'I'm Thrilled': Candy's Jewelers Reaches 5 Years In Farmingdale

FARMINGDALE, NY — Candy's Jewelers on Friday afternoon celebrated its fifth-year anniversary in Farmingdale with a ribbon cutting.

While the jeweler has been part of the village for five years, its rich history extends back roughly 105 years, as owner Candice DeVodier leads the three-generation family-owned business.

"I'm grateful for the opportunity I had to learn from my father and grandmother and to continue their legacy," DeVodier told Patch. "It wasn't anything I had planned as a young woman, but I love what I do. How could I not?"

Candy's Jewelers began in 1917 when Angelina DeVodier started a pearl and bead stringing business at 87 Nassau St., in lower Manhattan's original jewelry district. In 1962, her son, Roger DeVodier, joined her as a jeweler and rapidly expanded the company into a full-service jewelry trade shop. In 1977, DeVodier Enterprises was moved to a large trade shop in Bellmore where Candice DeVodier apprenticed under her father. In 1983, the business moved to a new showroom in Seaford and opened to the public as Candy's Jewelers.

Candice DeVodier moved to Farmingdale Village amid the revitalization of the community's downtown. It has now been five years since she set up shop in Farmingdale.

"I'm thrilled to pieces," she said. "The community has been so forthcoming with promoting all of the stores and interacting with us. I couldn't be happier or more grateful to be in this village."

Farmingdale was in need of a jeweler, according to Farmingdale Village Mayor Ralph Ekstrand. During the ceremony, he recalled roughly 40 years ago when the village had three jewelers. Then, for years, it had zero jewelers. Then, DeVodier moved in.

"Your work is exquisite," Ekstrand told DeVodier.

DeVodier has found a simple, but effective, recipe for success over her years of running the family business.

"Integrity and perseverance pay."

That motto has attracted some of her older clients to follow her from Seaford to Farmingdale. Customers who went to her store from Wantagh, Seaford and Massapequa have continued to support Candy's Jewelers in Farmingdale. DeVodier attributed that to the growth of Farmingdale as a business district.

"[Customers] are going to dinner at That Meetball Place and then seeing my sign," she said. "It's been a blast. From the new clientele and the locals, who are like family now, to my past clientele coming into town because [Farmingdale] is such a booming mini-mecca, it's been pretty awesome."