Dodson's is Closing

Author
William E. Elston

Published
Nov 23, 2018

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The Jewelry Store / Gallery that I've been showing at in my hometown of Spokane is closing its doors for good in March of 2019. Dodson's Fine Jewelers, a fourth generation family business, has been a fixture in the Spokane downtown scene since 1887. Current owners Penn Fix and Debra Schultz plan to retire.

Spokane has long had difficulty in supporting a commercial gallery space, which is one of the reasons that Dodson's foray into the business of selling fine art was such a good fit. Fine jewelry and fine paintings were a natural, complimentary mix.

I've had two shows at Dodson's, the first in 2015. Both were successful and well received. It gave me an opportunity to revisit some old sites that were deeply imbued with memories of my childhood, of my family and life-long friends. The first exhibition was titled "My Old Haunts" echoing the title of one of the large paintings in the show. The second exhibition, "Here, There and Everywhere," extended the idea to random memories that had become embedded in my personal history; "Down Grand," "Duncan Gardens," "Manito Pond."

Dodson's will be having a closing sale for the final months, with jewelry inventory discounted as much as 70%, and paintings reduced 10%. Once they are closed, it will be interesting to see if another entity steps up to the plate. The scale of the Spokane economy is changing as it's population grows, and it may be possible for a commercial gallery to succeed now.

Dodson's Fine Jewelers is located at 516 W Riverside Ave in Spokane. Their hours are Monday through Friday 10am - 6pm, and Saturday 10am - 5pm. The exhibition and sale will continue until March.