Mishell Modern and Jay Nailor, The Shag Store, Palm Springs.
PHOTOGRAPH BY JAIME KOWAL

Since moving to Palm Springs in 1998, Jay Nailor and wife MiShell Modern have established themselves as one of the Coachella Valley’s most dynamic couples. They own The Shag Store, a popular gallery exclusively devoted to the vibrant art of Josh Agle, better known as Shag, and have recently expanded to accommodate the demand for the art photo books they sell there.

Although they have homes in Las Vegas and San Francisco, the couple spends most of their time in Palm Springs, which they consider home, and view the desert as a perfect fit for their own aesthetic. They’re founding members of the Palm Springs Modern Committee. Jay served on the Palm Springs Preservation Foundation board of directors, where the couple was introduced to Shag, and was also a founding member of Modernism Week.

Due to the incredible sales record with books at the gallery (Nailor estimates moving nearly 10,000 copies since Shag opened 11 years ago), the two teamed with author David Wills to launch Nailor Wills Publishing. The company debuted with Nat King Cole: Stardust, a limited-edition, richly illustrated biography of the beloved singer and civil rights activist, packaged in a luxury case with a crushed cashmere lining. Upcoming publications include a collection of Julius Shulman’s color photographs, a tome about Nancy Sinatra, and a children’s book with illustrations by Shag.

“We attempt to serve all groups that enjoy artwork and the Palm Springs lifestyle as we envision it with cocktail and pool parties, excess and overindulging,” Jay says.

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