”
With consumers pulling back spending in all areas this season, independent jewelers are starting to feel the crunch. In the Baltimore area, Chip Smyth Jewelers in Ellicott City and Mirkin’s Jewelers in Pikesville recently announced they were going out of business, Tamres said.
“Each year, about 800 jewelry stores go out of business,” Tamres said. “Normally, new people come in and take their place, but I don’t know if you’re going to see the stores replaced next year. This year has really hurt the weaker stores.”
Online jewelry sales have suffered as well, down 17 percent in December when compared to the same period last year, according to
comScore. “That translates to a tremendous amount of money,” Tamres said.
Despite retailers’ efforts to slash prices to attract shoppers (the Bonded Jewelry Exchange in Reisterstown was advertising sales up to 70 percent off this week), consumers are saying now is not the time to invest in a necklace or watch. Only about 12 percent of consumers say now is a “good time” to buy jewelry, according to a recent survey by the Jewelry Consumer Opinion Council. About 61 percent of jewelry purchases were for less than $300, with 27 percent of all purchases less than $100.
To bring in business during the holidays, Talles Jewelers sent a $100-off coupon on any purchase over $250 to many of its previous customers.
“I’m getting killed on that one,” Tamres said, laughing.
What’s helped shops like Talles is its jewelry services. Tamres said the day after Christmas begins a very busy time in which rings and watches require alterations.
“The biggest challenge for the regular retailer is getting things sized, because they don’t normally offer those services,” Tamres said.
Allie Wolf, co-owner of Amaryllis jewelry store in Harborplace, said times for jewelers were “frightening.”
“The challenges are there for some owners,” Wolf said. “We’re absolutely down, but we’re not at zero. We’re still selling pieces for $30, $40 and $50, for the people who don’t want to buy the $400, $500 and $1,000 pieces.”
Wolf said she hasn’t been surprised by the sales slowdown.
“For a while, luxury goods weren’t affected,” Wolf said. “Now I just feel like everything’s affected.”
