Leo J. Simard, Jeweler

 When recalling the mid-20th-century jewelry stores located on High Street or nearby, many come to mind. Among others are Frederick's, Adelson, Gerber, City, Stein, Davignon, and Bishops. There likely were more, including the subject of this installment, Leo J Simard, Jewelers.

Leo J. Simard was born in St. Catherine, Quebec, Canada. His family moved to Holyoke around 1907 and settled in the South Holyoke Area. He attended Lawrence Jr. High School and Holyoke High School. At a young age, he became fascinated with jewelry, when he delivered the Holyoke Transcript to a couple of jewelry stores on his route. 

After graduating from high school, he spent several years in Boston learning the jewelry trade. He returned to work for Kittredge Jewelers in Springfield, and in 1924, he opened his first jewelry store in Holyoke.

The store was Leo J. Simard Jewelers, located at 311 Main Street. On May 19, 1934, he relocated to 54 Suffolk Street, a single-story building adjacent to the Hadley Falls Trust Company. The business served its customers at this location for 33 years.

At this location, the store was stocked with various jewelry and sterling silver products and gift items such as compacts, cigarette boxes, ashtrays, and picture frames.

A son, Leo William Simard, joined the family business about 1950. He was a Holyoke High School and Wilbraham-Monson Academy graduate who then served in World War II. following his military service, he attended the Gemological Institute of America and was a registered jeweler of the American Gem Society.

Leo J. Simard was very active in civic, social, and fundraising organizations. He was a long-time ardent member of the Holyoke Chamber of Commerce.

In 1955, the Simards purchased the Tilley Building at 55 Suffolk Street, at the northeast corner of Maple Street. The vacant building had been the long-time home of Adaskin-Tilley Furniture. There was some discussion of demolishing this building together and one to the north to build a parking deck to include Steiger's parking lot.

In 1961, Dorothy Dodd's, a retail clothier, leased the Tilley Building after a fire damaged its previous location on High Street.

In 1963, Leo W. Simard succeeded his father as the President and General Manager of Leo J. Simard, Inc., which employed 12 at the time.

In 1966, the Simards bought the building at the northwest corner of Suffolk and High Streets. This would be their largest store, encompassing two floors, the lower set aside for retail trade and the upper for a bridal gift department. A year later, another of Leo J. Simard's sons, Paul E. Simard. joined the family business. The new store opened on September 7, 1967.

Leo J. Simard died on December 20, 1972. He left behind a legacy of service to the city of Holyoke and the business and civic community. 

In November 1983, it was announced that the jewelry store would close. The volatility in gold and silver prices. The store closed in January 1984. Later that year, the building was sold to an accounting firm with roots in the Holyoke community.  

Citations:

Newspapers.com (paid subscription): Citations: Holyoke (Massachusetts) Transcript & Transcript-Telegram; publication dates are shown.

Holyoke Public Library, Holyoke, Massachusetts, City Directories. 

Photo Credit: Facebook, Growing Up In Holyoke, Massachusetts 
                                    High & Suffolk Streets (1967-1984 Store Location)

  

Photo Credit: Growing Up in Holyoke. The 1934-1967 Leo J. Simard Jewelers location was 54 Suffolk Street. The jeweler shared the one-story building with Beckman's Restaurant to the far left. The former Hadley Falls Trust Company building is to the right.  The partial Adaskin-Tilley Furniture Store sign is reflected in the window of the jewelry store.