The story of Touch of Silver, Gold & Old starts with a table, a polishing wheel, and a dream. Albert Drake and Carol Balcerak met in Central Florida in 1972. Working in construction at the time, Albert saw the spoon ring fad take off and decided he could make better pieces than those being sold. The two packed up and relocated to tiny Nashville, Indiana, a well-known artist colony, in 1972 with th
e vision of providing high quality products with friendly service. On weekends, they would set up their table and polishing wheel on the square and sell Albert’s sterling silver spoon and fork jewelry and Carol’s beaded jewelry. During the week they worked hard making products to sell wholesale all over the Midwest area and even as far as Germany. The hard work paid off and they were eventually able to open a small shop on the edge of town named Touch of Silver in 1974. Albert began branching into more advanced jewelry-making techniques, including forging and casting, and was self-taught in most areas. He read books and would occasionally take classes on soldering or gemstones. In 1982, they moved the shop into the downtown area of Nashville, Indiana into a historic, refurbished bank. Now named Touch of Silver, Gold & Old, because they began carrying gold and estate jewelry, the couple expanded and matured their business all while building deep roots in the community. The Drake family grew with two sons, Robert and Joe, who have seen successes of their own. Over the years both Al and Carol won many awards in their respective fields, Albert for his silver and goldsmithing, and Carol for her photography and window displays. Even Stetson, the Drakes’ short-haired collie, won Instore’s Top Dog in 2012! In 1985, Touch of Silver, Gold & Old began their renowned annual sale and fundraiser, which brings people all over the country every February and March. Each year money and donations are collected during the sale for a different organization in the community. In 2006, after 24 years in the bank, Touch of Silver, Gold & Old outgrew their location and moved across the street to a space three times larger. Going on their 42nd year in business, Al and Carol still keep growing the business and providing customers with quality products in a friendly, caring atmosphere. For the Drakes, Touch of Silver, Gold & Old has become a way of life.
