Photograph by Frank Di Piazza
Jenny Baca thrives on the unconventional, welcomes the unexpected. So it’s only natural that her new shop, JIPSI (a play on the word gypsy), would follow a similar philosophy.
The whimsical mishmash of vintage-meets-retro furniture, clothing, and accessories occupies a cozy slice of a rehabbed building on The Hill. The rest of that massive space houses knitwear company Skif International. Baca was immediately attracted to the building’s corner display windows. “It really reminded me of Bowery Street in New York,” says the spunky 36-year-old owner. “It has the big, black wrought-iron gates, the big display windows, and a real artsy feel to it. I just fell in love.”
Now the spacious spot buzzes with creative energy. JIPSI’s storefront, which officially opened in April, doubles as Baca’s studio. She hand-paints vintage furniture, creates accessories out of used books and fabrics, and sometimes even does a bit of reupholstery, describing the look as Alice in Wonderland meets Anthropologie and Urban Outfitters.
“JIPSI is all about that free-spirited, artsy woman,” says Baca, who has 12 years of interior-design experience. “Gypsies obviously travel and carry unique pieces that don’t really match or go together, so we kind of went with that.”
The space is also Baca’s office, where she meets with interior-design clients. Surrounding her are original and antique finds priced from $100 to $1,000 apiece, while goodies such as women’s vintage dresses and jackets go for around $25. And there’s talk of a forthcoming plants-and-gardening section.
Baca’s décor reflects her bohemian tastes. She’s affixed artfully crumpled pieces of white paper to the walls, torn pages from three used books, and constructed 42 tissue-paper flowers to decorate—all for less than $100. With the motto “Green is the new pink,” Baca embraces the “frugalista” approach by repurposing everything she can get her hands on.
“In 2009, a lot of things taught me to be better with my money, to live on a budget and be more green,” she says. “I feel like my space is intimate and controllable, with not a lot of overhead.”
Baca wasn’t always so budget-conscious. Prior to JIPSI, she owned French Twist, a sprawling Maplewood shop that focused on French country–style antiques. The shop expanded too soon and closed in 2005, after four years in business. When she shuttered her shop, Baca says she shut down creatively. Fast-forward five years, and she’s again bursting at the seams with inspiration.
“When you close a business, people always say, ‘I will never open one up again,’” she says. “I feel like life is too short, and I want to do what I love.”
