BERLIN – Amid the changing storefronts that make up Main Street, Berlin is lucky to have a handful of businesses that have stood the test of time. One of those local landmarks, the Treasure Chest, celebrates its 40th anniversary this year.
It was in June 1977 that Bill Freeman purchased the Treasure Chest from Tom and Doris Taylor. Today, Freeman’s daughter Terri Sexton runs the shop.
“We’ve seen a lot of changes in town,” Sexton said. “We’ve seen the highs and the lows and have been fortunate to sustain through it all.”
It was in 1977, when Freeman was debating whether or not to re-enlist in the U.S. Air Force, that the Taylors put the Treasure Chest on the market.
“It just happened to come up for sale,” Sexton said, adding that the family had operated the shop for generations.
Freeman bought the shop, which at that time was in the Oddfellows building, and shortly after purchased its current location and moved the shop there. While the inventory initially included a hodgepodge of giftware, Sexton said her father gradually began transitioning the shop toward jewelry.
“The town started having more businesses that were gift related,” Sexton said.
By the time she took over the shop in 2000, the Treasure Chest’s primary focus was jewelry. Sexton gradually eliminated the remaining giftware when she realized it took up the largest amount of time and made up the smallest portion of the shop’s sales.
Today, the Treasure Chest is known for its fine jewelry, much of which can’t be found elsewhere.
“We have a lot of unique lines that are exclusive to us,” Sexton said, adding that the store also offered a broad variety of jewelry. “We have items from $10 to $10,000.”
She believes what’s made the store successful, however, is the fact that it’s a small, family-run operation committed to providing good customer service. Customers trust the Treasure Chest.
“We go above and beyond,” she said. “If we don’t have something, we’ll try to find it for you.”
Berlin Mayor Gee Williams attributes the shop’s longevity to family values.
“Being a second generation family owned business is at the core of their success,” he said. “This has resulted in a reputation for taking care of everyone as people first, not just potential customers, whether they live nearby, or in another state. The success of the Treasure Chest is also owed to an ability to change with ever-changing fashion trends while not losing sight of the importance of traditional values such as earning the trust and respect of everyone who walks in the door.”
Sexton, a past winner of the Berlin Award and one of those behind the effort to have Berlin designated a Main Street Maryland community, says she’s enjoyed being part of Berlin and watching the downtown’s progress in recent years.
The Treasure Chest will celebrate its 40th anniversary with a ribbon cutting and after-hours event with the Berlin Chamber of Commerce on July 13. The following day, the store will launch a week-long sale featuring discounts of 20 to 50 percent storewide.
“It’s our way of thanking our customers for supporting us all these years,” Sexton said.
