Long-time businessman Wayne Tate is closing Tate Jewelers.
“I will close the doors on December 31. I am retiring,” Tate told GreerToday.com.
Tate Jewelers has been in business for 40 years, founded by Wayne Tate in 1975, and has been a mainstay in Greer operating in jewelry, precious stones, precious metals and repairs. Tate's wife, Gail, and their three children have helped in the past but have moved into other professions.
A “retirement” sign on the business, at 242 W. Wade Hampton Blvd., makes it clear it will mark an end of one of Greer’s most popular jewelers and community business.
“I’m not selling the business,” Tate said. "It's just going to close."
The Tate’s daughter, Mary Bergstrom, has a productive Southern Hills Lavender farm she and her husband, Tim, are developing in their spare time.
That’s where Tate and his wife expect to spend their free time once their 1,300- square-foot store is closed. “We already spend a lot of time there,” Wayne said with a laugh.