Fremeau Jewelers

Started by Louis Fremeau I in the mid-19th century, Fremeau Jewelers has been a fixture on Church Street for over 170 years. When Louis Fremeau III could no longer do his job, he and his wife sold it to Warren and Evelyn Wood. The new owners decided not to change the store's name because Fremeau's already had a strong and lasting reputation.

Kent Wood, son of Warren and Evelyn, sits at the helm of the downtown store today. Kent has been working in his family's business since grade school. He attended the University of Vermont, where he graduated with a business degree in 1978. In 1989, Kent became more serious about his family's business and applied to The Gemological Institute of America (GIA) in Santa Monica, California, for a graduate degree in gemology. Years later, Wood seems to have no regrets. "I'm not digging in the dirt. I spend every day working with the most beautiful things in the world," he notes. "There's something magical about gems." Wood also takes pleasure in the joyous occasions he can be a part of. "We deal with people in their happiest times," he says. "When people are excited, you can't help but sort of thrive off that. It's neat to see couples who've been married 25, 30, or 50 years, come in here and act like kids buying an anniversary present. It's just an enjoyable way to spend your time."

		From	To	From	To	From	To
Monday	Closed
Tuesday	Open	10	5:30
Wednesday	Open	10	5:30
Thursday	Open	10	8
Friday	Open	10	5:30
Saturday	Open	11	6
Sunday	Closed