Claire's is dying. Long live the green ears.

Zoom in: The metro lost most of its locations, including Ward Parkway, Independence Center, St. Joe and Leawood's Town Center. Stores in Jefferson City, Joplin, Emporia and Pittsburg are also closed.

Between the lines: Claire's is one of the only places kids could walk in, sit down and walk out newly pierced.

• While other options like tattoo shops come with age limits, the spontaneous rite of passage, begging mom for $20 and leaving with throbbing ears, is disappearing.

💭 Abbey's thought bubble: My Claire's baptism came at 7 in a Texas mall. I screamed, my mom prayed my dad wouldn't notice, and my ears turned green by dinner.

• Still, I strutted out convinced I was chic. Those fake diamonds felt like Cartier.

What's next: With more stores expected to close, Kansas City parents can still look to Rowan on the Plaza or The Babe Standard. Pediatric offices also offer kid-friendly options.

The bottom line: Claire's may have been global, but its slow exit leaves Kansas City and the rest of the country with a hole bigger than an earlobe.

Did you get your ears pierced at Claire's? If so, did your ears also turn green? Hit reply and tell us your stories.