High-end boutique, wealth firm to open in former Franklin funeral home

A new high-end boutique and a wealth management firm will be the first two businesses to open in a long-time Franklin funeral home.

Blu Dot Property Group, a venture of two Franklin residents, is transforming the building at 197 E. Jefferson St., into four new tenant spaces. The building had operated as a funeral home for 175 years and until recently had housed Jessen Funeral Home & Simple Cremation. The business sold the building in June and has consolidated operations into its Whiteland funeral home.

Not only is Blu Dot transforming the building, one of its partners, Kevin Good, is moving his wealth management business, Pillar Wealth, to the building. The business serves entrepreneurs and individuals looking for holistic wealth management services, Good said.

The owners of Woven Co. Candle Studio, Andrea and Austin Shaull, are expanding their business portfolio with J Avenue Boutique, a clothing store offering a “Midwest Manhattan” vibe. Austin Shaull describes the clothing offerings as upscale but within a reasonable price range. The shop will offer clothing for women, men and children, including athletic wear, seasonal outerwear, shoes, accessories, jewelry and watches.

Although the legacy of the building is changing, Good has high hopes for the property and its relationship with Franklin residents and visitors.

“I want people to see and experience this place as kind of like a microcosm of how the whole city is taken care of,” Good said. “I want this to be just a symbol of that. The building itself doesn’t do anything, but a building can represent something bigger.”

Good said success for the whole building relies on J Avenue Boutique. He met with city officials who thought retail would be crucial for the location, but he originally said he couldn’t find a good enough retail concept that could be sustainable, despite lots of people reaching out about the opening.

When the Shaulls heard Good was having a hard time finding a great fit, they developed an idea that worked for the space because they believed Franklin “kind of can’t afford for it not to be retail.”

“It started to become like a splinter in our mind a little bit. You fall asleep thinking about it, you wake up and drinking your coffee, and you’re thinking about it, what you would want that ideal boutique to be like,” Shaull said. “Well, my wife and I were just kind of the people that are like, okay, so how can we make that happen?”

When Good talked with the Shaulls about their idea, he said it was a great fit for the location.

“They talked about it in-depth with me, and it was just like the fit, the type of clientele for this building even like with Pillar Wealth, this is going to be a higher-end kind of boutique, which is going to be a little bit different for Franklin,” Good said. “So it’s not going to be the exact same as anything else which I think is helpful to all of the boutiques here. But even their branding, just everything kind of fit this building and this location.”

Good also said the Shaulls have already shown business success with their candle-making shop, which will remain in business. Good said the warm, inviting culture at the candle shop was a “picture of what I want us to be for the whole community.”

“I want this building to represent hospitality, warmth, love, care. I mean, all these things that are just powerful human feelings and emotions … This building should represent home base for caring for people of Franklin,” Good said.

For Shaull, he and his wife operate with the business motto of delivering experiences rather than just products.

“Buying products is great, but sharing experiences is better. You take care of people, people will take care of you,” Shaull said. “So even if a person comes in and the shop isn’t for them, well that’s all right. It doesn’t matter. You’re gonna be treated like a friend. You’re gonna be treated with care and respect. We’re going to talk to you just like anybody else.”

Shaul said prices will be comparable to other boutiques in town. For example, for a nice pair of men’s pants, the range could be from $35 or $40 to the $80 or $90 range, he said.

Construction on the building is ongoing and on schedule so far. Both J Avenue Boutique and Pillar Wealth are set to open in mid-October and are currently on schedule, Good said. The two remaining tenant spaces are still open as of now.

Ahead of the opening, the Shaulls are currently looking for employees for both J Avenue Boutique and Woven Co. Candles. People can apply for J Avenue Boutique at javenueboutique.com/pages/join-our-team and Woven Co. Candle Store at wovencocandles.com/pages/application.