Columbus gift shop closing its doors after 30 years. Here’s when you can shop the sale

A Columbus gift shop has announced it will be closing after 30 years in business, owners say.

Traditions at Columbus Park Crossing announced the news in a Facebook post on Sunday.

Owner Debbie Martin said she started the business in 1990 in a house on Wildwood Avenue before moving to Cross Country Plaza on Auburn Avenue, alongside Talbots and The Butler’s Pantry. The store is now located at 5555 Whittlesey Boulevard Suite 1780.

A wife and mother, Martin, now 67, had no background in retail when she started the business, and said that she never planned on operating it for 30 years.

“We’ve been very blessed and had a very good business and the people of Columbus have been wonderful supporting us and we’re so very grateful for that,” Martin said Tuesday.

She said the business has maintained its success, and that if any of her kids had wanted to continue it she would have passed it down to them.



“But they have their own careers and it’s just time to slow down and relax and enjoy life,” Martin said. “I hate to close it, it’s a great business, but it’s just time to relax and enjoy my family more.”

Martin did say the past five years have brought a drastic change to the retail scene — the biggest since she’s been in business.

“But we’ve been able to remain successful so we’ve been very fortunate,” she said.

The store is currently closed to prepare for liquidation, but will reopen at noon Thursday for the closing sale. Martin said all items will be on sale, up to 75% off, and all inventory must go.

She said there is no time frame right now for when the store will close permanently but she expects it to take around four weeks.

Traditions offered boutique brands, and Martin said it is the only local store to stock Pandora, Brighton, Vera Bradley, Happy Everything, Christopher Radko and Coton Colors.

The store hours are 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday-Thursday, 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Friday-Saturday and 1-6 p.m. Sundays.

This story was originally published February 24, 2020 at 2:06 PM.