A long-standing North Vancouver, B.C., jewelry store is set to close its retail location after nearly two decades in business due to mounting pressure from U.S. tariffs and rising material costs.

Keith Jack has been designing and selling his Celtic-inspired wares in Lower Lonsdale for nearly 20 years, but he told The North Shore News that recent trade policies have pushed his business “off a cliff.”

The Keith Jack Studio and Gallery, located at 21 Lonsdale Avenue, will close permanently at the end of May, with the company aiming to preserve its online operations.

While the Lower Lonsdale storefront has served as the heart of the operation, approximately 70% to 75% of sales come from wholesale exports to the United States, according to the News. In 2025, policies imposed by U.S. President Donald Trump led to tariffs of up to 35%on Canadian jewelry, significantly impacting exporters.

Jack told the News that rising prices for silver and gold, combined with tariffs, have made operations unsustainable, forcing the difficult decision to shut down the brick-and-mortar location.

“I’m quite sad about it,” Jack told the News. “We’ve been part of so many stories, so many people’s moments, whether it’s been engagements or weddings or anniversaries or, in some cases, even deaths, babies being born. … It’s hard to let that go.”

He added that the sizable retail space at Lonsdale and Esplanade represents the greatest opportunity for cost savings as the business restructures.

“It’s a hard time,” Jack said in the interview, noting that four long-time staff members will be laid off. “My staff are like family … and it’s really hard to be letting people go when they really don’t want to be let go.”

Jack said broader economic uncertainty tied to U.S. policy has also contributed to declining tourism and an increase in vacant storefronts in Lower Lonsdale.

“I think the uncertainty in the world that’s emanating from the U.S. is affecting everybody,” he told the News. “To kind of get screwed by just the tariffs and the administration and the way that they have really bullied people and destroyed businesses is quite sad.”

In the coming weeks, Jack plans to wind down retail operations, including hosting VIP events for long-time customers ahead of a closing sale in May. The business will then transition to a smaller team operating out of a warehouse office as it attempts to rebuild.

Photo: Keith Jack Studio and Gallery