Stapleton Jewellers, a Warriewood Square institution, is preparing to close its doors for the last time this June, bringing an end to 58 years of service to the Northern Beaches peninsula.
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Owner Margaret Edwards has been part of the business since childhood. She first started helping out as a 12-year-old, cleaning jewellery a couple of afternoons a week. Decades later, she took over as the second-generation owner, following in the footsteps of her parents Carol and John Stapleton, who first opened a store in Double Bay before relocating to Dee Why in 1968 and eventually to Warriewood Square.
For Margaret, the shop has never been just about the jewellery itself. It has been a keeper of the community’s most intimate moments: engagements, anniversaries, and milestone birthdays. Jewellery, she has said, carries the story of why: why someone bought a particular piece, who gave it to them, what occasion it marked.
Word of the closure has hit some customers hard. Women who purchased their wedding rings at the old Dee Why store more than 50 years ago have been coming in to pay their respects and share their memories. For many regulars, the shop has been a weekly ritual, not just for repairs or purchases, but for a chat and a familiar face.
Margaret has been candid about why she is walking away. Running a small business demands total commitment, and for Margaret and her family, that has meant missed holidays and family celebrations on weekends. She has worked six days a week alongside her daughter Hope, and says the pace has simply become unsustainable. Her father John, who started it all as a jeweller and watchmaker, was reportedly at ease when told of the decision.
Broader pressures have also played a part. Consumer habits shifted significantly during and after the pandemic, with older shoppers now just as comfortable buying online as younger generations. Shopping centres have grown more uniform over time and independent retailers have steadily lost ground to chains. In a tighter economy, Margaret notes that luxury items like jewellery are increasingly being set aside.
Margaret has also noted a generational shift in what customers want and value. Social media has driven younger buyers to prioritise size and spectacle, while older customers remain committed to authenticity.
Over the years, Stapleton Jewellers has served its fair share of well-known faces from the peninsula. Margaret remains discreet about most, but she has recalled at least one unexpected visit from a multi-world surfing champion who spent around 40 minutes browsing for diamonds, entirely unrecognised by her until after he left.
What has defined Stapleton Jewellers across nearly six decades, according to Margaret, is its personal service and the deep relationships built with customers over time. Watching families grow across generations, seeing the children of long-time customers come in with their own children, is the thread that has run through the whole story. With only weeks until the final day, Margaret is working seven days a week and taking it one step at a time.
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A closing down sale is currently underway in store. All jewellery is marked down 60 per cent, and watches and branded items are at least 40 per cent off. According to the business, it is a genuine clearance and everything must go.
Stapleton Jewellers is located at Shop SP039, Warriewood Square, 12 Jacksons Road, Warriewood. For more information visit stapletonjewellers.com.au.
Published 6-June-2026
