Criterion Diamonds owner Mark Flynn has had enough of depressing economic news.

“Something’s got to give,” he said Thursday night. So, on the spur of the moment, he decided to generate some good news of his own.

“We’re giving away free diamonds,” he declared.

Criterion Diamonds opened its doors in a word-of-mouth campaign that brought encouraging results from 9:00 p.m. and midnight. Between 40 and 50 customers claimed their free diamonds, he said.

Flynn planned to rerun the promotion again between 8:00 a.m. and 9:00 a.m. Friday morning.

The rules, he said, are simple. “You come in our door. We give you one of these diamonds.” He described the stones as high quality diamonds of up to .1 carat in weight.

Flynn said there would be no purchase required and no questions asked. He hoped customers would stay and shop, but said he would be just fine if they took their diamonds and ran.

“This is going to help not only myself, but our community and maybe get some sales going all the way ‘round,” he explained.