Parkersburg business closes after 144 years: ; Owner of jewelry store says downtown location was not longer profitable

PARKERSBURG - After providing faithful service and quality itemsto the Parkersburg area for 144 years, J. Wetherell and Son Jewelersclosed its doors to business on Friday.

"It's all because of business downtown," said owner ErnestWhitehead. "We've been losing money for a long while - quite a fewyears - and we just can't stay open with so few people coming in."

Whitehead said that business started to slump when the GrandCentral Mall opened in 1972 and more and more businesses eithermoved out of the downtown district or closed.

"Honestly, business in downtown Parkersburg is not very prolificand I just couldn't keep the store open," he said.

Whitehead is the third owner of J. Wetherell and Sons Jewelers,which opened at 417 Market St. in 1866, and said the jewelrybusiness is all he knows.

"Even though I'm 82-years-old, I'd be happy to proceed in thisprofession, but the economy just won't let me," he said.

Whitehead said he began working for Col. C.E. Morrison, aWetherell relative and second owner of the jewelry store, when hewas 15-years old and in need of a job.

"I got into the jewelry business by accident because I wanted towork," Whitehead said. "I started working for Col. Morrison in 1944and just stayed."

Whitehead started by washing windows and transferring merchandisefrom the Wetherell store and G.E. Smith Sons Jewelry then located atthe 809 Market St. store, which was also owned by Morrison. In 1946,the building at 417 Market St. was sold and the two stores werecombined under the Wetherell name.

"I worked my way up in the business by cleaning clocks and then Ibecame a watch maker, which I still do sometimes," he said.

For the past 67 years, Whitehead has spent six days a week at J.Wetherell and Son, with the exception of three years spent in theU.S. Marine Corps in the Korean War.

"I came back from the war and came right back to J. Wetherell andSon," he said. "This is all I know."

In 1954, Whitehead became a registered jeweler after he receivedtraining at the Geological Institute of America in California.

"I bought the business off of Col. Morrison's estate because Icouldn't stand to see it close," Whitehead said. "It means a lot tome."

When he purchased the business, Whitehead said he kept theoriginal name because it came with a stellar reputation and a longhistory.

"Stores like Buttermore and Sons and Baker and Baker in Mariettacame out of J. Wetherell and Son," he said. "Those jewelers wouldwork here and get their training and move on to their own stores,which says something about how respected the business used to be."

With the closure Whitehead said the chapter of J. Wetherell andSon would close.

"My history with downtown Parkersburg and this business does fromstreet cars to everyone having their own car," he said. "I've seen alot change and so has this store."

JOLENE CRAIG/THE NEWS AND SENTINEL Ernest Whitehead, owner of J.Wetherell and Son Jewelers on Market Street, stands behind the frontcounter for one of the last times on Friday evening. At 5 p.m.Friday, the stores doors were closed for the final time after 144years in business.