News » Local News

144 Years Later, Warner Closes It's Doors

By KSEE News
January 12, 2012 Updated Jan 12, 2012 at 7:17 PM PDT

Warner Company Jewelers is out of business after 144 years. It's a heartbreaking time for employees and customers; some bought jewelry at the store for generations.

If you look up to the Fig Garden sign, there will be another empty line; Warner Company Jewelers was forced to shut its doors. “It’s not something we wanted to do but circumstances brought us to this point,” says Warner Co. President Don Wolfe.

Amidst the hustle and bustle of sales, you'll catch a glimpse of heartache. The glitz and glam is now a bitter sweet sale. “Most of our staff has worked here 10 to 20 years,” says Wolfe. The bond among employees is a bond among customers; some so close to the employees they know them by name. “Rosanne, Eric, Raffi…,” says Katherine Winter. “Oh, it’s so sad.”

Katherine Winter's family shopped at Warner’s for generations. It's a part of each of her children's marriages; the store called to secure her son's proposal. “My son got through security, got down on one knee and proposed on Mount Rushmore,” says Winter. Her daughter and son-in-law’s rings say Warner's. The store is filled with special memories even for Katharine herself. “She [employee] arrived at the place we went to for dinner; she waited for us to go inside and she gave my husband the package. It was wonderful,” says Winter about a surprise gift of earrings.

Each gem left behind will leave its case; it will be liquidated and the money will pay off the company’s debt. “We’ve seen a dramatic change in the economy in the last few years that coupled with the untimely death of Casey Stevenson,” says Wolfe of the company’s financially hard times. The company had just expanded the bank called Warner on its loans. It caused financial stress the company couldn't bear.

Warner filed Chapter 11 bankruptcy last September; it will be converted to Chapter 7. Over the past weeks, Warner has been able to sell over a million dollars in jewelry; the company will take that money to pay off its debts.

As far as the company opening under a new name, it could happen. The president says he believes in the customers and jewelry industry in Fresno.

Finals sales happened at 1:00 p.m. Thursday.

Christina Lusby Reporting.

To submit a comment on this article, your email address is required. We respect your privacy and your email will not be visible to others nor will it be added to any email lists.