(Correction: Van Cott’s primary location was moved from Court Street in Binghamton to Vestal in 1992. A previous version of this story included the incorrect date.)
Van Cott Jewelers will officially close just over two months after the initial closure announcement.
The Vestal jewelry store will close its doors to the public on June 21, after serving the community for 111 years.
The closing date, which is posted on the Van Cott Jewelers website, comes after owners Birdie and Bill Levine initially announced the store’s plan to close on Facebook on April 14.
In the post, the Levines expressed their sadness at the decision, as well as their gratitude for their customers and the local community.
Despite their impending closure, the Van Cott Jewelers legacy spans over a century, inevitably leaving a significant imprint on Broome County history.
Van Cott history in Broome County
Bill Levine’s grandfather, Rubine (Ruby) Levine, opened the family’s first store, Ruby Jewelry Company, in the 1920s after immigrating to the United States from Ukraine.
Ruby’s son Herbert, who was Bill Levine’s father, joined the business alongside brothers Leonard and Carl around 1950, and by the 1960s Herbert was transitioning the store from beads and trinkets to jewelry, specifically diamond engagement rings.
In 1969, Herbert Levine decided to sell his share of Ruby Jewelry Company and purchase Van Cott Jewelers, then located on Court Street in Binghamton. In 1975, Herbert Levine expanded the business to a second location in the Oakdale Mall in Johnson City.
At the time, Bill Levine was working as a gemological teacher in Southern California. That’s where he met his wife, Birdie, whose lifelong dream was to own a jewelry store. When they moved to the Binghamton area, they took over Van Cott Jewelers in 1979.
When is Van Cott closing?
The company had three locations by 1982, one in the Arnot Mall in Horseheads, one in the Oakdale Mall in Johnson City, and the primary location on Court Street in Binghamton.
However, the Levines transitioned their primary store from Court Street to the Town Square Mall in Vestal in 1992. The Arnot Mall location closed in 2002. Their Oakdale Mall store would follow in 2019.
Now, that longstanding history is coming to an end on June 21, as the business’ website states the “doors close forever” at 6 p.m.
This article originally appeared on Binghamton Press & Sun-Bulletin: Van Cott has a final closing date. Here’s when the Vestal jewelry store closes for good
Reporting by Sunshyne Lynch, Binghamton Press & Sun Bulletin / Binghamton Press & Sun-Bulletin
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
