Jewelry retailer has been on a prominent Plaza corner since 1948. Now it is closing

North Kansas City-based Helzberg Diamonds is closing its longtime Country Club Plaza store.

The store has been a fixture at 400 Nichols Road since opening in late 1948, decades before most of the current Plaza retailers joined the lineup. It was originally a flagship location, dubbed “Helzberg’s House of Treasures.”

Signs on the windows say “Entire store on sale!” and “Save up to 30% off lowest ticketed price. Everything Must Go!”

In a statement, Helzberg’s chief store operations and real estate officer, Mitch Maggart, said: “Our strategic decision not to renew some store lease agreements, which includes the Plaza location, was difficult but necessary to help us shift resources to focus on accelerating flexible ways for our customers to shop. ... We continue to provide more ways for our customers to shop their way, whether that’s online or safely in our stores.”

Helzberg has seven stores in the metro, including its new flagship store in Leawood’s Town Center Plaza. Employees at the Plaza store will be offered positions at the other locations “whenever possible,” the company said.

Plaza officials couldn’t be reached for comment.

This story was originally published October 16, 2020 at 5:00 AM.