'Don't give up on the downtown'—landmark Sudbury store closes after 84 years

Another piece of downtown Sudbury's history is set to fade away by the end of the year.

Robert Brown Jewellers on Cedar Street will close after 84 years in business.

"We just are really thankful of all the Sudburians who supported us throughout the years," says co-owner Jennifer Zuliani.

"We'll miss them."

The store opened on Durham Street in 1934 and moved to Cedar Street in the 1950s.

Zuliani's father Bruce McKay started working for Robert Brown mowing lawns when he was 16. He eventually met his wife while working in the store, took it over himself and handed it off to Zuliani and his son Niel McKay eight years ago.

"He's a little morose about it, but in the end, he knows it's the right decision," Zuliani says of her father, who still helps out in the store.

She says it was a tough decision, but they had no choice in the face of declining sales.

She says the lack of parking in downtown Sudbury was part of the problem, with many of their customers unwilling to walk extra distances or climb over snowbanks to get to the shop.

"Don't give up on the downtown," says Zuliani.  "I hope the city comes to understand that it needs to work at the downtown a little bit stronger and look at the parking as an issue. They can't just ignore it anymore."

She also blames the decline in business on fewer people buying jewellery and said those who still do are largely shopping online. 

"Last month I had three watches come in for battery changes, new watches that had been purchased online and we had those watches in stock," says Zuliani.