So, where did the name “Juniper” come from? Good question. I’m not sure why, but as soon as I began to articulate the idea of a sustainable shop, the name was attached. The very first page in my notebook of scribbled brainstorming has “Juniper” scrawled along the top.

The more I contemplated the idea of this sustainable lifestyle store, the more I recognized the need for just such a place. I figured, I’m certainly not the only one who wants to do more for the environment. When asked, most folks want to protect our natural resources, if not for themselves, than for future generations.

The concept of Juniper first began to take shape last spring. At the time, I was on a long overdue soul searching journey, reflecting on the aspects of my life that were causing discontentment. Namely, both my career path and my lifestyle habits were contributing to an overall feeling of directionless dissatisfaction. Having come to grips with this discontent, I figured I should get on with it and make some changes. After all, if I didn’t, nobody else would for me. Sounds straightforward, but this reflection and resolve were months in the making, always taking a backseat to the day-to-day grind.