Martinek's Jewelry closing

Jun. 8—TRAVERSE CITY — Railroad workers used to come to Martinek's Jewelers and set their pocket watches to the time on the grandfather clock.

For decades a green clock with Martinek's on the top and Jewelers on the clock face has marked the passage of time in downtown Traverse City, even after the store moved from 217 E. Front St.

A replica of the clock was built outside the new location of Martinek's Jewelry when the 144-year-old business moved to 950 Duell Road in 2013. The blueprints for the clock are proudly displayed inside the store, which traces its roots to Union Street in 1878.

Soon the two trademark clocks will mark the passage of time in a completely different way. By the end of June the jewelry store is expected to close its doors for good.

"It is just time," said owner Paul Everts, who bought the business with his father, Lawrence, in 1993. Paul became the sole owner when his father retired in 2008. "I have an unbelievable clientele — our clientele is very loyal. We could go on and on (in business).

"I just don't have anybody to leave it to."

The 57-year-old Paul Everts said his sons, Alex and Jake, are choosing much different career paths as a doctor and a mechanical engineer, respectively. Everts said his sons "are too smart" to go into the jewelry business like he did as a 9-year-old, first cleaning up his family's downstate store before repairing clocks a year later.

"I'm tired," he said. "I've been working 7 days a week since I was 18 years old."

A liquidation sale at Martinek's began the first of May. While it's difficult to determine how many regular customers have shopped at the store over the years, Paul Everts said on Friday there is a stack of about 250 receipts next to the register, all from when the going-out-of-business sale began.

"We have hundreds and hundreds and hundreds," Everts said. "That's why I work 7 days a week even though I've been closed on Saturdays and Sundays for years."

Getting some work done on a ring — as well as looking at all the items for sale — brought Kalkaska's Karen Stuck into the store on Friday. It was also a nostalgic stop in the store for Stuck, who worked there for a decade.

"I'm sad about it because I love Martinek's," Stuck said. "I used to work at Martinek's downtown when Mr. (William F.) Martinek owned it."

The customers weren't the only ones feeling sad about the longtime business closing. Kathy Warner has been manager at Martinek's for 13 years. Warner said she'll miss the daily interactions with the regular shoppers.

"I'm going to miss a lot of our clients; they were like family," Warner said. "There's) too many to count. I run into people all the time at the grocery store or at Costco. They always stop and chat — like family."

Neil Cooper, brought in to help with the liquidation sale, said he also hears from clients outside of the store.

That's a direct statement about Everts, specifically "how humble and how trusty worthy Paul is."

Everts said the family approach at work is one of the reasons he isn't continuing his craft. It started when his father died at the age of 83 three years ago and was really driven home nearly a year ago when older brother, Howard "Howie" Everts, died at the age of 58.

"That changed my thinking," Paul said. "That changed my outlook. Money isn't everything. The time you spend with family is more important to me."

Martinek's began with James N. Martinek, who founded the jewelry business in 1878 on Union Street, Everts said. After a fire just past the turn of the century, the business moved to Front Street and the green-painted clock went up in 1909. The store was run by James N. Martinek and his son, James S.

William F. Martinek ran the business until selling it to Lawrence and Paul Everts in 1993.

"I had (the replica) built exactly like the old one downtown when we moved here," Everts said. "(The) downtown (clock) is still downtown and should remain downtown forever."

The grandfather clock inside the store — which reads "J.N. Martinek City Time" — has been in every location of Martinek's since the business began. That is until it went back to Mark Martinek, the grandson of William F., on Saturday.

"That's been around since the beginning of time," Everts said.

While the Martineks have a long history in the jewelry business in Traverse City, the Everts also boast a lengthy background.

Paul's grandfather, Howard Everts, started Everts Jewelers in Clare in 1945. They added a second store in Mt. Pleasant before Lawrence received a phone call from Bill Martinek.

"My dad and Bill were close friends and (Bill) didn't have anyone to leave it to. He said, 'Will you come up here and take it over?' and he said, 'I'd love to.'"

As much as Paul Everts has enjoyed the business and working with clients, it's now time for him to move on.

"I've been part of a lot of great jewelry stores," he said. "I've had a lot of great teachers. I've been blessed."

Paul Everts said he's not sure what will be next for him when the Duell Road business closes. He joked that his wife, Val, probably won't let him "retire retire."

"It's time to start his next chapter," Cooper said, answering the question for Everts. "He's closing that chapter and it's time to enjoy the next one, whatever that is."