Jill Damon announced in January that 16 Hands, her Kerrytown shop selling handmade jewelry and crafts, will close on April 19. She joined what was then a collective in 1978, three years after it was founded. (The “16 hands” were the first eight members.) As others retired or moved on, Damon ended up as sole owner, seeing the shop through moves from Washington St. to Main St. and finally to the second floor of Kerrytown.

“We love being here,” she says. “The only problem is that as I get older, I’m really ready to retire.” She thought about selling but was told the process could take years, and her lease was up.   

Damon says a “huge sale” will start on February 1 and “crescendo” from there. Then she’s looking forward to spending time with her grandchildren, traveling, and painting oil pastels.

16 Hands, 407 N. Fifth Ave. (Kerrytown Market & Shops). (734) 761–1110. Through April 19: Mon.–Fri. 10 a.m.–6 p.m., Sat. 9 a.m.–6 p.m., Sun. 11 a.m.–5 p.m. 16handsannarbor.com

Related: 16 Hands fills Mathilde’s spot

The atmosphere was far from festive at Party City on December 20, the day the retailer’s plans to shutter its company-owned stores became public.

In front of the balloon station at the 20,000-square-foot store in Oak Valley Plaza, a worker was forcefully hammering clearance sale signs to wooden stakes. The dwindling stock of party supplies, decorations, and costumes was discounted between 5 and 75 percent.

The store will close on February 28, or earlier if the inventory is depleted. About fourteen employees are affected, according to a store manager, who declined further comment, based on corporate policy.

Party City, 2677 Oak Valley. (734) 519–5591. Closing by Feb. 28; Mon.–Thurs. 10 a.m.–8 p.m., Fri. 9 a.m.–9 p.m., Sat. 8 a.m.–8 p.m., Sun. 10 a.m.–6 a.m. stores.partycity.com/us/mi/annarbor

Sephora, the global retailer of personal-care and beauty products, has closed its Briarwood Mall location after seventeen years. The French-based luxury chain opened a location at Arbor Hills in January 2024, and it’s now seeing an uptick in new customers, an employee there reports. Sephora also has a smaller location within the Kohl’s department store at 3160 Lohr.

Sephora, 3010 Washtenaw Ave., ste. 111. (734) 437–0380. Mon.–Thurs. 10 a.m.–7 p.m., Fri. & Sat. 10 a.m.–8 p.m., Sun. 11 a.m.–6 p.m. sephora.com/happening/stores/arbor-hills

Got a retail or restaurant change? Email marketplace@aaobserver.com.