Businesses opening in Fallon

The Fallon Chamber of Commerce is hosting ribbon cutting ceremonies Saturday for two new local businesses already on the rise.

Although the businesses contrast from each other — a jewelry store and a coffee bar — both possess state treasures for locals to enjoy.

At 8 Pieces of 8, owner Peggy Snider McGuire not only displays fashionable, one-of-a-kind jewelry; there's also a selection of fine gems, rocks, and historical coins.

One of the items customers could ask McGuire about is the silver 8-reales coin received from the 1784 ship wreck of the El Cazador, en route to New Orleans, which carried a cargo of more than 400,000 of coins from the Mexico City Mint.

McGuire, a numismatics guru, was inspired to turn her online shop into venue on behalf of her fascination with traveling wealth.

She's currently working on her gemologist certification in order to check quality and authenticity of coins and gems.

"When you buy something like this, you're making an investment of preserving recorded history and value," she said. "Currency comes and goes."

During the late 19th Century, coins were struck in fine silver and divided into 2, 4, or 8 pieces as smaller units of currency—otherwise known as Pieces of 8.

"Fallon is my eighth piece," she said. "This is my brick and mortar home."

Ironically, the motto also goes for Butch Hamilton, owner of Fallon's latest cafe, Stone Cabin.

He spent almost two years transforming a deteriorated, 840 square-foot home into a slice of Tahoe.

"This community needs a place to congregate," he said. "It will never be finished as we're always adding on to it but we're finally here, and we're going to keep moving forward."

Hamilton repurposed many of the house's features into the cabin, as well as turning native Nevadan artifacts into decor.

As customers enjoy a cup of coffee, a glass of wine or beer, they also can observe a mining funnel, turned-into chandelier — an item found in Mound House — or the story of the Dalton Robbers hidden on a wall out back, covered in vintage Nevada license plates.

"Some of these items are from what I've collected over the years," Hamilton said. "But some of them also are donations from the community for me to repurpose them."

Just in time for the holiday season, the Stone Cabin offers a cozy place for social gatherings, he view of a Christmas tree bursting through the roof, and a fireplace at the bench outside.

One of the reasons why Hamilton chose the location along Williams Avenue is because of the high traffic that goes through.

"We have had a tremendous response," he said. "People are thankful they have a place like this."

Both public grand openings take place Saturday, Dec. 16.

8 Pieces of 8 ceremony begins at 12 p.m. 318 South Taylor Street; and Stone Cabin's at 2 p.m., 480 East Williams Avenue.