CALUMET – After 150 years and five generations of ownership, current owners Ed and Karen LaBonte are changing the focus of Herman Jewelers in Calumet. The family-run business currently carries retail items such as watches, clocks, jewelry, gifts, coins and collectibles in addition to operating a full-service watch, clock, gift, coin and jewelry business, buying and selling coins and buying scrap gold and silver. As he transitions into semi-retirement, Ed is liquidating the retail merchandise portion of the business but will continue to do the watch, clock and jewelry repair, buying and selling of coins and buying scrap gold and silver part of the business.

“We are not closing,” Ed LaBonte said. “We’re going to continue on in business, just in a different direction. The intent is to liquidate all of the retail merchandise – giftware, jewelry, watches and clocks – all of it. I’m going to stay in business but not in that (retail) part, but just doing the watch, clock and jewelry repair, my full-service coin business, buying and selling coins and my scrap gold and silver business.”

Customers won’t be limited in their search for a perfect gift or keepsake. Herman Jewelers carries gifts for every occasion, including birthdays, anniversaries, weddings and a full line of newborn gifts. For newborns they carry traditional gifts such as cups, banks and flatware sets as well as commemorative items like frames and jewelry. As they work to liquidate the merchandise, prices will continue to decline.

“We will aggressively discount until it’s all gone,” said Ed.

The liquidation discounts do not apply to non-retail items such as coins, repairs, lay-aways, and consignment items. Ed will also continue to fill special order requests but special order merchandise will not be at liquidation discounts. The liquidation sale does include watches, clocks, jewelry and merchandise from many popular name brands, including:

Seiko watches and clocks

Pulsar watches

Timex watches

Howard Miller clocks

Seth Thomas and Cuckoo clocks

Willow Tree collectible figurines

Jim Shore collectible figurines

Harley Davidson knives

Zippo Lighters

Cross Pens

Hershey Kiss silver jewelry

Preciosa sterling silver and crystal jewelry

Bentelli sterling silver and diamond jewelry

Mother and Child jewelry

Dashing Diamond jewelry

Q-Pid diamond engagement rings

In addition to the name brand items, Herman’s carries frames for every occasion, giftware, watches, clocks and a wide selection of jewelry.

“We have sterling silver and 10- and 14- karat jewelry that needs to be liquidated,” said Ed. “We also have Isle Royal Greenstone and Lake Superior agate locally made jewelry.”

During and after the retail merchandise liquidation, Ed will continue to do repairs, buy and sell coins and buy scrap gold and silver.

“I still love to do that kind of thing and I’ll still continue to do that,” Ed said.

For questions about the merchandise or the building, call Herman Jewelers at (906) 337-2703 or stop in to their location at 220 Fifth Street in Historic downtown Calumet.

Editor’s note: This feature is part of a paid advertising package purchased by Herman Jewelers. Businesses interested in being featured on the Business page may call Yvonne Robillard at 483-2220.