The door buzzed open at Freilich Jewelers, letting in Marilyn Maldonado, a faithful customer still stunned to learn the news–it would be less than a week until the store she frequented for 32 years would close after 76 years of business in the Bronx.

“It’s Marilyn, with a broken heart,” said Maldonado, who has entrusted the store with her personal life’s milestones.

“Why is your heart broken?” asked Allan Freilich, the bespectacled owner of the neighborhood jewelry shop.

“Because you’re going,” said Maldonado, eventually awash in tears. “Is there someone we can call? We need you here.”

“This is how it’s been for the past couple months,” said Freilich, appearing somber over the number of well-wishers of yesteryear who have made deliberate visits to bid their farewells. Longtime customers, hearing the news of his departure, have made personal visits. Some have picked up an extra jewelry item, a memento of Freilich, known for his brand of personalized customer service. On Dec. 24 at 6 p.m., customers would get their last taste of Freilich Jewelers’ familiar brand of personalized service one last time.

Six days before the inevitable closure, against the backdrop of mellow jazz tunes and ornate holiday decorations, business at Freilich Jewelers seeped of a bittersweet jive. The bargain basement deals and significant markdowns, yes, were better than what one would find at Macy’s. But Freilich admits to taking a loss for each item he sells, confessing he’s practically giving away the jewelry.

But the discounts represent the inevitable closure of the store, part of Norwood’s economic fabric for 45 years. These days the old line of dominant neighborhood businesses, many considered high-end, are no more.

“The traditional old-time watchmaker-jeweler that existed in Norwood, I believe, is gone,” said Freilich.

The business longevity in Norwood has waned some, with active turnover creating a distance between merchant and customer. “There seems to be less connection between the customers and the stores,” said Mickey Burke, a regular customer at Freilich Jewelers and former businessman on East 204th Street. “Allan was an exception.”

Freilich’s line of customer service has drawn a wide number of regulars, said Millie Clavell, Freilich’s fiercely loyal store manager and proud protector of Freilich’s legacy. “You get that personal attention. They know you, and that’s a good feeling when they acknowledge you, they know your name. You’re not just a dollar bill or a credit card being swiped.”

Freilich’s father, Norman, opened for business on Westchester Avenue in the Soundview section of the Bronx in 1939 (it’s purported to have been the oldest jewelry store in the Bronx), but eventually moved up to Norwood, considered a more enviable part of the borough. The elder Freilich initially occupied 311 E. 204th St., before moving his business across the street, a large enough space to set up a jewelry-making lab.

The younger Freilich took to jewelry making and repairs on a part-time basis, toying with the thought of being full-time (he yearned to be a musician in his early years) before settling into his role and eventually becoming owner.

Freilich announced in October that he would shut down the store. Lease negotiations had stopped between Freilich and the landlord, prompting Freilich to make a decision to close the store. Relocating was mulled over, but eventually ruled out, given the startup monies needed to find a new home.

For now, Freilich has sold off most of the jewelry-making equipment, including a laser welder and “some tools that were literally over 100 years old.”

He’s experienced a hard time letting go of his equipment in the same vein as saying so long to his customers.

On Maldonado’s visit to the store, she picked up the recently repaired jewelry items, later hugging Freilich as he is about to start his new life, post-Freilich Jewelers.

“Thank you for everything and the great memories,” said Maldonado. “You’re more than jewelry, you were a family member.”