Jewelry boutique opens at the Inn on Water Street in downtown Marine City

Coughlin Jewelers has opened a boutique store inside the Inn on Water Street.
A St. Clair retail institution with more than 25 years in town has opened a new location in downtown Marine City.

Tim Coughlin’s father opened Coughlin Jewelers in 1992, and it’s been one growth spurt after another ever since. Tim’s parents, Patrick and Marga, started the company from a 1,000 square foot shop in St. Clair, eventually moving to a 3,000 square foot storefront, and then to their current location, a 6,000 square foot stand-alone store on Riverside Avenue in 2008.

Today, with Tim as president of the company, Coughlin Jewelers is celebrating the opening of a second store.

"This gives us a chance to reach out to more of the community, to meet the needs of the downriver communities," Tim says. "We want to be part of the excitement happening in downtown Marine City."

Coughlin Jewelers Boutique opened at the Inn on Water Street in early April. The boutique will be celebrating a grand opening party and ribbon-cutting ceremony on May 4, alongside its new neighbors, the Inn itself and restaurant the Inn Kitchen. Each have operated under soft-openings for a couple of weeks now.

The new Coughlin store is considerably smaller than their flagship location--hence the boutique designation--and takes up just 400 square feet of space. But already, Tim and his employees find themselves staying open until 9 or 10 p.m., considerably later than the 5 p.m. quit time they’re used to in St. Clair. Tim attributes this to their new location, sharing the lobby of the hotel with a restaurant, and drawing customers from each.

Tim says that the boutique offers brands that they do well with in St. Clair, but a mix of items different than ones found at their flagship store, too, to give each its own unique personality. The Marine City boutique mostly offers fashion jewelry, but some fine jewelry, as well. Items typically range from $22 to $150 at the new location.

"We’re doing really well, so far," Tim says. "We’ve been told that it’s been 15 to 20 years since there’s been a jewelry store in Guests at the Inn on Water Street won't have to travel far to find the perfect accessory for an evening out.Marine City. People seem to be excited that we’re here."

The original Coughlin Jewelers is still up and running as it has always been. Much bigger than the new boutique, the St. Clair location is a full-service jewelry store, carrying items that range from $22 fashion jewelry to $22,000 fine jewelry. They offer jewelry repairs, two on-site jewelers, and perform custom work in-house.

With reverence for the original location, Coughlin Jewelers are excited to branch out in Marine City. It’s the right fit, and one that Tim feels good about, too. They're excited to grow with each other.

"It’s hard for locals not to smile when they’re looking at downtown Marine City," Tim says. "You look around and there are great businesses and restaurants, people walking the streets, when 10 years ago there was none of this."

"There’s a buzz here."

Coughlin Jewelers Boutique is located at the Inn on Water Street in downtown Marine City. The original Coughlin Jewelers is located at 516 S. Riverside Ave. in St. Clair.