History

The Gem Shop began in 1971 as a cottage industry in the basement of our owner, Eugene Mueller. Gene developed an interest in rocks as a young boy while visiting his grandfather in Minnesota. This interest grew into lapidary skill over the years. While teaching art at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, he saw the need of the art metal students for polished stones. He began cutting agates and jaspers to fill this need.

As demand increased, The Gem Shop was officially born. Soon the growing inventory of rough rock threatened to sink his house deep into the ground. With the encouragement of his wife, Gene moved his business to its own home in the Brewery Works building on the east side of Cedar Creek in Cedarburg.

In 1980 the business was incorporated and moved to its present location on Washington Avenue in the Cedarburg Historic District. The Gem Shop, Inc. has continued to grow and now has the largest inventory of rough rock in the Midwest -- over 100,000 lbs!