After spending nearly two decades as a Durango jeweler, Jamie King, owner of Jamie’s Fine Jewelry, is closing shop.
“It’s bittersweet,” she said. “I’m going to miss it, but I’m also looking forward to the future.”
King said she’s ready for the freedom to start joining her friends’ sporadic outings, instead of being tied to the strict schedule one keeps when running a business.
“I want the time when I’m still healthy and all that,” she said.
Jaime’s Fine Jewelry Shop opened at 125 E. 10th St. in 2002. For 18 years it was the go-to spot for all manner of jewelry services. King has sold, repurposed and repaired countless wedding rings, anniversary presents and family heirlooms in the store, making her privy to some of the most important milestones in people’s lives.
She said she loved playing a part in the major life events of her customers, and said she often receives photos of proposals or celebrations that began with jewelry she crafted.
“It’s pretty cool, if you sell an engagement ring, it’s almost like you develop a relationship of some sort,” she said.
King said she credits a lot of her success to the community members who have enthusiastically sought out her help year after year, in addition to the incredible support she received from her wife, her friends and the King family.
A third-generation Durangoan, King got her start in the business directly out of high school, when she started working at McKnights, a jeweler whose doors are long closed.
“I just fell into it,” she said.
“I really liked the jeweler, we became friends and I just started piddling with things,” she said. “My boss at the time thought I had a knack for it.”
King said she spent 17 years at McKnights and when it closed, she took the leap and did something she had always wanted to do – open a store of her own.
The departure of Jamie’s Fine Jewelry from the Durango business district will leave the town in a lurch. There is no other store that provides the jewelry repair and refurbishing services offered at King’s shop.
“I am really hoping somebody will come along and want to do something similar,” she said.
King’s upcoming retirement is certainly not based on lack of business. The past year was one her the busiest in recent memory, “but after 35 years, I’m ready for a new chapter,” she said.
“It’s nice to walk away because I want to and not because I have to,” she said.
King wants to take the time to go boating, golfing and exploring. There are so many things to get excited about other than the prospect of making more money she said.
“They don’t drag you past the bank on the way to cemetery,” King laughed, quoting her friend.
Speaking to the community at large, King said, “It’s been an awesome ride, thank you.”
Jamie’s Fine Jewelry Shop will shut its doors for good at the end of March.
jbowman@durangoherald.com