Haltom’s Jewelers to close after more than 130 years of operations in Fort Worth
Haltom's Jewelers, a Fort Worth institution since 1893, is closing.
Jack Miller, whose family has owned the high-end jewelry retailer since 1983, announced the closure in a Nov. 7 letter. He did not specify when stores would officially stop welcoming customers but said there will be a final sale.
"We thought about selling Haltom's instead of closing it down, but we quickly decided this wasn't best for our employees and our customers," Miller said in the letter.
Miller said that while most of the company's employees would have been hired by a new owner, the new company would not be under any obligation for long-term severance pay if things didn't go well. Miller said Haltom's will pay current employees their 2025 salary, health insurance and profit sharing.
"G.W. Haltom, our founder, always had very high standards for the merchandise he sold and his treatment of his customers. He never carried 10 kt gold or any synthetic stones," said Miller in the letter. "Ladye Ann and I have carried on this same tradition for the last 41 years. Even today as most of our industry has started selling lab grown diamonds, this is something we never considered."
Haltom's Jewelers has three locations currently. The main store is downtown in Sundance Square. Other stores are in west Fort Worth's Ridglea neighborhood and Grapevine. All feature an iconic freestanding clock in front of the stores. The closing of the Sundance Square location will add to the list of empty storefronts in that area following the move of Reata Restaurant and the closure of a Melt Ice Creams location nearby.
Miller and his wife, Ladye Ann, have a long history with retail. Miller's father owned Edison's, a longtime downtown retailer, and he worked there starting when he was 16. Ladye Ann began working at Neiman Marcus when she was 16. The pair said they felt now was a good time to end their retail careers.
"Between us, Jack and I have 108 years of retail experience and we have loved every minute," Ladye Ann Miller said in a statement. "We have always worked hard for our family, our employees and their families and our customers. While we are closing the stores and ending this chapter, we will remain a part of this community that is so important to us."
The Millers are actively involved in the community. The store contributes to fine arts in Fort Worth and local organizations supporting women and children, including the Cliburn, Susan G. Komen, the Tarrant Area Food Bank, Healing Wings AIDS Foundation, Saving Hope Animal Rescue and others.
There will be a sale before the closing of the stores, Jack Miller said.
"We're opening the vaults and offering unique pieces that even our loyal customers have never seen. Everything must be sold quickly, so we are putting forth our best discounts," he said in a news release.
Miller said he and his wife are not retiring. They plan to move their Miller Investments offices to a new location and continue working with their controller and administrative assistant.
