Celebrating their centennial: The Nugget and Ivory Shop turns 100

by Heather Pauls

Uta Reilly stands behind the shining glass casements of the Nugget & Ivory Shop, looking down at the glistening yellow pebbles in tiny gold pans—nuggets found at various mining locales. Looking up she smiles as people mill in.

Today is the first day celebrating the store’s centennial. Appetizers and a special birthday cake are given to visitors who came to congratulate Uta, the store’s fifth owner, and others working at the store.

She grins and holds up a thin, unlit cigar, mock-smoking, and says that its part of an inside joke between the businesses that line Front Street.

Although June 12 is not the official birthday of the store opening its doors for business, as it is unknown, it was

Uta Reilly shows off some of her product. Photo by Heather Pauls

the date chosen to begin commemorating the store’s long history of gold and ivory dealings. The earliest record of the store is dated 1904, but earlier records could have been destroyed in the fire on Front Street at the turn of the century.

Since those earliest records, the store has been in full business selling worked gold and mammoth ivory, both imported and crafted in the store. And despite having changed locations a few times, the store has always remained on the same grounds that the store owns, the first location being the old bank kiddy-corner to the Downtown Hotel.

Nugget & Ivory Owners through the ages:

Charles Jeannerette 1904 -1943

George and Gladys Murdoch 1943 - 1955

George and Agnes Shaw 1955 -1975

Amy Bennett 1975 -1988

Uta Reilly 1988 - present