Pandora Wagga’s (from left) Courtney Hawe, owners Rob and Cassandra Nicholson, and Angel Fuller. Pandora has a 30 per cent store-wide sale before the Wagga store closes permanently. Photo: Supplied.
Wagga’s home to the world’s largest jewellery brand, Pandora, is closing its doors permanently, but the treasured store is not going quietly.
Owners Robert and Cassandra Nicholson have announced a final store-wide sale as a thank-you to their loyal customers.
“Pandora will close mid-June and we want to say a fond farewell to our customers old and new,” owner Robert Nicholson said.
The decision by Pandora to close is part of the company’s so-called “course correct” following a spike in commodity prices. The price of Pandora’s main raw material, silver, more than doubled in 2025, and according to the company’s annual 2025 report “additional headwinds from US import tariffs and foreign exchange rates added complexity”. The strategy rollout has seen a shift to Pandora-run businesses and concept stores over franchises, and a deliberate increase in e-commerce, online sales and click and collect.
“There will be no Pandora in Wagga and there’re no plans for another shop, according to Pandora, Sydney,” Robert said.
Pandora Wagga’s Angel Fuller and Courtney Hawe at the Market Place store that will be closing in mid June. Photo: Marguerite McKinnon.
The Wagga staff were told as soon as possible to allow them to make arrangements to find other work.
“It’s sad. It’s a sad time knowing that there’s not going to be a Pandora in Wagga anymore,” Pandora store manager Coutney Hawe said.
Future Pandora customers in Wagga will either have to buy online, or travel to a store.
“It’s the end of an era here. That’s a lot of people’s memories; it’s just like their bracelet is a scrapbook that they can wear, and they’re not going to be able to touch and feel those pieces anymore here in Wagga at the store, so it makes it a lot harder for people to shop for things by not having a bricks and mortar store,” Courtney said.
For Angel Fuller, who’s worked with Robert and Cassandra Nicholson for five years, news of the closure came as a surprise.
“Very surprising, yeah, and I do feel quite sad about it because I’ve gained lots of relationships; it’s almost like a family here,” Ms Fuller said.
“I think it’ll be a bit of a change for me. As much as I’ve loved working in jewellery, I just wouldn’t want to work with another jeweller unless it was with my boss (Robert Nicholson) that I have now. I have so much respect for him. He’s been like a father figure to me for a very long time and I’m just very grateful for all the opportunities he’s given me,” Angel said.
Happy customer Angelia Smith, 11, with her new Pandora bracelet, sold to her by store manager Courtney Hawe. Photo: Marguerite McKinnon
Owners Robert (a third-generation Riverina jeweller) and Cassandra Nicholson have been a major part of the Riverina’s jewellery landscape for more than 40 years and both have been qualified gemologists, diamond graders and valuers. They successfully ran Nicholson’s Jewellers from when it opened in Baylis Street in 1985 until the store closed in 2023. The store’s site is now the newly opened BomBom Brazillian inspired dessert store.
“We want to thank our customers and give locals the chance to have a piece of Pandora at closing down prices,” Cassandra said.
Pandora classes itself as an affordable and accessible luxury brand that specialises in customisable charms and bracelets made mainly from quality sterling silver and plated gold, and lab grown diamonds over the more expensive mined diamonds.
A favourite essential jewellery, the Pandora charm bracelet will be 30 per cent off, along with necklaces, rings and current stock, until the doors close.
Pandora is located at Marketplace, Shop 45/87 Baylis St, Wagga Wagga. They’re open from 9 am until 5:30 pm Monday to Wednesday, from 9 am until 9 pm on Thursday, from 9 am until 5:30 pm on Friday, from 9 am until 4 pm on Saturday and from 10 am until 4 pm on Sunday.
