Lisa Collins is hanging up the rack at the Lauren Rae Jewelry Boutique in downtown Naperville.
But hers is not the only jewelry shop closing in downtown Naperville in March.
Pandora at 119 S. Main St. is holding a moving sale through March 11, and will open March 12 in their new location in the Fox Valley Mall on Route 59.
Collins bought It’s a Bling Thing in 2015 and three years later changed the store’s name as a nod to her grandchildren Lauren Leigh and Logan Rae, who are now ages 5 and 6.
“It’s been almost five years as Lauren Rae,” she said.
She’s ready to retire and expects last business day will be at the end of March.
“A small business takes a lot of effort and work, and I just feel like I need to spend that time with my family,” Collins said.
The Lisle woman thought about selling her business, but never aggressively marketed it, she said.
“I had a couple people look into it and determined that it would be too much for them,” she said.
She’s still willing to entertain an offer, but time is running out.
Collins said the landscape for jewelry retail is changing with more people shopping online.
“You don’t get quite the foot traffic that you used to,” she said.
It’s a challenge, she added, to offer something so unique that it’s not online.
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She’s also dealt with shutdowns from the pandemic and the looting that occurred in June 2020 during protests in Naperville.
Instead of focusing her energy on maintaining the competitive edge, she’ll shift her efforts on her family.
“And as you get older you realize those people are important, and you need to invest in them,” Collins said.
The shop has been hopping since Collins announced the retirement sale.
“I just can’t believe how many people have come in. It’s just been crazy,” she said.
She’s also received letters and other sweet things from people who’ve crossed her path through the years.
“It will be very bittersweet, but the time is right. … You know you just when it’s time, and it’s time,” Collins said.
“We’ve had so much fun here, and it’s a wonderful, wonderful location. It’s a wonderful city. But now it’s just time to move on and be with my babies and puppies.”