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This is Fred Ball for Zions Bank, speaking on business.
With the redevelopment of the downtown malls and surrounding office buildings, Salt Lake City's Main Street is undergoing a period of significant change. I recently visited a Salt Lake City company that has seen Main Street through 145 years of change, from the founding of ZCMI - one of America's first department stores - to the advent of high-rises and light rail.
Bennion Jewelers, originally called Boyd Park Jewelry Co., has occupied a spot on Main Street since 1862 when it opened at 166 S. Main. The company has since moved twice, but never strayed far from its original location. It resided at 59 S. Main, next to the ZCMI Center, for 32 years before relocating to its current home at 107 S. Main Street last year.
I met with owner Bill Bennion who showed me his newly remodeled store, adorned with original mahogany woodwork and etched glass from the 1860s. The store has a very light and open feel, with large windows, European chandeliers and star-shaped crystal ornamentations. In the front, I noticed an elegant grandfather clock etched with the words Boyd Park Jewelry Co. Bill tells me the clock is nearly 150 years old, and was brought from the East Coast to Utah in a covered wagon.
Bennion Jewelers' mahogany cabinets display jewelry as eye-catching as its décor. The store specializes in pearls, and I saw everything from Tahitian to Chinese fresh water pearls in necklaces, bracelets and earrings. There is also a wide selection of jewelry featuring diamonds, sapphires, rubies, emeralds and other gems. Designs range from the timeless to the unique. I saw a glimmering crystal purse in the shape of a Coca Cola bottle. Bill tells me the store manufactures its own jewelry and buys directly from diamond cutters in Israel. It is one of only six jewelers in the state that belong to the American Gems Society.
Bill's father, Dick Bennion, bought the jewelry company in 1952. Bill joined in 1974 after retiring as a professional tennis player. With a 20-year lease on its current building, Bill tells me that Bennion Jewelers is here to stay as an enduring presence on Salt Lake City's ever-evolving Main Street.
For Zions Bank, I'm Fred Ball. I'm speaking on business.
