Juniper Gifts & Local Art

Juniper Gifts & Local Art is an independent gift shop at 620 Titus Ave in the Irondequoit neighborhood of Rochester, NY. Owner Erica Walther Schlaefer, a longtime Irondequoit resident, originally planned to open the shop in March 2020, but New York's executive order closing non-essential businesses during the COVID-19 pandemic delayed the launch. She pivoted to online sales through juniperny.com before establishing the brick-and-mortar location on Titus Avenue. The shop serves as a curated marketplace for Western New York artisans and makers, with a focus on locally produced goods.

Juniper stocks a rotating selection of handmade and locally sourced items across several categories:

• Home décor, including pillows, wall art, and coffee mugs
• Jewelry from local makers
• Baby and kids items, including toys
• Greeting cards and tote bags
• Kitchen accessories and scarves
• Vintage finds and Rochester-themed merchandise

The shop carries work from area artisans such as Boomtown Creative, House of Roushey, and Ink & Pine Design. Online shopping with curbside pickup is also available through the business website. The store is open Thursday and Friday from 11:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., Saturday from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., and Sunday from noon to 4:00 p.m., with the shop closed Monday through Wednesday.

Juniper has built its identity around supporting individual local makers rather than carrying mass-produced merchandise. The shop's inventory emphasizes one-of-a-kind and small-batch items crafted by Western New York artists and vendors. Community involvement is part of the business model — the shop has sold specialty tote bags with proceeds benefiting NAMI Rochester, the local chapter of the National Alliance on Mental Illness, reflecting the owner's commitment to mental health awareness and suicide prevention causes.

The shop sits on Titus Avenue in the Titus-Hudson corridor of Irondequoit, a residential suburb just north of the City of Rochester. Titus Avenue is one of Irondequoit's main commercial strips, with a mix of small businesses and neighborhood services. The location is accessible by car along the Titus Avenue commercial stretch and is within a short drive of Irondequoit Town Hall and Irondequoit Bay. Street parking is available along Titus Avenue.