Reichman Jewelers closing in Oak Lawn over safety issues

OAK LAWN, Ill. — Reichman Jewelers is closing in Oak Lawn after the owners feel it’s no longer safe.

After nearly 40 years in business on 95th Street, Odyessus Tsarouhis is closing up shop.

Back on July 1, Tsarouhis was inside when three armed men entered the store. He was shot in the chest as the suspects smashed display glasses and fled in a silver four-door Chrysler.

“In the afternoon, we had a policeman with a sidearm exposed they rushed him, disarmed him, put a gun to his head,” he said. “I was coming out of the back room and they shot me. I’m laying on the ground bleeding and thinking ‘I’m going to die.’”

A year ago, burglars also broke into the business. But before that, it had been quite some time since anything like that had happened.

“We did have an armed robbery back in 1986 where they fired off a shot,” owner Paul Stein said. “Nobody got hurt.”

But lately, the owners said businesses like theirs have been targeted.

The family business has dated back to 1908 will transform into an appointment-only model. The owners said they will announce where they are moving to very soon.