Michael Grant wants his jewelry store to be as unique and special as every gem he sells.
He and his staff at Steve Schmier's Jewelry in Tahoe City do this by going above and beyond when it comes to customer service. They all know jewelry is not a need – it’s a definite want. It’s an emotional investment just like art. And it’s a serious purchase, not something people often buy on a whim.
Steve Schmier's Jewelry is as much about jewelry as it is about building dreams, preserving memories and linking the past to the present. It’s about holding on to precious memories with Lake Tahoe jewelry, appreciating heirloom pieces and knowing that resizing a ring is about creating a significant link to whoever first wore it. And it’s about acknowledging that an engagement ring is one of the most consequential purchases a person will ever make.
Steve Schmier’s Jewelry has a loyal following of customers. Grant’s charismatic personality sets the tone for an atmosphere where customers feel immediately at ease. He builds an instant rapport with people, and that often transforms into long-time relationships, friendships really, and the shop can feel like a community gathering place at times. People pop in, Grant invites them to see what he’s working on or to consider new designs, and they often leave with a new jewel to cherish.
Grant and his staff pride themselves on the relationships they build with customers. They are now working with up to four generations of the same families. Customers come from all over to have personal items repaired or repurposed, to have Grant create a custom piece or to seek out distinctive jewels on the store shelves.
“We provide fine jewelry for all types of customers,” says Mary Coolidge, who has been part of the Steve Schmier`s team for some 15 years.
Coolidge has been in the jewelry industry for 40 years, so she knows what she is talking about when she says Steve Schmier's Jewelry “has the most beautifully colored stones and quality.”
That’s another thing about this shop: Not only have families been coming to Steve Schmier’s for years, but also the employees have been there for decades. Susan Draper has been on the team for more than 30 years. Maggie Wilson Robinson recently retired after 35 years.
Grant has owned Steve Schmier's Jewelry since 1988 and is the store’s sole jeweler. His designs, creations, skills and vision go into each custom piece and repair. He thought about changing the name when he bought the store, but instead he built upon the previous owner’s reputation to make it his own. That does not mean he isn’t called Steve every now and again.
Plus, he had already had a business with his name on it for 11 years in Sacramento before closing that shop to buy Steve Schmier's Jewelry in Tahoe City.
Grant’s first foray into the jewelry business was as a teenager. He had to ride his bike to that job 11 miles away because he was only 15. He was responsible for making repairs in a jewelry shop in San Jose. While Grant tried college, the jewelry business reeled him in. He says being a jeweler is like being in any trade, where much of the knowledge is learned in the field and not in a classroom. He has been involved with the Gemological Institute of America for years.
Owning his own business has afforded him the ability to travel the world buying stones and also enjoy the good life in Tahoe.
“I’ve had the greatest career I could have imagined,” he says. “Many of us have a hobby we love, and this is mine. I love what I do. I love the people and I love the product.”
And he hopes to keep doing it for a long time to come.
“I hope to do this into my 80s, health and value depending,” Grant says. “I believe I will be able to sit you right down and set your 3 carat diamond right in front of you while we visit. Find that anywhere!”
It’s the people he interacts with every day, he says, who add the secret something that keeps him coming to work every day. Watching families grow, having new generations introduced to the shop and meeting new customers keep him creatively inspired in North Tahoe.
“I am so appreciative of my Tahoe customers for allowing me to hang in a beautiful place, a small, seasonal resort area, making beautiful long-term things that pass down through the generations,” Grant says. “It has been an honor to do this work in Tahoe.”
(530) 583-5709
760 N. Lake Boulevard, Tahoe City, CA
steveschmiersjewelry.com
About the Author Kathryn Reed
Kathryn Reed is an award-winning journalist who has been visiting or living at Lake Tahoe since she was a child. She loves the outdoors – whether it's hiking, biking, snowshoeing, skiing or playing tennis. She is the author of Sleeping with Strangers: An Airbnb Host's Life in Lake Tahoe and Mexico; The Dirt Around Lake Tahoe: Must-Do Scenic Hikes; Snowshoeing Around Lake Tahoe: Must-Do Scenic Treks; and Lake Tahoe Trails for All Seasons: Must-Do Hiking and Snowshoe Treks.
