History of Elling Gold Exchange and Myhre Jewelry

Three generations of continuous operation since 1931

Carl Myhre, the founder of Myhre Jewelry, was an employee of Arhardt Jewelers in Grand Forks, North Dakota. His employer told him he had to cut his wages from $17.00 to $12.00 per week. That was when Carl told him he could "starve on his own, thank you very much," and established Myhre Jewelry in Valley City, North Dakota, in 1931. Carl managed the original store doing watch repairs, bench work and jewelry sales. Carl also served as the local optometrist since it was common then for jewelers to fit glasses. Carl operated his store in Valley City until his death in 1981.

Carl's son, Alvin (Curt) Myhre, worked with his father through high school. Curt entered the service and served his Country in WWII. Curt was an anti-aircraft spotter and fought in the Battle of the Bulge. Upon his return, he used his GI Bill to attend horology school at Bradley University in Peoria, Illinois. He graduated from Bradley in 1951. After marrying his wife, Phyllis, he attended the Gemological Institute of America in Santa Monica, California, in 1954. In 1957 Phyllis accepted a teaching position in Cut Bank, Montana, and the two moved to Montana's High Line to begin their long and successful careers.

A corner of the Cut Bank Gas Company office became the humble beginnings of Myhre Jewelry in Montana. Curt set up a watch bench and did trade work for his father, Carl. Later he purchased Sodaburg Jewelers, giving him a main street storefront location. In 1978 he built his own spacious new store on Main Street next to the Cut Bank Hotel. He operated in that location until he retired in 1996.

Curt's daughter, LouRae, enjoyed working in the store with her dad. LouRae married Mark Weber in 1976 and left her dad's employment. While her husband was attending school at Eastern Montana College, she worked for Montague Jewelers. After the couple moved to Twin Bridges, LouRae attended Western Montana College while working at Stamm's Jewelry in Dillon. She received an art degree from WMC in 1987. She followed her art degree by attending her father's alma mater, the Gemological Institute of America.

In 1989 LouRae's new store had the similar humble beginnings as her father's. She started with a bench in the corner of Chuck's Gallery in Twin Bridges. One year later LouRae and Mark purchased an old barber shop in Sheridan and began Myhre Jewelry #3.

In 1991 a Thorpe Black Hills Gold salesman encouraged Mark and LouRae to open another store in nearby Virginia City. Virginia City is a preserved old-west town and popular tourist destination. It is known for its rich history, which includes original artifacts that tell the story of an 1863 gold discovery, vigilante justice, and life on the gold frontier. Mark operated the Virginia City store, eventually changing its name to Elling Gold Exchange because the new store was located in the old Elling Bank Building.

The Sheridan location closed in 2007. Mark and LouRae both operate Elling Gold Exchange in Virginia City. Today, Elling Gold Exchange remains the last vestige of the Myhre Jewelry family operation that began in Valley City in 1931.