Shreve & Co.

Shreve & Co. is a long-established American jewelry retailer headquartered in San Francisco, California. Its business has encompassed fine jewelry, watches, diamonds, precious stones, gold and silver jewelry, and silver objects including flatware and presentation pieces. The company is closely associated with San Francisco's commercial and civic history and is regarded in reference material as the city's oldest commercial establishment. The business grew from an earlier Shreve jewelry enterprise founded by George and Samuel Shreve, who had moved from New York to San Francisco. George Shreve learned goldsmithing from his older half-brother Benjamin, who had established Shreve, Crump & Low in Boston. By the 1880s, the Shreve Jewelry Company had developed a reputation as one of the leading American silversmiths while also selling timepieces, precious metals, diamonds, and other gemstones. Its early premises at Montgomery and Clay were later replaced by a Market Street location. In 1894, George Rodman and Albert J. Lewis incorporated Shreve & Co. The company became particularly prominent after opening an eleven-story building at Post and Grant shortly before the 1906 San Francisco earthquake. The structure survived the earthquake, although the subsequent fire made it unusable. Employees moved silver and jewelry into a fireproof vault, where much of the inventory remained protected. Because the vault could not be opened until it had cooled, the company temporarily operated from Oakland for approximately two years. During this period, it produced some of its earliest flatware lines and illustrated catalogs. Shreve & Co.'s historical importance extends beyond retail. Its silverwork is represented in collections held by the de Young Museum, the California Historical Society, the San Francisco Museum and Historical Society, the Oakland Museum of California, and the San Francisco Public Library. These holdings include flatware, candlesticks, serving vessels, medals, ceremonial tools, presentation pieces, and factory drawings and photographs. The surviving material documents both the company's manufacturing heritage and its role in San Francisco's civic and social life. The company experienced major ownership and financial changes in the late twentieth century. It filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in 1992 while owned by Canada's Birks Group, after which it was sold to The Schiffman Group of North Carolina and Suna Bros. Inc. of New York. In 1996, Shreve & Co. acquired Mobell Jewelry in San Francisco. The retailer later expanded outside California, opening a Portland, Oregon, store in 2011 and offering a selection of prestigious Swiss and German watch brands alongside its jewelry business. In 2015, rising rents around Union Square led Shreve & Co. to lose its lease to Harry Winston. The company relocated to 150 Post Street, remaining in San Francisco but moving farther from its former Union Square position. In April 2022, it lost authorized-dealer status for Patek Philippe. A 2023 customer lawsuit alleged that sales personnel encouraged a customer to spend approximately $220,000 in connection with the prospect of purchasing a Patek Philippe watch while allegedly failing to disclose the impending loss of authorized-dealer status. The allegations were reported as a legal dispute and should not be treated as established findings without further authoritative resolution.

Shreve & Co.'s roots lie in a family jewelry and silversmithing business established in San Francisco by George and Samuel Shreve, immigrants from New York. George Shreve learned the goldsmith's trade from his older half-brother Benjamin, who had founded Shreve, Crump & Low in Boston. The San Francisco enterprise developed from this family expertise and eventually became known as the Shreve Jewelry Company. By the 1880s, the company was recognized for high-quality silverwork and offered a broad range of luxury goods, including watches, gold and silver jewelry, diamonds, and other precious stones. Its original store at Montgomery and Clay was later replaced by a Market Street location. George Rodman and Albert J. Lewis incorporated Shreve & Co. in 1894, establishing the corporate identity under which the business became one of San Francisco's best-known retailers. A decisive chapter came in 1906. Approximately one month before the San Francisco earthquake, Shreve & Co. opened an eleven-story building at Post and Grant. Designed with contemporary engineering methods, the structure survived the earthquake itself. During the ensuing fire, employees carried silver and jewelry into a fireproof vault. Much of the inventory survived, but the vault remained too hot to open for roughly three weeks. Since the building could not be used, the company operated from Oakland for about two years. The Oakland period also saw the creation of early flatware products and illustrated catalogs, extending the business beyond individual jewelry sales into a more developed silver and tableware offering. Shreve & Co. became an important producer and retailer of commemorative and presentation silver. Its surviving work includes ceremonial spades, trophies, medals, punch bowls, tea sets, trays, flatware, candlesticks, serving bowls, and centerpieces. Museum collections and archival holdings preserve evidence of the company's manufacturing operations, including more than 1,600 factory drawings and photographs held by the de Young Museum. Other institutions preserve objects associated with civic ceremonies and prominent American figures, reflecting the retailer's role as a supplier of public and private presentation pieces. The late twentieth century brought financial difficulty and ownership changes. In 1992, while owned by Birks Group of Canada, Shreve & Co. sought Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection. It was subsequently sold to The Schiffman Group, based in North Carolina, and Suna Bros. Inc., based in New York. In March 1996, Shreve & Co. expanded through the acquisition of Mobell Jewelry from Sidney Mobell. After more than a century concentrated in California, Shreve & Co. opened a Portland, Oregon, location in 2011. The store carried prestigious watch brands such as A. Lange & Söhne, Baume & Mercier, IWC, Jaeger-LeCoultre, Officine Panerai, Patek Philippe, Rolex, Wellendorff, and Vacheron Constantin. This expansion reinforced the company's positioning as a luxury watch and jewelry retailer rather than solely a historic silver specialist. In 2015, the company lost its long-standing Union Square lease to Harry Winston as rents in the area increased. It moved to 150 Post Street in San Francisco. In April 2022, it lost its authorized-dealer relationship with Patek Philippe. In June 2023, a customer filed suit alleging that Shreve & Co. personnel pressured him to spend approximately $220,000 in order to be considered for a Patek Philippe purchase and did not disclose the imminent loss of the authorized-dealer relationship. The lawsuit is a reported allegation, not by itself a determination of liability. Shreve & Co. remains identified with San Francisco luxury retail and with the city's historic jewelry and silver heritage.

• 2022

  Loss of Patek Philippe authorization

  [1]Shreve & Co.en.wikipedia.org

  Shreve & Co. lost its Patek Philippe authorized-dealer status in April.

• 2015

  Relocation to 150 Post Street

  [1]Shreve & Co.en.wikipedia.org

  After losing its Union Square lease to Harry Winston amid rising rents, Shreve & Co. relocated farther down Post Street.

• 2011

  Portland expansion

  [1]Shreve & Co.en.wikipedia.org

  The retailer opened its first store outside California in Portland, Oregon, with an emphasis on luxury watches and fine jewelry.

• 1996

  Mobell Jewelry acquisition

  [1]Shreve & Co.en.wikipedia.org

  Shreve & Co. acquired San Francisco retailer Mobell Jewelry from Sidney Mobell.

• 1992

  Chapter 11 bankruptcy and ownership transition

  [1]Shreve & Co.en.wikipedia.org

  Shreve & Co. filed for Chapter 11 protection while owned by Birks Group and was later sold to The Schiffman Group and Suna Bros. Inc.

• 1906

  New Post and Grant building survives the earthquake

  [1]Shreve & Co.en.wikipedia.org

  The company had opened an eleven-story building shortly before the San Francisco earthquake. Its vault protected much of the jewelry and silver during the subsequent fire, although the business temporarily relocated to Oakland.

• 1894

  Shreve & Co. is incorporated

  [1]Shreve & Co.en.wikipedia.org

  George Rodman and Albert J. Lewis incorporated Shreve & Co., formalizing the business that had grown from the Shreve family jewelry and silversmithing enterprise.

A heritage American jeweler and luxury watch retailer combining high-value contemporary merchandise with a distinctive San Francisco silversmithing tradition.

• Jewelry

  Fine jewelry

  Shreve & Co.'s core retail assortment includes fine jewelry made with precious metals, diamonds, and colored gemstones. The company historically combined its own silversmithing tradition with the sale of luxury jewelry and high-value gemstone pieces.

• Watches

  Luxury watches and timepieces

  Timepieces have been part of Shreve & Co.'s assortment since its early history. Its Portland expansion featured multiple prestigious Swiss and German watch brands, including Rolex, Patek Philippe, IWC, Jaeger-LeCoultre, Vacheron Constantin, and A. Lange & Söhne. The company's Patek Philippe authorization ended in 2022.

• Silverware and presentation silver

  Shreve & Co. silver

  The company's historic silver production includes flatware, candlesticks, serving bowls, centerpieces, tea sets, punch bowls, trays, trophies, medals, and ceremonial tools. Museum collections preserve this work, including a complete Iris-pattern silver service and objects commissioned for civic and commemorative use.

• Tableware · 1906

  Sterling-silver flatware

  Shreve & Co. developed flatware products during its temporary Oakland operation after the 1906 earthquake. Its silver tableware heritage remains an important part of the brand's historical identity and museum presence.

• 2023

  Lawsuit alleging undisclosed loss of Patek Philippe authorization

  A customer alleged that Shreve & Co. sales staff pressured him to spend approximately $220,000 to obtain an opportunity to purchase a Patek Philippe watch while concealing the company's impending loss of authorized-dealer status. The matter was reported as a civil lawsuit and the allegations are not independently established by the supplied reference.

  Source

Read more

• 2022

  End of Patek Philippe authorized-dealer statusOther

  Background

  Shreve & Co. had previously marketed Patek Philippe watches as part of its luxury timepiece assortment.

  Action taken

  The company lost authorized-dealer status for Patek Philippe in April 2022.

  Aftermath

  The change was later referenced in a customer's 2023 lawsuit concerning alleged sales practices.

  Source

• 2015

  Relocation from Union SquareStrategy

  Background

  Rents around San Francisco's Union Square increased and the company lost its lease to Harry Winston.

  Action taken

  Shreve & Co. moved to 150 Post Street.

  Aftermath

  The retailer remained in San Francisco while leaving its former Union Square premises.

  Source

• 2011

  Expansion into PortlandStrategy

  Background

  After more than a century of operations in California, the company pursued geographic expansion.

  Action taken

  Shreve & Co. opened its first store outside California in Portland, Oregon, with a broad luxury-watch assortment.

  Aftermath

  The move extended the retailer's physical presence beyond its historic California base.

  Source

• 1996

  Acquisition of Mobell JewelryM&A

  Background

  Shreve & Co. sought to expand its San Francisco jewelry retail presence.

  Action taken

  The company purchased Mobell Jewelry from Sidney Mobell.

  Aftermath

  The acquisition added a local jewelry business to Shreve & Co.'s operations.

  Source

• 1992

  Chapter 11 restructuringOther

  Background

  The company faced financial distress while owned by Birks Group of Canada.

  Action taken

  Shreve & Co. filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection and was subsequently sold to The Schiffman Group and Suna Bros. Inc.

  Aftermath

  The filing was followed by a change in ownership rather than the disappearance of the brand.

  Source

1. 1Shreve & Co.en.wikipedia.org