When the family owned Zell's it was a great store that was founded in 1912 by Julius, Dan, Harry and Milton Zell. The store was regarded as a "guild" operation in the jewelry industry. The brothers and their sons did a marvelous job branding their name. Many years ago Zell Brothers was sold to Zales Jewelers. Due to Marty, Leonard and Alan Zell staying in the company it did not lose its strength as the high end store to buy jewelry- silverware and optical. When they left Zell's it was the beginning of the end. Zales gave staff members I.D numbers and the great sales staff and goldsmithing employees vacated. Then Zales sold Zell's and the many other guild brands around the country to a low end, promotional jewelry company from New York. That lasted less than two years. They went broke fast not knowing that end of the business. Old man Zell was smart when he sold the brand by keeping the real estate on Morrison & Park. Movie theater & land baron Tom Moyer bought the block and tore Zells down. The family reaped the benefits of that sale before the economic disaster. Today the land sits empty. There are few takers for space in another office tower. Zell Brothers was a special store when it was in the family. Today Zales Jewelers have only one location left in Portland.
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