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Shreve & Co. to Close SF Jewelry Store After 172 Years in Business and Open Flagship in Palo Alto

Shreve & Co. will hold a sale at the San Francisco location, offering discounts of up to 60%

Published

8 months ago

May 22, 2024

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Jewelry retailer Shreve & Co. plans to close its San Francisco Post Street location after operating in the city since 1852. It will open a flagship store in Palo Alto, CA, this summer.

“As we embrace this pivotal transition, our hearts are filled with gratitude for our longstanding presence in San Francisco,” said Lane Schiffman, managing partner of the company. “This change signifies our commitment to adapt and thrive within the dynamic landscape of luxury retail, maintaining the classic elegance and tailored service that Shreve & Co. is known for.”

With the changes, the jeweler will hold a sale at the San Francisco location, offering discounts of up to 60%.

The retailer stated in a press release that the decision to move its headquarters to Palo Alto “reaffirms Shreve’s ongoing commitment to providing exceptional service and craftsmanship to its discerning clientele.”

The company released a list of its historical highlights in San Francisco:

By the 1860s, Shreve & Co. had solidified its reputation as America’s premier silver and goldsmith, with its breathtaking creations sought after by presidents, business magnates, and prominent families. These iconic pieces now grace museums and private collections worldwide, including a remarkable 10-inch-tall solid gold Teddy Bear commissioned by the citizens of San Francisco as a gift for Teddy Roosevelt.

In March of 1906, following the devastating earthquake that shook the West Coast, Shreve & Co. made headlines by swiftly relocating to a state-of-the-art, eleven-story “earthquake-proof” building at the corner of Post Street and Grant Avenue.

During WWI, Shreve & Co. contributed to the war effort by repurposing six floors of its building from silver and jewelry production to the manufacturing of essential items for the U.S. Armed Services. After the Armistice of 1919, the firm resumed its focus on crafting luxury goods.

By 1921, Shreve & Co. boasted a workforce of over 600 skilled artisans and produced silver pieces of unparalleled quality across five different calibers.

Throughout the 20th century, Shreve & Co. garnered global acclaim for its innovative designs and impeccable craftsmanship. Notable commissions included a life-sized rooster sculpted from solid 18k yellow gold, a 14k white gold replica of the Statue of Liberty, gifts for delegates to the newly established United Nations in 1945, and the offering presented to Queen Elizabeth II by the State of California upon her coronation in 1953.

Shreve & Co. proudly hosted numerous extraordinary exhibitions, featuring treasures such as the Crown of the Andes, the 726-carat Yonkers Diamond, a collection of jewels once owned by the Russian Empress Catherine the Great, the 104-carat Chrysanthemum Diamond, and the artifacts of the Atocha, a Spanish galleon that sank off the coast of Florida in 1622.