Altemueller Jewelry opened in 1902 by Henry Altemueller, Mark and Carl Noelke's great uncle by marriage. The original store was located in a building on Second Street in Downtown Washington, MO, and was mainly a music and gift shop. Around 1915, Henry Noelke, Mark and Carl's grandfather, and his brother, John, bought the business from Altemueller. They relocated the store to a building on Elm Street. It was around this time that Altemueller's became primarily a jewelry store, though miscellaneous items like small appliances and gift pieces were still a large part of the inventory.