B. Chandlers is closing

The landmark bridal shop will shut its doors because of an owner's new job and a big rent increase.

By SHARON BOND

© St. Petersburg Times, published February 27, 2000

ST. PETERSBURG -- B. Chandlers, a downtown gift shop and bridal registry with lineage reaching back to the 1950s, is closing March 31.

Shop owner Tish Elston, appointed city administrator for St. Petersburg, said her new job and a steep rent increase at the shop are the reasons B. Chandlers is going out of business.

"I've always had a very active role," Elston said of the shop, which she owns with Ronnie Crescentini. "Just not during traditional work hours. I've done all the business management work for the shop and generally less and less on the floor. It's 40 hours worth of work."

Elston was appointed No. 2 at City Hall by Mayor David Fischer in September. She was fiscal services administrator before that and has been with the city for more than 11 years. She has owned B. Chandlers, at 242 Beach Drive NE, for 5 1/2 years.

Elston said her lease expired and the store rent, which she would not divulge, was set to increase by 60 percent. That was too high, she said.

B. Chandlers was moved to its Beach Drive NE location about 6 1/2 years ago by its previous owners, Michelle and Howard Nix. The Nixes bought the store from Bebe and Art Chandler, who ran it at 428 Fourth St. N until 1993.

Both Chandlers had experience with that kind of merchandise. Art Chandler was a partner in Louise Ainsworth's fine china and gift shop in the 1950s, and Mrs. Chandler worked with Bruce Watters Jewelers, Owen-Cotter Jewelers and Maas Brothers department store, where she was in charge of the first bridal service.

When Louise Ainsworth retired, the Chandlers connected with her suppliers of china and crystal and B. Chandlers was started in 1976 as a gift shop and bridal registry.

The Chandlers did a lot of their business through the registry and kept the shop until both were in their 70s. Chandler died in 1994. Last week Mrs. Chandler said she hated to see the shop close.

"I'm disappointed, naturally," she said. "I feel that whatever is best for them" is what they should do.

"I loved every minute of owning it," Mrs. Chandler said. "I still go down and visit them. That's life, and you just have to accept the way things work out."

Elston said annual sales at B. Chandlers were in the range of a quarter million dollars. The store has two part-time employees and a full-time manager.

The going-out-of-business sale begins Tuesday.

- Information from Times files was used in this report.

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