After sudden closure, Scheherazade customers ask, 'where's my jewelry?'
(FOX 9) - Update: As of March 26, Amber Knettel got her bracelets back from the jeweler.
Amber Knettel panicked when she strolled into the Galleria mall to pick up a pair of white ceramic and diamond bracelets at Scheherazade only to find the store abruptly closed.
The bracelets were wedding gifts for her and her daughter from Knettel's husband. Now, after bringing them in for repairs, Knettel is worried they might never be returned.
“I’m definitely still anxious. I would like my stuff back sooner or later. We paid for it all and we want it back,” she said.
It turns out the longtime high-end jeweler has declared Chapter 7 bankruptcy and is now liquidating. It’s the second bankruptcy for owner Scott Rudd in the last 10 years.
Another customer, Stacie Olson, reports she is owed nearly $500 after Scheherazade recently sold her mom’s diamond ruby earrings on what’s known as consignment.
“I think it’s a cop-out for companies to do this. It gives them debt relief, and I highly doubt I’ll ever see it. We’ll see,” Olson said.
In a statement, the bankruptcy trustee wrote that efforts are underway to return unsold consignment or estate jewelry to rightful owners - the same for repairs like Knettel’s bracelets.
“Obviously, they have some sort of monetary value, but also more sentimental value for both of us,” Knettel said.
It’s a little murkier if pieces like Olson’s have already been sold and the timing of any returns remain up in the air.
“It’s not like we’re the electric company. You sold a piece of my jewelry. You have that money. Where is it?” Olson asked.
Full statement from trustees
On behalf of Chad Kelsch and myself, the estate pieces that were at the store at the time of my appointment have been moved to safety deposit boxes. (Estate pieces are those pieces brought in by individuals to Scheherazade to be sold on their behalf.) The estate pieces have been segregated from the store inventory. We will notified the people who have estate pieces at the appropriate time regarding the procedures that will be followed. Again, and I want to emphasize, those pieces that were at the store at the time of my appointment, have been moved off premises to safety deposit boxes and are segregated. At this time, I have no knowledge as to any sales of the estate pieces prior to the bankruptcy filing and am in the process of conducting an investigation of those sales.
As to the jewelry being repaired, former Scheherazade employees are calling those individuals with pieces being repaired. They are being instructed on how to obtain their pieces.
As soon as we know more regarding the estate pieces, we will be in touch with you.
We have no further comment at this time.