Van Cott Jewelers is closing the doors of its Oakdale Mall location.

Broome County’s oldest independent fine jeweler and the first jeweler to locate to the mall when it opened in 1975 will not renew its lease, the company said on Monday.

“The decision to close our Oakdale Mall location was literally heart-wrenching,” said William Levine, the third-generation steward of the 105-year-old family-owned firm. “When my father decided to open a Van Cott branch store there in 1975, locating in a shopping mall was considered bold and risky for a fine jeweler. Fortunately, his gamble paid off and we’ve had 44 very successful years at Oakdale, which made our decision that much more difficult. Unfortunately, closing was really our only choice as the mall’s current travails don’t bode well for its future.”

Before the store officially closes, Van Cott Jewelers will hold a brief multi-million dollar Oakdale Mall Store Closing Sale beginning Thursday.

Van Cott Jewelers traces its heritage to 1914, when Kenneth Van Cott opened the doors to its first location on Court Street in Binghamton’s downtown business district. A few years later, Rubine Levine, an immigrant from Russia, began going door-to-door on Endicott’s north side selling wedding rings, religious jewelry and eyeglasses to the shoe factory workers.

In 1919, with a growing clientele fueled by his reputation for stellar customer service, Rubine created Ruby Jewelers. His son, Herbert, purchased Van Cott Jewelers in 1969, merging the two renowned firms.