Fremont Cutlery Co. carves out niche with new knife shop
FREMONT — As Ed Miller slowly unsheathed a "Legend of Zelda" sword, it seemed like its blade took up half of Fremont Cutlery Co.'s front showroom.
"I hope some gamer will be thrilled to get that," Miller said, as he firmly held the three-foot-long specialty sword in his right hand before re-sheathing it and putting back on the wall at his new Fremont store.
Miller, a longtime pastor at Fremont's First Brethren Church and co-owner with his wife, Marcia, of Above & Beyond Career Development, LLC, held a grand opening for Fremont Cutlery Co. Saturday.
He's taken his passion for collecting knives and turned it into a new business, with Fremont Cutlery Co. offering a variety of automatics, fixed blades, throwing knives and axes, fantasy swords and stainless steel kitchen knives.
Miller also sells locally handmade hats.
The West State Street business' name ties into Fremont's history, a nod to the city's onetime standing as the world's cutlery capital.
Miller has lived in Fremont for 30 years.
He's been pastor at First Brethren Church on Hayes Avenue for the past 28 years.
"I came with a call to the church," Miller said.
He grew up in Western Pennsylvania, a region where Miller said "God, guns and knives" reigned supreme.
Over the years, Miller has assembled his own mini-collection of knives.
He and his wife have operated a Toledo business which helps adults with disabilities find employment.
He said they decided to lean into his affinity for cutlery and open the new Fremont retail knife shop at 823 W. State St.
Plans for opening Fremont Cutlery Co. have been in the works since February, Miller said.
Fremont Cutlery Co.'s inventory includes brand knife names such as Case, Hogue, Esee, Bestech and Estwing.
Miller said all of his knives are made in the United States except for the Fox brand, which is produced in Italy.
He joked that he intends to put a sign that reads "if you bleed on it, you bought it."
As he walked around his store, Miller threw out historical tidbits about certain knife brands and shared his personal opinions about brands he likes.
The Bestech Swordfish is a smooth folding knife and one of Miller's favorites with its five-inch blade.
He pulled a Case slip joint pocket knife out of Fremont Cutlery Co.'s front display case.
"Your grandfather carried a Case. I guarantee it," Miller said.
Miller said he can't imagine how anyone can function in this world without a knife and rattled several everyday, practical uses.
His swords on display are for fantasy and fun, with throwing axes for recreation.
There aren't a lot of retail knife shops around, Miller said, with the closest stores he's aware of located in Lambertville, Mich., and North Olmsted.
He said retailers can't saturate the market with knife stores and compared it to coffee shops.
"The town can only support so many coffee shops," Miller said.
Eden Sheidler, a member of Miller's church, is one of his employees and a fellow knife enthusiast.
Sheidler said she hoped residents shared the same level of interest in knives as she and Miller do.
She said she liked assisted open pocket knives.
"My mom has a bunch of throwing axes that are pretty awesome," Sheidler said.
Miller said the store will be open from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. every day except Wednesday, when hours will run from 9 a.m. to 6:30 p.m., and closed Sunday.
dacarson@gannett.com
419-334-1046
Twitter: @DanielCarson7
This article originally appeared on Fremont News-Messenger: Fremont Cutlery Co. caters to knife enthusiasts with new store