T-L Photo/Kailey Carpino Z’s Jewelry in Martins Ferry is set to close soon. The store is having a retirement sale with everything 20% to 50% off.

MARTINS FERRY — After 47 years in business, Z’s Jewelry will be closing its doors soon. Manager Stacey Long said she is still unsure of when Z’s Jewelry will close.

“If it were up to me, we would stay open until the end of June but I have to talk to Bob about that,” she said.

Bob Zilai is the store’s founder and owner. He has been facing health issues recently and has not been able to come in to work at the store as often as he would like.

“‘I’ve been working with Bob since 2006, and I know Bob would want to thank everyone for their business over the years,” Long said.

Z’s Jewelry at 17 S. Fourth St. is having a retirement sale now. Everything in the store is currently 20% to 50% off.

The store provides a variety of jewelry and services. It sells gold, silver and estate jewelry along with watches and purses. Z’s Jewelry also does appraisals and jewelry repairs.

Zilai is a former American history teacher who became fascinated with Native American jewelry. When the store first opened, Z’s Jewelry sold mostly Native American jewelry before becoming a more conventional jewelry store.

Zilai also is a former member of the Martins Ferry Board of Education. And he was named to the Martins Ferry Athletic Hall of Fame’s “Wall of Honor” in 2020 in recognition of his significant contributions or support to the schools’ athletic program, not as an athlete or coach, but in a variety of “behind the scenes” motivational or inspirational ways.

Z’s Jewelry survived the fire that destroyed six businesses on Oct. 9, 2016. Although a firewall shielded the building from the fire, Z’s Jewelry sustained smoke and water damage as a result of the blaze that began inside the former Winter’s Hardware store. The jewelry business reopened its doors two months later after making necessary repairs.

The shop was not the only one on the block to recover from the flames. The nearby Subway restaurant has since reopened as well, and the former First Ward restaurant has been replaced by Belmont Brewerks in that location.

Z’s Jewelry is open from 9:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday. Z’s Jewelry is closed on Saturday and Sunday. For more information about Z’s Jewelry, call 740-633-5429 or visit its Facebook page.