After four years, downtown Washington’s The Blue Crab Monograms and Gifts is closing its doors.

Many residents are sad to see the store go, but for owner Meredith Dixon, it means more time to spend on her passion for teaching.

“I teach business at Southside High School,” Dixon said. “I just started teaching this year, and just kind of found my passion and fell in love with it.”

Dixon said her new teaching job, running the downtown store and making time for family became too much to handle, and while she loved working at The Blue Crab, teaching is a new, important calling for her. She said she thinks she can make more of an impact inspiring future business owners.

“Anything I can pass on to them to hopefully encourage business ownership and staying local,” Dixon explained. “Focusing on the teaching, so I can do the best for my students.”

The Blue Crab’s going out of business sale begins today, but Dixon said she does not have a set time for when the store will close. That will depend upon how quickly inventory is sold, she added.

Coming from a family with deep roots in retail, as well as in downtown Washington, Dixon said she will miss running the store. Some customers have already reached out to her to wish her the best, Dixon said.

“I mean I’ll still be down here all the time,” she said. “My grandparents had Washington Jewelers downtown, and I’ve worked downtown all my life.”

Dixon said she will not continue her retail business from home — as she did during the first two years after establishing it. But she is excited to foster business in Washington from a different angle and excited to have the opportunity to impact students in the area.

“Thank you to everybody that’s been so supportive,” Dixon said. “It’s bittersweet. I’ve loved every day that I’ve been open.”