Medina Jewelers closure leaves ‘sparkle’ with customers amid COVID-19

SANTA MARIA, Calif. - It’s considered a crown jewel in the Santa Maria community.

“It means everything to me because jewelry is something personal,” said long-time customer Emma Rodriguez.

After more than 30 years of serving customers with amethysts, peridot, and diamonds, Armando Medina with Medina Jewelers has decided to close his business.

“Actually I put everything into it. I love this business. I have been doing it for 30 years and I do feel like it’s time for a change, for me to try something different," said Medina.

Medina says, like many businesses, his store took a hit since the COVID-19 pandemic.

"Yeah I closed for two months. That I was probably the toughest part the uncertainty. The uncertainty of not knowing what comes next," said Medina.

But the pandemic wasn’t the only reason he’s moving on.

"I feel kind of ready to move on to something else," said Medina.

While Medina says the closing of his store marks the end of a chapter, he’s already in the works to start a new one.

“I do have some plans I am thinking about doing a few things nothing is for certain yet I’m still thinking about it, but I’m going to take a few months off and relax and then kick it around a little bit and then decide," said Medina.

Until the store closes, the jewelry left in stock is being sold at a discount.

Customers say they’re going to treasure every sparkle that came from Medina Jewelers.

“Not only is it a jewel, I think it’s more of a gem because he orders all his individual stones and then a lot of the stones are put in to your own piece of jewelry," said Rodrigues.

Medina hopes to sell all his jewelry left in stock by August.