Greenwich's Freccia Brothers Garage Celebrates 100 Years In Business

GREENWICH, CT — From working on horse-drawn carriages in 1922 to restoring vintage Volkswagen Beetles today, Freccia Brothers Garage has become a Greenwich institution over the years.

On Thursday, the Freccia family celebrated their 100th year in business with a special proclamation from First Selectman Fred Camillo.

Freccia Brothers Garage was started in 1922 by Frank "Skip" Freccia Sr., and his brother Gene. A sign of the times, the business originally centered around repairing and painting horse-drawn carriages.

But like they've done for 100 years, the Freccias evolved.

As time progressed, the business focused on repairing cars, especially in the 1940's. In the 1960's, the garage started working on air-cooled cars and Volkswagens, which were catching on in popularity.

Since then, the garage has established a reputation as a leader in air-cooled and vintage Volkswagen repairs, restorations and sales.

The garage stopped bringing in newer cars about four years ago. But they'll still take in all kinds of vintage cars, from Corvairs and air-cooled Porsches to old Ford Hot Rods.

Camillo presented a proclamation to Frank Freccia III and his daughter Guinevere Freccia on Thursday morning at the garage at 246 W. Putnam Ave.

Camillo called it an "unbelievable milestone" and said there aren't many businesses in town that have lasted a full century.

"Freccia Brothers Garage's centennial is a chance to celebrate this local small business and the contributions it has made to our local economy and community," Camillo said in the proclamation, highlighting the family's "commitment to Christmas cheer."

Every year, the Freccias decorate their building with hanging greens, bows and lights during the season, and collect hundreds of toys for children in need.

Camillo declared Jan. 5, 2023, as Freccia Brothers Garage Day in the town of Greenwich, and urged all residents to recognize the anniversary and celebrate the Freccias' contributions to the town.

Guinevere called the centennial mark "very special." She's the fifth generation in the family to be involved in the business. She handles marketing and participates in car shows in the region.

"I think this shows teamwork, I think it shows love, compassion, integrity, and most of all creativity and ingenuity," she said.

When her grandfather, Frank Freccia Jr., died in 2018, one of the last things he said to her was "keep the shop alive."

Then, the COVID-19 pandemic hit, and it looked like the business could fold.

"We were two years off from our centennial year. I kind of went through a dark week in the first week of COVID thinking we weren't going to make it," she said.

Guinevere had to evolve the business. They didn't have a social media presence, or even a voicemail or internet system.

"I knew I had to change with the times to keep the dreams going," she said.

The pandemic, however, brought in new customers looking to have their Volkswagens restored or repaired. Old customers even returned, too.

"I think the world just needed happiness, and I think the Beetle has always been a sign of happiness," she said.

Frank Freccia III said the Volkswagen Beetle was a cheap, economical car when it first came out in the 60's. They've captured peoples' imaginations, and have remained in families for decades, he said.

"Every week we have new customers. People have kept them," he said.

Freccia recalled first spending time at the garage when he was 10 years old.

"When I started at 10 years old, we were at our 50th anniversary. We always talked about how it would be great if I made it to 100," he said with a laugh.

Now, he runs the garage with fellow mechanic David D'Andrea Jr., who is Guinevere's husband.

The community support and connection to the town over the years has been special for Freccia.

"We have people stopping in saying, 'Don't ever leave, don't change. I've been driving by here my whole life,'" Freccia said. "That's a great feeling. It's about enjoying what we do everyday. I don't think I've dreaded coming into work my whole life. It's been fun."

For more information on Freccia Brothers Garage, visit their website or follow them on Instagram and Facebook.