Upon moving to Frenchtown two years ago, Karl and I found ourselves wandering through town wondering, “What would it take to open a shop in town?”. After a 16 year career as a Kindergarten teacher, I was eager to begin a new chapter in my life. Karl and I began paying close attention to what was happening around Frenchtown and we came to the realization that although the town was bustling with uniquely interesting shops and restaurants, there was not one store completely dedicated to masculine folks. I took an early retirement from teaching, we leased a storefront and began construction on our tiny space on Bridge Street. After months of hard work, Karl and I were thrilled to open the doors of The Junto Emporium, A Masculine Boutique. With a strong desire to encourage a more eco friendly lifestyle we decided on carrying consignment apparel and locally made, handcrafted, and sustainably made wares to offer our clientele. Every item in The Junto is unique and each has a story to tell.

The original “Junto” was a club founded by Benjamin Franklin in Philadelphia in 1727. The membership was composed of enterprising merchants and artisans, rather than the social elite. Members met weekly in local taverns to discuss issues of the day, debate philosophical topics and devise schemes to further their own careers and community. We decided to call our store The Junto Emporium as a nod to Ben and his club. We hope to carry on his spirit of community and enterprise in the lovely Frenchtown, NJ!