shopping on franklin: jan & aya

Within the last two years, Franklin Street has supported the openings of three designer-driven boutiques (Dalaga, Alter, Hayden-Harnett), a bookstore (Word), a record store (Permanent Records), a furniture store (Claank), a Dominican-French restaurant (Casa Mon Amour), a cafe (Brooklyn Label), a wine store (to come), and most recently on March 15, a gallery-like boutique with a minimalist aesthetic called Jan & Aya.

Excited to examine the merchandise in person, I took the grand tour from owners, Carolyn and Kai. Jan & Aya, named for the couple's two children, features handmade objects that are well-crafted and beautifully designed. Categories include home (poufs, candles and soaps, pottery, glassware, art), child (shoes, clothing, toys), self (jewelry, tees, shoes), and come Sunday, cakes. Organic cakes from artisanal baker Sarah Magid will be available by the slice or by the cake every weekend. In the summer, customers will be able to enjoy a slice of cake on the back patio with some lemonade. That sounds great.

When asked why the couple chose Franklin Street for their first retail venture, Carolyn replied eloquently, "This is the street that is having a kind of Renaissance as far as community-based businesses. It speaks to the artist's community of Greenpoint."


Jan & Aya
99 Franklin Street
Greenpoint, Brooklyn
718.609.1404

Store hours:
Thursday-Friday 1-7pm
Saturday noon-7pm

Sunday noon-5pm

Are there plans for more shoes? According to Carolyn, there will be clogs for adults,
hand-painted clogs for kids, and come summer, flip flops of the Brazilian variety.

Set of 6 nesting bowls, $180.
Tea towels, right, by Skinny LaMinx.

The peaceful mood at Jan & Aya: fresh flowers and blossoming branches
mixed among the minimalist displays, exposed brick, white floors, vaulted ceilings,
and a sheer curtain that hints at a backyard patio space, to come.


Children's moccasins, $34; Owl, $38, both by Zid Zid


Poufs by Zid Zid, $80-$260.

Art pins by Ashley G., $3.
Carolyn found this artist on Etsy.