Five Generations
A Family in the Optical Profession
Henry and Adam Freund grew up in Philadelphia, where discussion of the optical profession was a fixture of family life. Their mother's family had been in the trade for several generations — first in Bavaria, then in Philadelphia. The brothers apprenticed and worked in the city for twelve years before looking south toward Atlantic City.
The Boardwalk
Henry and Adam Freund opened Freund Brothers at Maryland Avenue and the Boardwalk in Atlantic City — in the height of the resort's golden era. In addition to eyewear, they sold Kodak cameras and developed film, then a technically demanding undertaking. They also maintained a lending library within the store, a reflection of their literary interests and a genuine service to the community.
1006 Pacific Avenue
The store moved to 1006 Pacific Avenue in Atlantic City, where Freund Brothers would remain for the next twenty-eight years, serving a community defined by the heyday of Atlantic City's resort economy.
The Second Generation
Henry's two children, William and Edna, took over the business in the 1930s. As the decade turned, eyewear, contact lenses, and artificial eyes became the mainstay of the practice — a combination that remains the foundation of Freund Brothers to this day.
1514 Pacific Avenue
Edna and William relocated the shop once more, moving to 1514 Pacific Avenue as Atlantic City continued to evolve around them.
Hank Freund Joins the Business
In 1963, William's son Hank took an active role in the practice. In 1975, Hank and Edna made the move that defines the shop today — relocating to Central Square in Linwood, NJ, where Freund Brothers has remained ever since.
The current Freund Brothers location at Central Square, Linwood
Hank Freund, Sole Proprietor
Hank became sole proprietor in 1976 and remains so today. A Board Certified Ocularist (BCO), he has dedicated his career to mastering both the optical and prosthetic crafts — offering a level of expertise and personal service that is increasingly rare.
The optical industry has changed enormously over 125 years. Freund Brothers has not — at least in the ways that matter. Stop by the shop and you'll find photographs and artifacts from Freund Brothers' and Atlantic City's history that Hank has collected over the decades. The store itself is a small museum of Southern New Jersey life.