When Jessica Fjeld saw the sign go up in the window of Carr's Gifts announcing that the longtime Brandon shop was for sale, she felt something deeper than concern about losing the beloved family-owned business.

"I was afraid of losing this important community space,” she said. “If it didn't get filled, [the empty storefront] would be like a dead tooth in the middle of a smile."

That moment set in motion a new chapter for Brandon's downtown. Fjeld and her husband Ben Bearnot purchased the building, allowing Delilah's Hair Salon to remain where it is in the same building and renting part of the former Carr’s Gifts space to a toy store called Simon Says. In the process, Fjeld also fulfilled a dream she has carried since childhood: opening her own shop. 

"I've always loved going into little independent shops because they create a sense of place," she said. "I'm interested in material culture over materialism.” By this Fjeld means that she wants to focus on the joy of bringing people together through objects, more than on encouraging people to buy more stuff just to have things. 

Wisewell Goods, which opened this weekend in the other half of the former Carr’s Gifts space, is an expression of Fjeld's belief that objects can help connect people to one another. 

“Every object is a chance for two people to connect,” she says. “Every object has makers behind it and someone who will use it and love it."

That philosophy guides everything in the gift store. Wisewell Goods focuses on connecting local and regional makers with both local residents and visitors, creating opportunities for customers to discover not only beautiful and useful items but also the stories and people behind them. 

The colorful and lively array of homewares and gifts for sale at Wisewell Goods include sweatshirts and totes with unique, hand-quilted Vermont shapes; enamel spatterware; handwoven dish towels; jewelry and hair clips; handmade zines; hand-carved salt and pepper shakers and cutting boards; greeting cards; candles and home scents; unique ceramics; cool things for pets; interesting bird mobiles; and much more.

An Unusual Path to Small Business Ownership

For Fjeld, becoming a business owner has been both exciting and unexpected. Although this is her first retail business, she brings a remarkably varied background to this entrepreneurial endeavor.

"I've done many things," she said. "I've run a poetry magazine, been a lawyer at a big law firm, worked at a TV station, taught at Harvard Law School, and run a human rights nonprofit." All of these experiences have taught her skills that she is bringing into her new venture. She adds that the transition to small-business ownership has also included learning skills she never anticipated. "I've even cut some of the framing and am patching the roof!"

The store itself reflects the collaborative spirit Jessica hopes to foster. One notable feature is a colorful mural created by Bethany Andrews-Nichols, a block printing and pattern design artist at the Soda Plant in Burlington whom Fjeld met at a class the artist was teaching. The mural incorporates influences from Fjeld’s Norwegian heritage and draws people deep into the beautifully curated space.

Building Wisewell Goods has required long days, late nights, and plenty of problem-solving. One of the challenges Fjeld thinks about is finding the right balance.

"The thing that's really hard is that I want this store to be accessible for the people who live in Brandon, people who have a broad range of means," she explained. "And I also want to make sure that the people who make the things and deliver the things are well paid. How do we make things available in a way that's fair to those who make them and fair to those who buy them?" 

Fjeld does this by selling a variety of goods at different price points and focusing on things made locally in small batches, reducing transport and storage costs that can drive up final prices.

For Fjeld, it’s all part of a larger concern about sustaining small-town life.

"It's hard to keep a small town alive," she said. "A gift store is a small contribution to that goal.” This is why the Wisewell motto is “Be Wise. Be Well. Be Good.”

Community and Family Circles

Wisewell Goods has grown from a network of relationships and community support. Fjeld credits numerous people for helping her along the way, including town officials Seth Hopkins, Bill Moore, Sue Gage, and Gabe McGibbon, who connected her with resources and guidance. She is also deeply grateful to Beth and Bernie Carr, whose 48 years of experience in Brandon business have proven invaluable. 

"They've been humble and generous with their incredible network of connections and their wisdom and experiences running a small business in Brandon," she said. 

Other local business people she credits with supporting her launch are Janet and Joel Mondlak, Nancy and Jim Leary, Heather and Ken Lee, Carrie and Matt Lewis of Morningside Bakery, the Blooming Bungalow team, Chef Robert, and the Baird family.

Fjeld’s own family has also played a central role in the launching of Wisewell Goods. She credits her husband, sisters Hannah and Kalle, and parents George and Carol for believing in her vision for the heart of Brandon’s retail district. Fjeld’s family story is deeply tied to Brandon. She grew up in town before moving away to New York City and later Boston. She and her husband were both working for Harvard University when they realized something important. 

"Our kids were five and seven, and we felt like their childhood was slipping by," she said. "We were happiest as a family when we were visiting family in Brandon."

The decision to return to Brandon was ultimately a decision to prioritize family and community because growing up in a small town shaped how she sees people.

"In a small town, every person is a whole person," she reflected. "We're all in community with one another. Everyone is multidimensional." 

For example, Fjeld described the excellent work that the team at Otter Creek Electric has done to reconfigure electricity in the shop. One day, Jody Charron, the owner of the company, shyly showed her the beautiful handcrafted cutting boards he makes. 

"He's an electrician, a craftsperson, a friend, and connected in a thousand other ways!" she remarked. She plans to carry these cutting boards at Wisewell Goods.

That understanding — that people are more than a single role — is part of what Jessica loves most about Brandon.

Asked what would define success, Fjeld said, "I hope they think of how the store makes them feel. That it helps people connect — with beautiful things, with artists, and with each other." 

Ten years from now, she hopes people won't simply think of Wisewell Goods as a place to buy gifts, but as a place where they connect joyfully with community.

Wisewell Goods is located in downtown Brandon and features thoughtfully curated goods from local and regional makers, alongside art, home goods, and gifts that celebrate craftsmanship and connection.