Menagerie Jewelry opens in downtown Winchendon

Lisa Gauthier (center) wields giant scissors to cut the ribbon officially opening her new store, The Menagerie Jewelry & Gift Shop, 74 Front St., Winchendon.

Lisa Gauthier (center) wields giant scissors to cut the ribbon officially opening her new store, The Menagerie Jewelry & Gift Shop, 74 Front St., Winchendon. PHOTO BY GREG VINE

Lisa Gauthier behind the counter of her new store, The Menagerie Jewelry & Gift Shop in Winchendon.

Lisa Gauthier behind the counter of her new store, The Menagerie Jewelry & Gift Shop in Winchendon. PHOTO BY GREG VINE—

Friends, family and local officials perusing the items now available at The Menagerie Jewelry & Gift Shop, 74 Front Street, Winchendon.

Friends, family and local officials perusing the items now available at The Menagerie Jewelry & Gift Shop, 74 Front Street, Winchendon. PHOTO BY GREG VINE

A small sample of the items available at The Menagerie Jewelry & Gift Shop in Winchendon.

A small sample of the items available at The Menagerie Jewelry & Gift Shop in Winchendon. PHOTO BY GREG VINE—

By GREG VINE

For the Athol Daily News

Published: 01-15-2025 5:00 PM

Modified: 01-17-2025 3:44 PM


WINCHENDON – At mid-day on Wednesday, a ribbon was cut, marking the official opening of The Menagerie Jewelry & Gift Shop.

The new store, located at 74 Front St. in Winchendon and owned and operated by Lisa Gauthier, features the Paparazzi line of jewelry and offers other unique gift items.

Gauthier said had bought the Front Street building in 2018 with the intention of opening a restaurant, but COVID put a stop to that plan. She had been catering out of the Winchendon American Legion at the time, “and they locked up the Legion, so I couldn’t cater our of there and I lost my income.”

Gauthier said she had looked at another location on Front Street as a possible home for her restaurant but was advised by an architect that the structure was in very poor condition.

“And that’s how I found this building,” she said of the site at 74 Front St.

During the pandemic, Gauthier began selling Paparazzi jewelry from home.

“I own the building and there was nothing here, so I thought maybe I’d have better luck with a store,” she said. “I’ve been working on this space for about two years.”

Gauthier is originally from Waltham. Moving to Winchendon, she said, was a bit of a “culture shock. But I’ve been here now for 30 years. This is where my husband is from.”

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In fact, her husband Kevin also operates a business in Winchendon, Custom Gun Service on Elm Street.

Before the ribbon was cut, a dozen or more people were crowded into the compact storefront, checking out the displays which were replete with plenty of inventory. Visitors included family, friends, town officials and representatives of the Greater Gardner Chamber of Commerce. Shortly after noon – despite the breezy, chilly January weather – everyone left the warmth of the store to watch Gauthier cut the ribbon officially announcing the opening of Winchendon’s newest business.

Greg Vine can be reached at gvineadn@gmail.com.