Fabrics from Shanghai. Antiques from Europe. Teak from Indonesia.
Those are a just a few of the one-of-a-kind finds shoppers will discover while browsing at J Turner & Co. The new furniture, lighting and design store located in Sawgrass Village is the latest venture for Jennifer Turner and her husband, Mark, whose other businesses include Yobe Frozen Yogurt and V Pizza. Jennifer Turner said the idea to open a furniture store sprang from the couple’s own efforts to furnish their new home in Ponte Vedra Beach, where they’ve lived for the past 18 months.
“We move about every year and when we do, we sell the furniture with the home we design,” Turner said. “We were coming back from Atlanta shopping for our new home and we just said, ‘We should open a furniture store.’”
Planning for the store began in earnest less than a year ago, and by early January J Turner & Co was open for business. With a wide selection of furniture, lighting fixtures, rugs and other décor, the store is unique in the local marketplace, Turner said.
“We felt there was nowhere in this city that offered a central place where you could get all your furniture, lighting and rugs,” she said. We want to be that one-stop shop.”
The store also reflects the eclectic and laid back style the Turners were hoping to create with the furnishings they offer. “We pride ourselves on being comfortable and relaxed,” Turner said. “Jacksonville is kind of a traditional city and we wanted to steer away from that.”
A key component to the store’s eclectic feel, she added, comes from the time and effort the couple puts into scouring the globe for truly distinctive pieces.
“We do a lot of the importing ourselves,” Turner said. “We’ve been going around the world, looking for those one-of-a-kind pieces you won’t find anywhere else.”
With staff members based in Shanghai and Indonesia, J Turner & Co has a steady stream of unique merchandise from those countries.
“We have three containers coming from Indonesia in the next two months,” Turner said. “A lot of our customers are waiting for their pieces, which they pre-ordered.
And for those eager shoppers who just can’t wait for the latest merchandise to hit the floor of the Sawgrass Village store, J Turner & Co will make appointments for customers to visit their 8,000 square-foot warehouse off of Beach Blvd. so they can score that perfect piece.
Response to the store has been very positive, Turner said. In addition to strong sales and foot traffic, J Turner & Co has an active social media following on Facebook (www.facebook.com/jturnerandco) and Instagram.
“It’s been great,” said Turner, noting that the store does in-home design consultations and also has a designer trade program. “A lot of customers come in and tell us they feel like they’re not in Jacksonville. They say, ‘Wow! It’s different – but we love it!’”
