Brevard Jewelry Stores also Sold Eye Glasses

Frank Clement and Thelma Ashworth inside Clement Jewelry.

Brevard has been the home of a number of jewelry shops since the early 1900s.  The earliest mention of a jewelry shop in the Sylvan Valley News was for Hawkin's Jewelry Store in 1903.  The 1900 Federal Census lists David Hawkins, 30 years old, as a watch repairer in Brevard.  By 1910 Hawkins was operating a jewelry store in McKinney, TX.  He would return to the southeast and spend the rest of his career in Toccoa, GA.

The 1900 census also listed 20-year-old C.B. "Charley" McFee as a watch repairer in Brevard.  McFee ran a jewelry store for many years.  His obituary states that he was "a jeweler and leading merchant of Brevard from 1898 until the early 1940s when he retired."

MeFee's Jewlers, 1953.

According the Sylvan Valley News and census information P.R. "Pennie" Ayres also operated a jewelry and watch repair shop in Brevard in 1910.  Ayres sold his business to Frank D. Clement of Elizabeth City, NC in 1913.

Clement soon built a new 2-story brick shop that included a movie theater on the corner of Main and Caldwell.  In addition to the jewelry business, Clement also had a photo shop.  His sons, Verne and Ted, ran the Clemson Theater.  Frank Clement retired from the jewelry business in 1936.  He and Verne built and operated the Co-Ed Theater beside Clemson Theater.  They sold both theaters in 1942.

Brevard Jewelers, 1956.

During the mid-1900s there were three jewelry stores in Brevard--Baker's Jewelers, Brevard Jewelers, and Parson's Jewelry.  Austin Baker owned and operated his store on Jordan St. for 30 years.  Alma Cox operated Brevard Jewelers & Gift Shop in the Aethelwold building from 1953 until 1991.

Parson’s Jewelry was located in the Aethelwold prior to Brevard Jewelers.  They moved to W. Main St. for a few years before Jack Parson's built a new store on E. Main St. beside the courthouse and library in the late 1950s.  Arthur and Pamela Love purchased Parson's Jewelry in August 1972.  

In addition to selling and repairing jewelry and watches early jewelers were sometimes a town's optometrist and sold eye glasses.  Jewelry stores often carry fine china, crystal, cut glass, sterling, pewter, copper, and bridal and baby gifts as well.

Photographs and information for this column are provided by the Rowell Bosse North Carolina Room, Transylvania County Library.  Visit the NC Room during regular library hours (Monday-Friday) to learn more about our history and see additional photographs.  For more information, comments or suggestions contact Marcy at marcy.thompson@transylvaniacounty.org or 828-884-1820.