Shanfields Meyers ending its long tradition

A local china and jewellery business that has been around since 1949 will be closing due to a lack of customer demand.

Shanfields-Meyers Jewellery & China Shop in Windsor has been in the same location for over 40 years and is closing because of the shop’s finances. Mani Melnick, the husband of Joan Shanfield, whose parents owned the business in 1949, said he was not too fond of the business but does not disregard its long, successful history.

“I’m not in love with it but I remember coming here when I was first married and in those days it was very, very busy,” said Melnick.

The china shop has not had many customers in the last few years and he says it is because of the economy and lack of American shoppers.

“The U.S. dollar was much stronger than the Canadian dollar, so the Americans were flocking here in droves,” said Melnick. “The economy is not like what it used to be in the olden days, the economy was better. Now the economy is not as good, so it’s hard.”

Jean Gut, a customer that has been coming to the store periodically over the past 40 years said that times have changed and people aren’t the same as they used to be.

“I’m here for old times’ sake,” said Gut. “I’m sorry to see it closing but because times have changed and my kids don’t want what I thought was beautiful.” People want stuff that you don’t have to worry about breaking, and if it breaks, you can replace. But this stuff, if it breaks, you can’t replace it.”

Melnick said they would stay open if they were able to make more money like in the past.

“If people started coming again, like in the old days,” said Melnick.

As an attempt to sell all the merchandise, they are offering to lower the price by taking off 70 to 90 percent off the retail price. Melnick estimates the value of all the products

in the store would be around $5 million to $6 million and the amount of products left is estimated at around 300,000 items.
The store is set to be officially closed by Dec. 31.