Fremeaus Jewelers Burlington Vermont

One reason Fremeau's salespeople are able to create a relaxed environment is they do not work on commission. Instead, the store has a monthly sales goal. If the goal is reached, all of the employees receive a percentage based on the number of hours they worked during that period. This method supports teamwork, Wood says. "A lot of times customers come in to look at jewelry several times before they buy something," he says. "No body working here ever says, 'That's not my customer.' "

Furthermore, Wood says none of Fremeau's customers ever say, 'If only I'd waited to buy it on sale.' Warren Wood didn't believe in sales, and his son agrees. "Dad felt it was fairer," Wood explains. "It doesn't matter when you walk in here, the piece you were looking at is always the same price." Wood adds he is fortunate in the jewelry business because the product mix remains relatively unchanged year after year.

"Diamonds and precious gems are millions of years old," he says. "They're not like cars or clothing, which go in and out of style. There isn't a 1999 diamond or a 2001 sapphire. This isn't the clothing business where you have to figure out what next season's styles are and if you miss, you mark down. These gems are timeless."

Unconcerned about keeping up with fashion trends, Wood says he is unfazed by competition from other Church Street jewelry stores. "Actually, I think it's beneficial to have competition," he says. "When people are spending a lot of money on an item, they want to comparison-shop. They don't want just one option. If we were the only jewelry store on the street, I don't think we'd do as well." Wood says he loses more customers to travel agents than to other stores. "For the most part, we're dealing with discretionary income," he continues, "so it's more a question of, 'Am I going to take a trip or buy a piece of jewelry?'"

For those opting for the latter, Fremeau provides "diamond rooms" so customers have privacy when looking at and discussing jewelry with salespeople. "People don't always want everybody to know they're getting engaged or how much they're paying," Wood says. What they do want is to know they're talking to a knowledgeable salesperson; thus, Wood's employees are not allowed to sell the store's most precious gems diamonds until they have taken the GIA course, which is offered by correspondence. Archambault and Woodrup are working to become certified gemologists.

With 161 years of business behind his store, Wood doesn't see the need to make any major changes to Fremeau Jewelers "I see it continually as a single store as opposed to branching out," he says with certainty. What is less certain is whether either of his two daughters (who are 10 and 12 years old) will take over the business one day. Along with his wife, Patricia, who is president of Chittenden Securities Inc., Wood's children occasionally help at the store. "Who knows whether they'll really become interested in it?" he asks.

For now, that doesn't matter. Wood is content with his livelihood. "I can't think of anything I'd rather be doing," he says. That's fortunate for customers like Normand, who can't think of anywhere he'd rather be shopping. "In my mind, there are no jewelers other than Fremeau's."

Reprinted from www.vermontguides.com