Somerton Brothers (Business)

In late March 1914, Mr. Somerton, a jeweller and watchmaker from Penticton, came to Princeton to find a suitable location for a new store in Princeton. He chose a location in the Irwin Block and, in April 1914, A.E. Irwin was renovating the “middle apartment” for the Somerton Brothers business. 

The manager for the Princeton Store was Anson Potter, originally from Calgary. The store opened the week of April 4, 1914 in the Irwin Block.

The first of regular advertisements for the Princeton store appeared in the Similkameen Star on April 24, 1914 (page 3).

The company agreed to close their store at 1:00 pm every Wednesday, starting September 30, 1914 along with seven other Princeton merchants. 

The last advertisement for Somerton Brothers in Princeton was in January 1915. On July 16, 1915, the Similkameen Star reported that “the jewelry stock of Somerton Bros. of Penticton was sold at Sheriff’s sale on July 10th, 1915.” The company was to continue with the watch repairing business but there are no further advertisements in the Similkameen Star.