Baker's Jewelry Celebrates Sapphire Year

Baker's Jewelry in Glasgow celebrated 75 years in business last fall and when talking to owners Harvey and Karen Wall, it's hard to believe how much hasn't changed over the years. "The people in northeast Montana, really appreciate beauty and quality. I think that's what makes us successful too is the unusual community in that quality and things that last are valued here," stated H. Wall.

Though beauty and quality hasn't changed over the years, Baker's Jewelry has as a business and so has their customer base. First located in downtown Glasgow at 530 2nd Ave. S., under the ownership of L.J. "Bake" Baker in 1948, Harvey Wall purchased the business at the age of 23 in 1983 when the Bakers retired. In 1987, H. Wall was joined in the business by his wife, Karen Euell. In the mid-2000s, Baker's Jewelry moved to their current location on Highway 2, and did internal upgrades to their space in 2023. "The jewelry store that we started out in had 400 square feet, that was our show area. I had actually owned this property [Highway 2 location] for a while because I didn't want to abandon downtown. But I'm thrilled to see how downtown has revitalized itself since some of us have made room," stated H. Wall.

Baker's Jewelry has flourished over the years due to both Baker and H. Wall's interest in agates. Baker bought his very first watch when he was 14 years old with his own hard-earned cash. He always had a fascination with agates and during the early years of his marriage to wife Jean, Montana moss agate collecting was just a hobby. In 1942, Baker ordered a trial jewel cutting outfit and after spending three days trying to cut an agate, he threw the whole thing out and started to build his own equipment. He then assembled most of his equipment himself, working out the intricacies of the hard jewel cutting craft, mostly from observing others in the same line of work as well as trial and error. His hobby then transitioned into a business extending over western, northern and central Montana as well as North and South Dakota, developing interest among large Midwestern houses. When Baker's Jewelry was established in 1948, Baker sold Montana agates, fine custom jewelry, and silver and fine jewelry.

H. Wall entered the jewelry business when Baker took him on as an apprentice jeweler in December 1979. "I would go out in the front of the farm and pick up rocks. I liked them and I would bring them to my room and my mom would get tired of them," reflected H. Wall. "I started polishing agates, and cutting agates." Whenever he would come into town from his farm north of Wolf Point, H. Wall would stop by Baker's Jewelry and get tips, pointers and even an occasional agate to work with. "When I was 19 I was interested in the jewelry business, so I asked him if he would allow me to work with him [Baker]. He was 69, I was 19 and he said he was on the way out, he wasn't hiring anybody and so I left. I later went back and asked him if he would let me work here for nothing, if I could just learn the jewelry business. So he took me in," explained H. Wall. This relationship between the two men grew over time and when the Bakers were ready to retire, the store was sold to H. Wall.

The business has weathered many storms throughout the years including recessions, business booms and the pandemic. "I think that in the beginning Mr. Baker encouraged me through those times. The real thing is just experience, knowing that good times are always around the corner. Our customers will fall in love. They will always have special events. They'll always want to treat their spouse in a special way and that's what sustains us," said H. Wall.

Throughout the years the Walls added to their family with the addition of their children, Kyla and Jory, and then spouses and four grandchildren have joined the recent generation of the Wall family. As the Wall family has grown and changed, so has their customers. "That's the sad part for us. We lose customers that we have really deep relationships with and we're doing their next generation, third or fourth generation now," explained H. Wall. "It's a rare week where someone doesn't come in and have tears in their eyes. I've been here for 40 years, how many tears is that? It's tears of joy, sometimes sadness."

Current and generational customers will see Walls' son Jory, daughter-in-law Hannah and son-in-law Brandt designing and selling pieces as well as assisting customers. The family interest in gems has continued as Jory and Hannah attended jewelry school in Texas and then went to GIA in California. Brandt has apprenticed under H. Wall and has been taking online classes. Daughter Kyla has taken a different path as the director of marketing at Frances Mahon Deaconess Hospital (FMDH).

"We are all solid jewelers, and that's part of what is missing in these other stores. It takes three to four of us to work non-stop to keep up. Mr. Baker always said, there's two kinds of jewelry stores. Some of them are merchants and some are actual jewelers. We are a jeweler, not just a merchant of jewelry," stated H. Wall.

In addition to serving the community for 75 years, Baker's Jewelry also gives back to the community that has made them so successful over the years. Every other year Baker's Jewelry donates a ring to the FMDH Foundation dinner, with most of the rings being designed by Jory and Hannah Wall, and Baker's Jewelry has been doing this since the early 2000s. They also engrave spoons provided to parents by FMDH when a new baby is born.

"Our thoughts are to bring younger people in to be involved with the Foundation rather than the grandpas and grandmas. That's who is building our community," explained H. Wall for his continued support in the Foundation's annual event. "The community, and it isn't just Glasgow but our northeast Montana, support us and to our ability we try to support them as well."

When reflecting upon 75 years of business and 40 years under Wall ownership, H. Wall admits he has had a rewarding career. "I have to pinch myself. My kids grew up in this business. All the grandkids love to be down here. It's just so rewarding to come to work every day."

To bring in the next decade of the business, Baker's Jewelry completed a remodel in the fall of 2023 to modernize the inside of the store.

Baker's Jewelry is located at 54174 US-2, Glasgow and they can be contacted at 406-228 2532. They are open Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., and Saturdays by appointment. They are also online at http://www.bakersjewelrymt.com/.