Willis’ Rock Shop in Bar Harbor

Dec 15

Inside Bar Harbor’s Original Rock Shop

The workbench at Willis’ Rock Shop has been in constant use since 1937. It sits worn and steady near the back of the store, its surface marked by decades of cutting, polishing, and teaching. Roger Willis learned the trade there, guided by his father, his uncle, and a small circle of craftsmen who passed knowledge down by doing. “You didn’t learn this from a book,” he said. “You learned it by sitting at that bench.”

The business began when Roger’s grandparents, both high school teachers in Bangor, became devoted rock collectors. Summers were spent traveling the country, gathering stones, and teaching themselves how to cut and set them. Eventually, they traded classrooms for Bar Harbor and opened what would become the original rock shop in town, working with beach stones from Maine and raw material sourced from around the world.

Some of that early material is still here. Large purchases made in the 1940s, 50s, and 60s continue to supplement their jewelry, allowing the family to cut stones that are increasingly difficult to find. Maine tourmaline, rose quartz, amethyst, and aquamarine remain central to their work, often set in 14 Karat gold. Families still bring stones from their own beaches, asking for pieces that carry personal meaning. “People love being able to say, ‘This came from my beach in Maine,’” Roger said.

Four generations of the Willis family have worked behind the counter, shaping a business built as much on continuity as craft. Roger has been there for more than fifty years. His son Jake now cuts stones and brings a lighter, more contemporary sensibility to the designs, letting the stones speak for themselves.

While the jewelry has made the shop known far beyond Mount Desert Island, Willis’ Rock Shop is more than a jeweler. The front of the store holds mineral specimens, fossils, and collections that invite curiosity from every age. Children gather at the rock wall. Adults linger over cases. Locals stop in year round for repairs, gifts, and conversation.

Many visitors arrive remembering a childhood visit, now returning with grandchildren. Others discover it for the first time, surprised by how welcoming and accessible it feels for all ages.

Stepping inside feels like stepping into another pace of time, one shaped by patience, history, and hands that have never rushed the work.

FAMOUS FOR:
Hand-cut colored gemstones/beachstones and custom jewelry made on-site by a four-generation family.

ADDRESS:
69 Main St in Bar Harbor, ME

WEBSITE:
willisrockshop.com