Downtown Belleville family business that had announced its closing will reopen soon
After 38 years of business in downtown Belleville, Crystal & Spice Shoppe at 318 E. Main St. had announced they were closing, with their last day of business on Friday, Sept. 17.
This week, the owners had good news to share - they’ve decided they will reopen again soon with a new business plan to face the challenges of the COVID pandemic.
A Sept. 10 statement on the business’ Facebook page, posted by Makayla Smith, granddaughter of Gloria “Mama Jean” Smith and the late Rod Smith, said that “after much discussion within the family,” they decided to close.
“It has been a very hard decision. We appreciate all the love and support and we hope you all understand and continue to support us during this very difficult and emotional time.
“My grandparents opened this store 38 years ago. It has been, what I feel, a staple in downtown Belleville. We have met so many people, who my grandparents ‘adopted’ as their own.”
Turns out the closing will be temporary.
According to a written statement from the business on Thursday, Sept. 23, the shop won’t be closed for long.
“After a great deal of discussion, we feel that we cannot abandon our customers. We feel that things will get better given enough time and that the world will find a way to reach equilibrium again, and when it does we want to be a part of that still,” the statement says.
“Consequently, we shall NOT be closing permanently. We’ve taken a little hiatus, done a lot of cleaning and other things we didn’t have the time to get done before.”
Crystal & Spice Shoppe plans to be back in business as of Tuesday, Oct. 5.
The shop will remain closed to in-store shopping but back to being pick-up and shipping-only as it was when it closed, according to the statement.
“We will remain operating in this way certainly through the remainder of the year, but we’re looking at options to allow us to open back up to in-store shopping in the New Year. COVID’s continued devastation means that there will have to be a new normal, and we’re working on plans to make that possible for us,” the statement concludes.
Gloria and Rod Smith opened Crystal & Spice Shoppe in 1983. According to the business’ website, the Smiths’ goal was to “share the family’s passion for quality spices and coffee.”
Gloria Smith wanted to help others understand the differences in taste between quality spices and those sold at grocery stores. She worked in the shop until the recent closure.
Rod Smith passed away in 2019.
For any updates about Crystal & Spice Shoppe, visit crystalandspice.com or the Facebook page.