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Susie Buckner and Carson Jackson hold ends of a ribbon as Neta Farmer, executive vice president of the Washington County Chamber of Commerce, conducts a ribbon-tying event for Greer Jewelers. Watching the event are Dwayne Anderson, far left, vice mayor of Abingdon, and Amanda Pillion, far right, mayor of Abingdon,
Neta Farmer, executive vice president of the Washington County Chamber of Commerce, holds a ribbon-tying event for owners of Greer Jewelers, Susie Buckner and Carson Jackson.
Owners of Greer Jewelers Susie Buckner and Carson Jackson announced a going out of business liquidation sale earlier this month at their store on Main Street in Abingdon.
Cathy Lowe, executive director of Virginia Highlands Small Business Incubator, lends a helping hand at Greer Jewelers by helping customer Eva Phelps of Abingdon.
Susie Buckner and Carson Jackson, owners of Greer Jewelers, said customer traffic has been steady since they announced the closing of the store.
Susie Buckner has owned and operated Greer Jewelers for 48 years. Buckner is the fourth owner of the Abingdon jewelry store that started 125 years ago.
Susie Buckner and Carson Jackson, owners of Greer Jewelers, said customer traffic has been steady since they announced the closing of the store.
Businesspeople, family, and friends turned out for a ribbon-tying event held at Greer Jewelers this week. The Abingdon owners announced the closing of the store earlier this month.
ABINGDON, Va. — After 125 years and four families of owners, one of Abingdon’s oldest fixtures in town is going out of business in the coming weeks.
Greer Jewelers, an independently-owned store front will close its doors after Christmas when owners Susie Buckner and her brother-in-law Carson Jackson retire from a business that has served generations of families in the community.
The owners are currently liquidating the merchandise at discounts from 30 to 80 percent, and plan to sell the inventory until everything is gone.
“It was a hard decision but the time just seemed right,” said Buckner, 68, who has owned and operated the business for 48 of those years.
“I don’t know what it’s going to be like when I flip that light switch off for the last time, but after this many years I’m ready to do something different.”
Neta Farmer, executive vice president of the Washington County Chamber of Commerce, helped celebrate the longevity of the business by conducting a ribbon “tying” event last week, the opposite of a ribbon cutting ceremony.
Farmer said a ribbon tying is a new trend among chambers of commerce throughout the country. “This is the first one we have done,” she said.
During the informal ceremony at the store, Farmer closed the ends of a ribbon held at each end by the two owners, symbolizing the closing business being united to the chamber of commerce, customers, friends, and family.
“They are one of our oldest members,” said Farmer. “Our members are our life blood of the Chamber. We’re always looking for ways to go above and beyond for our members in the community.”
Greer Jewelers has enjoyed a steady flow of traffic since the closing was announced earlier this month.
Customers are sharing their memories of the store while browsing the shelves.
“A cute young couple came in and told us his grandfather bought his grandmother an engagement ring at the store years ago. A lady came in today to buy a piece of jewelry that she could keep to remember us by. We’ve heard so many sweet stories,” related Buckner.
“It’s bittersweet — we say that word a lot lately because it’s sad. Greer Jewelers is sort of an institution in Abingdon. It’s a fixture in town. It’s hard to imagine it not being here,” Buckner said.
The jewelry store, known for its eye-catching decorative store windows on Main Street, also has a brilliant history.
Buckner and Jackson are the fourth owners to operate the business which actually began as many as 125 years ago.
The store was started in the late 1800s in downtown Abingdon by M.A. Barbee and Buck Hagy, and was named the Barbee Hagy Jewelry Store. The business was later sold to the McChesney Lester family who also owned a jewelry store on State Street in Bristol.
When they decided to retire, Aline Greer, an employee at the store, and her family purchased the business, naming it Greer and Son Jewelers. In 1959, the owners built the store that currently occupies the business.
At the age of 20, Buckner went to work for the Greers, working for the family for nearly ten years.
“When they decided to retire, they offered the business to my family and me and we changed the name to Greer Jewelers Inc.,” said Buckner.
Buckner’s sister Judy, her husband Carson, their mother Millie Woody, and Buckner all worked together until Judy left to pursue a career and their mother retired as the bookkeeper in the early 2000s.
“It’s always been a family-run business,” Buckner said.
Their employees also have deep connections to the business.
Doris Tyler of Abingdon started working at the store when she was only 12, making bows for the gift wrapping. “She still works here,” Buckner laughed. “I think she’s the longest employee of Greer Jewelers.”
Penny Arrington Hite said she’s shopped at the store since she was as young as 14, picking out small pieces of jewelry back in the day when the owners allowed customers to charge. “Sometimes it would be $2 and sometimes it was $10.”
Mary Alice Bodenhorst, a longtime customer, was present during the ceremony at the store. “I’ve been a customer since we moved to Abingdon in 1976. This store is where I’ve bought all my Christmas and wedding gifts, my children got their fine china here when they got married.”
William Denton, a partner in White Birch Kitchen & Juice Bar in Abingdon, remembers shopping with his mother when he was a young child. “There used to be a bench that sat over there,” said Denton pointing to the front of the store. “I stood and climbed all over that bench,” he laughed.
“I’ve bought all my jewelry here. This place is like family to me,” said Denton.
Buckner and Jackson have seen many changes in the jewelry industry throughout their careers. Customer tastes have evolved from faddish items like mood rings, and identification and charm bracelets.
“But, something that has stood the test of time are the timeless pieces, such as beautiful strands of pearls and diamond solitaire pendants,” she said.
During the 1880s, she speculates the best sellers were fine china, crystal and silver, along with pocket watches, wedding rings and brooches.
“I think jewelry became more accessible to people during the early 1900s,” said Buckner. “Mr. Hagy was a watch maker and did repairs. And, back in the day, they did eye exams and fitted customers with glasses.”
As a small family-owned business, they have always tried to put customer service first, she said.
“That’s what sets us apart from other businesses. We go the extra mile for our customers. We know our customers. They are our friends, the people we go to church with and see at club meetings. We know their children and their grandchildren,” Buckner said.
“We’re just like a big family.”
Carolyn R. Wilson is a freelance writer in Glade Spring, Virginia. Contact her at citydesk@
bristolnews.com.
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Susie Buckner and Carson Jackson hold ends of a ribbon as Neta Farmer, executive vice president of the Washington County Chamber of Commerce, conducts a ribbon-tying event for Greer Jewelers. Watching the event are Dwayne Anderson, far left, vice mayor of Abingdon, and Amanda Pillion, far right, mayor of Abingdon,
Neta Farmer, executive vice president of the Washington County Chamber of Commerce, holds a ribbon-tying event for owners of Greer Jewelers, Susie Buckner and Carson Jackson.
Owners of Greer Jewelers Susie Buckner and Carson Jackson announced a going out of business liquidation sale earlier this month at their store on Main Street in Abingdon.
Cathy Lowe, executive director of Virginia Highlands Small Business Incubator, lends a helping hand at Greer Jewelers by helping customer Eva Phelps of Abingdon.
Susie Buckner and Carson Jackson, owners of Greer Jewelers, said customer traffic has been steady since they announced the closing of the store.
Susie Buckner has owned and operated Greer Jewelers for 48 years. Buckner is the fourth owner of the Abingdon jewelry store that started 125 years ago.
Susie Buckner and Carson Jackson, owners of Greer Jewelers, said customer traffic has been steady since they announced the closing of the store.
Businesspeople, family, and friends turned out for a ribbon-tying event held at Greer Jewelers this week. The Abingdon owners announced the closing of the store earlier this month.
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Jewel in crown of Abingdon business closing after 125 years – Bristol Herald Courier
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