Blind Pilot Jewelers is one of the oldest retailers in the San Lorenzo Valley. Its history stretches back to the early 1970s, when Sheila De Lany and her husband, Jerry, opened a small jewelry store in the downstairs of a Felton cafe.
The name came from a popular French science-fiction story.
“Becoming a jeweler just happened,” said Sheila. “It developed out of my love for art. I’ve always been captivated by beautiful, artistic things, and made jewelry for my family. My first piece was a Chiquita banana sticker that I stuck on an egg carton and turned into a tie tack for my brother. I also made earrings and Christmas ornaments. Little things like that. It just grew from there.”
Born in San Diego during World War II, De Lany was the daughter of a field artillery officer. Her dad was stationed in the South Pacific and didn’t see his daughter until her christening ceremony 15 months after her birth.
As an army wife, her mother wasn’t allowed to work. They had very little money, and moved every two years. Eventually, they ended up living at the Presidio of San Francisco.
“I was an art major in college,” De Lany said. “However, the focus for women in those days was to become a teacher, not an artist. Even though there were a lot of teachers in my family, I had no interest in teaching. So like a lot of people in the ’60s, I chose a different career path, one in which I could use my artistic talent.”
De Lany met her husband Jerry while attending San Mateo Junior College. They were married in 1962, and their son, Jerard, was born the following year.
During this time, Jerry got his teaching credential and taught in San Jose. Sheila took classes and made jewelry, along with caring for their son. The family moved to San Jose in 1968 and found an affordable space on San Fernando Street to open up a small jewelry store.
“Becoming a jeweler happened because customers had a vision of what they wanted and asked me to design it, “said De Lany. “Then Jerry would build the piece. In time we set stones and got into silver and gold.”
In 1972, their dreams seemed to be calling them over the hill to the San Lorenzo Valley.
Jerry found a space below a café in Felton. However, they needed more space, and moved to their present store in Boulder Creek the following year.
I had no idea what to expect as I entered the Blind Pilot Jewelers for our interview. It reminded me of a ’60s hippie store. Funky old recycled barn wood lined the walls and gave the shop a mountain flair. Most of the jewelry was displayed in cases made from old fruit boxes and apricot drying crates. There was a workspace and bookshelf. The scent of incense permeated the room.
I was immediately drawn to the beautiful handmade jewelry which spans eras and styles. Exquisite Lavalier pendants dating back to the Victorian age hung inside one of the cases.
There was a good selection of both classic and contemporary jewelry along with some consignment pieces.
“We try to connect with all our customers and represent their style in the pieces we design,” De Lany said. “Most of them are locals who we’ve worked with for years. Women tend to buy earrings and rings, and men are usually looking for a special ring. Finding the right color is important. We also do repair work and take in some consignment jewelry.”
After working in the jewelry business all these years, the De Lanys are ready to retire at the end of the year.
They hope to find someone who will come into this space and make something wonderful of their own. “I’ve always wanted to go to Italy. It’s the soul of a lot of western art,” said De Lany. “There’s so much more art to see in Europe. I believe that you should do what you want to do, and have fun doing it. To be able to express oneself in a media is a gift that I enjoy sharing with others. We all need a passion.”
Blind Pilot Jewelers is located at 13120 Highway 9 right next to Joe’s Bar in downtown Boulder Creek.
– Sandi Olson of Scotts Valley is a writer, speaker and teacher. She writes about interesting people in Scotts Valley and the San Lorenzo Valley. Email her at [email protected].
