Jacksonville’s historic Jacobs Jewelers plans to move from recently sold building with iconic clock

What may perhaps be the oldest jewellery shop in Jacksonville will be relocating from the downtown historic landmark constructing that it has known as dwelling for more than 9 a long time right after the classic creating it anchors was sold.

Jacobs Jewelers entrepreneurs Roy and Delorise Thomas, who have labored there considering the fact that 1968, will only say that they are shifting to a “more buyer-welcoming” web-site soon after Jan. 1.

As leasing brochures for the Greenleaf and Crosby Developing show their corner web-site up for lease along with other components of the Artwork Deco framework, Delorise Thomas said it is time for a new chapter.

“We love becoming downtown and becoming aspect of the background of Jacksonville,” she mentioned. “We are unquestionably not heading absent. We are just relocating. We are fired up about the new place and really fired up about the future of Jacksonville.”

Extra modifications downtown: Jacksonville’s century-aged Federal Reserve, Baptist Conference properties acquiring new lifetime with eating places, flats

New everyday living for previous resort: As soon as renowned, downtown Jacksonville’s historic Ambassador Resort to develop into new boutique resort

JWB Real Estate Money acquired the making in May perhaps for $6.95 million, enterprise President Alex Sifakis explained. They will keep it as an office environment building and are setting up on relocating its corporate headquarters there at some issue upcoming 12 months, he stated.

“We are going to operate with the Downtown Financial commitment Authority on incentives for the renovation,” he said. “Jacobs will be moving out in January. We are preparing on bringing a retail operator, likely an F&B [food and beverage] concept, to the room.”

The building and store’s historical past

Damon Greenleaf opened the first jewelry store in the late 1860s along East Bay Street, also advertising flamingo plumes, seashells, alligator heads, dwell birds and modest animals. J.H. Crosby joined the enterprise a handful of yrs later on.

The Great Fireplace of 1901 destroyed that initial retail outlet, but the two men relocated two blocks down to 41 W. Bay St. And to mark the place, they purchased a large 4-sided Seth Thomas Clock at a charge of $1,200, in accordance to a 1997 Occasions-Union tale.

Story carries on

Then Greenleaf and Crosby designed the existing 12-story developing in 1927, just two blocks from Town Corridor and the Principal Library. Each ground is about 4,875 sq. feet, when the Jacobs Jewelers web page is 4,315 square feet.

The iconic 15-foot-tall cast-iron and bronze clock was also moved to the new web page. Then in 1930, the jewellery retailer they experienced opened on the northwest corner of Laura and Adams streets in the setting up turned Jacobs.

New house owners

The Thomases took more than ownership of Jacobs in 1987. And even though they appreciate the historic downtown corner web site, Delorise Thomas stated parking difficulties and targeted traffic have manufactured it tricky to do small business.

“Our prospects have a tough time having to us at moments,” she reported. “We are finalizing the conclusion on a new area, and as soon as we have that finalized we will permit you know. … We have a good deal of time to do all we will need to do.”

Facelifted time: Downtown Jacksonville’s legendary clock gets facelift

Discovering hidden gems: Sites and faces in downtown Jacksonville

The bronze and black 2.2-ton clock is a person of only 12 believed to keep on being out of only 100 produced by the Seth Thomas Clock Co. in Connecticut. Granted neighborhood landmark standing, it was taken off in 2011 as aspect of the Laura Avenue enhancement project. Sent to the Verdin Co. of Cincinnati for restoration, it was placed in a new and further concrete base at the corner.

Thomas had no remark about the clock in regards to the transfer. And she would not confirm where by the new Jacobs will be, only that they are “relocating out of downtown.” But she said customers “are all on board with our ideas,” contacting it a amazing chance for their “up coming chapter.”

[email protected], (904) 359-4549

This post originally appeared on Florida Situations-Union: Jacobs Jewelers leaving historic downtown Jacksonville making