Miller's Jewelry
Presentation to the Annandale History
Club
January 14, 2019
Jim Miller
Jim Miller shared the history of Miller’s Jewelry in 2019,
70 years after his grandfather, Lee Miller, purchased Lundman Jewelry Store in
1949 and renamed it Miller’s Jewelry. Jim is the 3rd generation owner
of Miller’s Jewelry located on Main Street in Annandale. The store has been
operating as a jewelry store in the same location since Joseph Pratt opened it
in 1892. It’s the 3rd oldest continuously operating jewelry store in
Minnesota.
OWNERSHIP
1892 - Joseph Pratt built the store on Main
Street (Oak Avenue) across from the current (2019) post office. Later that same
year Pratt sold it to William Krohn (1870-1913) who operated it for 22 years.
Krohn’s daughter was the wife of Palmer Sawyer, president of the State Bank of
Annandale in the early 1900s.
1914 - Krohn died and his widow sold the store to
T. Thompson. He only operated it for a short time.
1915 - Albin Q. Lundman (1894-1980),
brother-in-law of Krohn, purchased the store and ran it for 34 years with his
wife Rose.
1949 - Lee (1922-2002) and Doris Miller purchased
the store and ran it for the next 29 years when they sold it to their son Mark.
1978 - Mark and Laurel Miller bought the store
and ran it for 33 years before selling it to Mark’s oldest son Jim, the 3rd
Miller generation.
2011 - Jim and Amy Miller purchased the store.
LUNDMAN YEARS (1915-1949)
Albin Q. Lundman operated the store selling clocks, watches, silverware, and
glassware in addition to jewelry. For a period of time he also sold pianos and
phonographs. On the back wall of the store is a clock from the Lundman years.
The glass in front of the pendulum says “A. Q. LUNDMAN
JEWELER and MUSIC DEALER
ANNANDALE MINN” (photo)
At one time Lundman was robbed at gunpoint. A robber ordered him to unlock his
safe, then tied him up and put him in a closet. Over $3,000 in jewelry was
stolen; he carried $2,000 of insurance at that time.
Lundman brought in a 4,000 pound safe in 1915. It is still in the store in the
same location after over 100 years and multiple renovations and used in
the regular course of business along with several other safes. (photo)
BUILDING
Each new owner has done major renovations to the store. The original building was 15’ wide. In the early years there was an empty lot to the south of the building. (photo) At one time the garage in the back was finished into an office leaving more room in front for display. Lundman enclosed the stairs to the apartment above the store. The 4,000 pound safe installed in 1915 is held up by supports in the basement. It is still in the same place and was repainted in the 1990s. While it’s common for jewelry stores to be in former banks to take advantage of the safe, that’s not true in Annandale’s jewelry store. There are now 4 safes in the store, one larger than the original one and two smaller.
In 1976 Lee Miller installed new wall cabinets, display
cases, ceiling and carpeting.
In 1996 Mark and Laurel purchased the building south of the
store and integrated it into the jewelry store, doubling the display area to
2,000 square feet. The building was built in 1947 by Lyle Schnackenberg as The
Candy Castle. It was the Pizza Villa 1972-1974, then Village Fixit 1979-1999. An
extensive remodel unified storefront created the exterior as it appears today.
(photo)
There has been an apartment above the store from the
beginning. William Krohn lived there for a time as have all three generations of
Miller’s Jewelry owners in addition to Jim’s brother Joel.
After Jim and Amy bought the store in 2011 they unearthed
the original floors of the 1892 building, removed displays on the walls and
focused on center floor display cases. They continue to sell and service clocks
and watches, including heirloom pieces.
PRODUCTS AND SERVICES
Pocket watches were serviced and sold in the late 1800s as
the railroad came through Annandale. Jim says they still have an extensive
collection of pocket watches stating “we’re the French Lake Auto of pocket
watches.”
Along with jewelry and timepieces Lundman sold pianos and
phonographs. According to the Lundman clock currently store, he identified
himself as “Jeweler and Music Dealer.” When Lee Miller owned the store, they
also carried guitars, violins and pianos.
Mark and Laurel sold many exclusive gift items such as
Armani figurines, Noritake China, Onieda Silverware, Cross pens, and Citizen and
Lorus watches.
Jim and Amy specialize in custom jewelry. They have
developed a line of pendants of local lakes, designed by Amy. (photo)
Miller’s Jewelry does all types of jewelry and timepiece
repair, diamond and stone setting, official appraisals for insurance, engraving,
free jewelry cleaning, free repair estimates, repair and recreation of heirloom
pieces. They buy gold and silver pieces and even make house calls to repair
grandfather clocks. Miller’s Jewelery is a full service jewelry store. They
pride themselves on doing all repairs instore, you know your items will never be
shipped elsewhere for service.
FAMILY
Lee Miller was originally from Paynesville. He saw a
jewelry store as primarily seated work, a good way to support his family after
losing a leg in WWII. He received his training at Elgin Watchmaker’s School in
Elgin, Illinois. Mark was trained at Watch and Clock Maring School at St. Paul
Technical College in 1974 and apprenticed at Elmquist Jewelers in Wilmar before
joining his father in the family business.
Jim joined the store in 2002 after graduating from Hamline University with a
Bachelor’s Degree in Business/Management followed by his Bench Jewelry
and Gemology Certification from Minneapolis Community and Technical College. He
received Clock Repair Certification from St. Paul Technical College, the same
school Mark attended. Bruce Provo,
not a family member but a long time employee, is also a jeweler and has done
clock repair for Miller’s since 1989. Jim’s brother Joel started working
at the store in 2005. He is a bench jeweler, goldsmith, and does 90% of the ring
fittings in addition to other roles.
Mark, Laurel, Jim, and Amy are all Annandale High School
graduates. Amy’s deep Annandale roots go back to the mid-1880s with the arrival
of her great-grandfather Fred Shadduck.
The Miller’s Jewelry owners in all generations have been
active supporters of the community. They have participated in the Chamber of
Commerce, Lions Club, Improvement Club, Beautification Committee, and St.
Ignatius Catholic Church. They have gifted a ruby ring annually to Miss
Annandale since 1967.
Miller’s Jewelry is a keystone of Annandale’s Main Street.
Over many decades loyal customers have come to trust this family run store. Jim
and Amy have two young children. Only time tell if Miller’s Jewelry continues to
the 4th generation!
Miller’s Jewelry is online with Facebook, Instagram, and
their website
http://www.millers-jewelry.com/ See the “Our History” section of their website
for more photos.
Lundman Store with external stairway to the upstairs apartment. The lot to the south of the jewelry store (to the left in photo) was vacant until the Candy Castle was build in 1947.
Rose Lundman and her sister Helen sitting in the vacant lot south of Lundman's Jewelry. In the background is the original two story City Hall located in the current location of the Post Office.
This clock is on the wall in the back of the store. The
words on the glass front of the pendulum are
A.Q. LUNDMAN
JEWELER and MUSIC DEALER
ANNANDALE MINN
Lundman installed a 4,000 pund safe soon after he bought the store in 1915. It is still in the same place in the store today.
Early 1950s Lee Miller store showing enclosed stairway to the upstairs apartment between the original building and the Candy Castle building to the south (to the left in the photo).
The first father-son pair, Lee and Mark Miller in the 1970s.
The 2000 purchase of Village Fixit doubled the size of the
jewelry story display area.
(A) The original 15' wide building.
(B) The enclosed stairway to the apartment above the store.
(C) Village Fixit Building.
A major remodel in 2005 created a unified front across the whole store.
Jim and Amy have developed a custom line of lake pendants in 2 styles called he Original Lake Pendant. The lakes in the photo clockwise from lower left are Lake Sylvia, Lake John, Sugar Lake, and Pleasant Lake.
Jill Bishop
Annandale History Club
2019