Jeweler Heidi Lowe riding the wave to downtown Lewes

Local jeweler Heidi Lowe said she had every intention of returning to Rehoboth Beach when she demolished her gallery on Rehoboth Avenue in 2019. Three-plus years later, Lowe said she’s tired of waiting and has decided to open a new gallery on Front Street in downtown Lewes.

“I’ve got to follow my energy, and I guess this is the wave I’m riding,” said Lowe. “This is an opportunity to try something new.”

Lowe’s new space was the decades-long home to Albert Frank's Fine & Antique Jewelry. Most recently, the space served as the temporary home for Aquamarine Boutique while that business’ Kings Highway location was demolished and then rebuilt.

Lowe said it’s interesting that she’s taking over a space that was a jewerly store for such a long time. As soon as it was on the market, she said she ran down to check it out.

Frank was a more traditional jeweler, said Lowe. It’s a similar thing, but done in a different way, she said.

Since leaving Rehoboth, Lowe has continued to offer metalsmithing classes and her jewelry at a shop near Five Points outside Lewes. It worked, she said, but it will be nice to have foot traffic again.

“This will increase the foot traffic I’ve had in the past three years,” said Lowe. “It will be nice to be a part of a downtown.”

While the new gallery isn’t big, it does have two floors and is bigger than Lowe’s 450-square-foot cottage on Rehoboth Avenue – the top floor is at street level with two rooms; the bottom floor is about as large as the Rehoboth space.

“It’s great,” she said. “I’ll be able to do more than one thing at a time.”

Lowe said she will still teach classes, hold private events and continue wedding ring classes. The new space will allow Lowe to continue to offer jewelry from dozens of other artists, while also allowing more room for her creations.

“The Heidi Lowe room,” she said, laughing.

Lowe has owned and operated her own gallery since the early 2000s, but she said she can still remember making her first ring at Cape Henlopen High School.

“I’m an artist and I get to do this,” said Lowe. “The fact that that’s possible still blows my mind.”

Lowe said she’s anticipating an early April opening, with a grand opening party in May.

For more information on Heidi Lowe Gallery, 119 Front St., Lewes, go to heidilowegallery.com, email hello@heidilowegallery.com or call 302-227-9203.