Saxon's Celebrates 40th Anniversary

Saxon’s Celebrates 40th Anniversary

Saxon’s Fine Jewelers launched in Bend in 1983; moved to the heart of the Old Mill District in 2006.

When Ron and Annette Henderson opened their jewelry shop with partners Bruce and Dana Plummer in 1983, Bend looked far different than it does today. The city’s population was barely more than 17,000 and, as Ron Henderson puts it, “The Old Mill District was still belching smoke, and you could hear the whistle telling you what time it was.”

Times have changed. Bend’s population now tops 100,000, and the city’s last lumber mill shuttered more than two decades ago, but through it all, Saxon’s Fine Jewelers has remained a pillar of the community. The jewelry store moved to the Old Mill District in 2006 and to celebrate the store’s 40th anniversary, owner Ron Henderson says that Saxon’s will host multiple events and in-store parties throughout 2023.

Starting as a Jewelry Repair Shop

The Saxon’s story started in 1979, when the husband-and-wife team of Ron and Annette Henderson moved from Seattle to Bend to start a shop that manufactured and sold jewelry. Four years later, in 1983, the duo partnered with Bruce and Dana Plummer to expand the shop’s retail operations—and Saxon’s Fine Jewelers was formed.

Over the years, Saxon’s has expanded its retail operations, featured designers from around the world, celebrated the works of local artists, and even moved into one of Bend’s most iconic neighborhoods.

Beginning a New Chapter

In 2005, Saxon’s was looking for a permanent home when Henderson heard about a historic building available in the Old Mill District. He was smitten with the former fuel house building’s rich history and regal brick façade and saw an opportunity to connect with the neighborhood’s earliest days as a lumber mill.

“It felt special and important to us,” Henderson says about bringing back to life a space that was built in 1923.

The Saxon’s outpost opened in 2006 and has remained a cornerstone of the neighborhood ever since—marked by vintage fixtures, wooden floors, and even a massive saw blade in the entryway.