SNOHOMISH – Sachi Fine Jewelry and Design is down to its last days after more than 27 years in business in downtown Snohomish.
After the store’s owner and jeweler, Brad Jorgensen, died in late 2005, his wife and the employees, including his daughter-in-law, talked about shutting it down.
“We had to kind of recoup, see what strengths we had and continue on,” said Sue Jorgensen.
In the end, they decided to keep Sachi open for another year. And business has been good, Sue Jorgensen said.
But it seemed time to move on, she said. While her husband was a career jeweler, Sue Jorgensen works full time for a Kirkland college.
Started in 1979 by Barbara Shinoda, Sachi was well established when Shinoda approached Brad Jorgensen about taking over the business in 1990. He was a jewelry manufacturer’s sales representative, which involved frequent travel.
“It was a good fit at the time,” Sue Jorgensen said. “He was ready to get off the road.”
Brad Jorgensen balanced his time between the store and traveling as a sales rep until 1993, at which time he put all of his focus on operating Sachi. Among other things, he expanded the store at 1026 First St. in Snohomish’s historic business district. In 2004, he also operated a downtown Everett store for some time.
“He made the store,” Sue Jorgensen said.
He also was a longtime member of the Snohomish Chamber of Commerce, serving two years as its president, and a founding member of the city’s downtown association.
Sachi was thrust into the headlines in April 2002 when two men wearing hooded sweatshirts burst into the store, pepper-sprayed one of Jorgensen’s employees, Lesa Kraft, and struck Brad Jorgensen with a hammer before leaving with $28,000 in jewelry.
One of the young men pleaded guilty. A second, who was charged with first-degree robbery, fled to Switzerland after he was released on bail. He’s still believed to be on the run today.
The community rallied around the small business after the crime, Sue Jorgensen said. She still hasn’t given up all hope that the second robbery suspect will one day be brought to justice.
Since her husband’s death, she said, many customers have said they miss Brad Jorgensen’s smiling face or his cocker spaniel, Shelby, who went to work with him every day. Shelby died just over a week ago from liver cancer.
Sue Jorgensen, who lives in Clearview, said she’ll miss dealing with the store’s four regular employees, all of whom used their different strengths to carry on the business in its final year.
“I’m going to miss, not just the store, but the whole jewelry industry,” she added. “It’s like a big social family almost.”
Sue Jorgensen said she’s had some interest from people about taking over the business. At this point, there’s no firm prospect of that, however.
“It would be great if it could,” she said. “It would mean something to me if it could continue.”
The business is scheduled to close by the end of next week.
Reporter Eric Fetters: 425-339-3453 or fetters@heraldnet.com.
Jason Fritz / The Herald
Sachi Fine Jewelry employee Lanny Parker reaches into a case filled with discounted rings at the Snohomish jewelry store.
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