At 3 p.m. Saturday only the glowing reminiscences will stay.

Schiffman’s Jewelers, a staple in the Clark Making in Downtown Pittsburgh for extra than eight decades, is closing.

“In the words of King Solomon in the Reserve of Ecclesiastes, there is ‘A time to be born and a time to die,’” mentioned Schiffman’s proprietor, Abraham Judah Samet of North Oakland. Samet, who turns 84 next thirty day period spoke to the Trib on Thursday by using a cell phone call. “It’s time to near the keep.”

Samet claimed he has not been in the store in two years. The company is not generating dollars.

He begun to detect a alter in sales after the terrorist assaults on Sept. 11, 2001. Shoppers are purchasing less engagement rings and wedding bands since a lot more couples are dwelling jointly and not finding married, he reported.

An maximize in on line searching as effectively as the pandemic with a lot more individuals performing from dwelling have also afflicted brick-and-mortar retailers, he explained.

“Just glimpse all around the streets of Downtown,” reported Ron Rosiak, of Pittsburgh’s South Aspect, an personnel for 40 several years. “They are empty. Folks aren’t coming down here for get the job done. All the significant division retailers, Saks Fifth Avenue, Kaufmann’s, Macy’s, Gimbels, Horne’s … they are no lengthier. All the wheels in Downtown have slowed down. It’s just not a fantastic condition.”

Samet, Rosiak and John Mercer of Brookline, also an employee for 40 several years, reminisced about the superior times. At 1 time in the Clark Creating, there have been 70 suppliers as nicely as maintenance outlets and engraving corporations. It was recognized as the location to get wonderful jewellery. There are 14 at this time.

Samet assisted increase the small business by marketing engagement rings and wedding day bands. At one particular time there had been 9 sales men and women. All through the holiday seasons they worked 12-hour times because the store was continually packed.

Samet stated he can don’t forget most of his consumers and greeted them by name when they arrived again. He marketed jewelry to executives from U.S. Steel, Westinghouse and PPG, to qualified athletes and many inhabitants in the metropolis of Pittsburgh and over and above.

All the things is for sale. Some items buyers will fork out as small as .17 cents on the greenback.

What ever is left…