With school graduations upon us \u2014 and the wedding season on its heels \u2014 these are excellent destinations to shop, whether for someone who enjoys receiving jewelry, or wants to make it themself.<\/p>\n
A family tradition: Bill\u2019s Trading Post<\/p>\n
Bill\u2019s Trading Post<\/a> (2943 College Ave., near Ashby) has been a landmark in the community for 92 years, and is one of the Elmwood district\u2019s oldest stores.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cWe have a long history here,\u201d says owner Julie Ewer, whose great-grandfather Bill Gulley first opened a shoe repair shop next door in 1934.\u00a0<\/p>\n After Bill died, the next generation, Peggy and Paul Casey took over, but with a twist inspired by the fashions of the day.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cThey decided they wanted to make leather clothes, because it was the \u201960s,\u201d said their daughter Maureen Ewer. \u201cThen they got introduced to Northern California native bead work, which went along with the leather look and the hippie times.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n Ever since, the family has endeavored to showcase the beauty, heritage and culture of Native American art and jewelry.\u00a0 They\u00a0 have worked with local and far-flung Native American nations who sell their work at their store. Maureen has bought jewelry from the children of people who traded with her grandparents.<\/p>\n A plaque outside commemorates the store and family history, which continues to this day.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019ve worked here my whole life,\u201d Julie says. She took over in 2021, during the COVID shutdown, but her mother, Maureen, continues to help out in the store.\u00a0<\/p>\n Julie Ewer has updated the interior, painting the walls white, replacing the flooring, and removing a wall that revealed a stained-glass window. All the better to showcase the handcrafted, unique pieces that fill the store from floor to ceiling.\u00a0<\/p>\n The pieces range from local to far-flung sources. From California tribes there are baskets from the Pomo, Yurok and Miwok. There\u2019s also Pueblo pottery from the American Southwest and wood-carved sculptures in the Zapotec style, from Mexico.<\/p>\n Much of the jewelry is Navajo (Din\u00e9), such as striking silver necklaces with turquoise and squash blossoms, along with Hopi silver collars, Zuni rings, and beadwork from the Lakota. The squash bloom and turquoise necklace and earring set goes for $1,500, but gifts with smaller price tags are plentiful \u2014 a turquoise bead necklace is $238 and children\u2019s bead bracelets go for as little as $8.<\/p>\n Julie Ewer is a jewelry maker herself \u2014 the only one in the family business \u2014 and takes on custom work. She also augments store sales with repair work of Native American pieces and jewelry appraisals.<\/p>\n While many pieces are available on the store\u2019s online shop<\/a>, \u201cyou can physically come in\u201d and try on the jewelry and see everything up close, a great way to show some love to this long-time local business.\u00a0<\/p>\n A gem of a place: Silvera Jewelry School<\/p>\n The Silvera Jewelry School<\/a> (1105 Virginia St., at San Pablo Avenue) has a welcoming vibe, from the ube donuts on the table, to the light-filled space packed with nine jewelers benches and jewelry tools of the trade, cubbies for students and a small kitchen. This oasis was created by married owners Joe and Anat Silvera and their newest partner, Jenn Parnell Kirkpatrick.<\/p>\n \u201cWe want this to be an escape from everything else going on in the world,\u201d says Joe. \u201cPeople come here and get a fun space.\u201d<\/p>\n The trio have taught thousands of students hundreds of classes<\/a>, both online and at their school, which is celebrating 15 years in business.<\/p>\n Joe and Anat first met at an open studio in 1999. \u201cWe were both selling jewelry,\u201d says Joe. \u201cWe fell for each other right away. We were inseparable within two weeks.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n After marrying, they traveled to France, and pivoted to teaching rather than selling jewelry. They eventually began holding workshops in the Bay Area, honing their teaching skills. Anat had earned a masters degree from UC Berkeley and previously taught classes at Baubles and Beads in the North Shattuck<\/a> business district. She found Berkeley \u201creally charming.\u201d<\/p>\n In 2010, the duo opened Silvera Jewelry School in Berkeley, and the next year moved into its present location.\u00a0<\/p>\n The newest partner, Kirkpatrick, often traveled to the Bay Area and found the school via Google. A university instructor, she had many years of teaching experience and most important, a \u201csimilar philosophy of teaching,\u201d says Anat. Kirkpatrick became a partner in the school in 2021.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cBest decision we ever made,\u201d says Joe.\u00a0<\/p>\n The three of them offer every class imaginable for every skill level. From beginning fabrication, to lost wax casting (\u201cJoe\u2019s a master\u201d), to enameling, wirework and beadwork, Silvera has classes seven days a week lasting from a few hours to multi-week courses, with online, hybrid and in-person instruction options.<\/p>\n \u201cWe always magnify our classes on a big screen. [During the pandemic], we just ran that through Zoom,\u201d Joe explains. The tiny, intricate objects appear enlarged to better walk through a demonstration.\u00a0<\/p>\n The school supports students at every level, from the Jewelry 1 Basics<\/a> workshop for beginners<\/a> to those seeking a career in the field, to professional jewelers.<\/p>\n Says Kirkpatrick, \u201cOne of our strengths is that we don\u2019t have a track or niche that we push people down. We really want to work with people individually to help them get to where they want to be.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n One of their students, Pilates instructor Ash Salisbury, who spends time in Portland, Maine, and Berkeley, discovered the school in January.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cIn four months,\u201d Salisbury says, \u201cI went from having almost no skills to being able to design, plan workflow, and execute pieces\u2026 For my niece\u2019s graduation, I melted my grandmother\u2019s old silver bracelets and made an ornate cuff.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n In addition to teaching skills for making jewelry, Silvera\u2019s experiential offerings, like the Friday night (June 12) Sip and Smith class<\/a>, make a great date or way to spend an evening with friends. They also sell basic jewelry tools and stones.<\/p>\n The business has been so successful that the school has just added a location near the UC Berkeley campus (2440 Durant Ave., inside the City-owned Telegraph-Channing Mall & Garage<\/a>), where they will collaborate with We Wield the Hammer<\/a>, a nonprofit metalsmith training program run by <\/a>Karen Smith<\/a>.<\/p>\n Joe says, \u201cWe want everybody to be welcome at our classes. The world makes jewelry; it\u2019s not just one group of people.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n WHAT NEXT<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/Jewelry-Maureen-L-and-Julie-R-Ewer-2560x1920.jpg\")
Maureen Ewer, left, and her daughter Julie Ewer at their shop, Bill\u2019s Trading Post on College Avenue in Berkeley. Credit: Claudine Zap<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/online-BillsTradingPost_JewelryStore-17-2560x1708.png\")
Julie Ewer, owner of Bill\u2019s Trading Post, in Berkeley works on a ring in the repair shop of her store. Credit: Richard H. Grant<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/online-SilveraJewelrySchool_JewelryStore-18.png\")
Joe and Anat Silvera and Jenn Parnell Kirkpatrick, owners of Silvera Jewelry School, each hold a piece of jewelery they made. Credit: Richard H. Grant<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/online-SilveraJewelrySchool_JewelryStore-9.png\")
From left, Joe and Anat Silvera and Jenn Parnell Kirkpatrick, owners of Silvera Jewelry School in Berkeley. Credit: Richard H. Grant<\/p>\n