NORTHAMPTON — As a teenager, Justin Brown relished visiting downtown with his friends. On a number of occasions, the Westfield native could be found hanging out in front of the former Iris Photo & Digital waiting for photos to be developed.

Little did Brown know that a few decades later, he would again be waiting out front of the four-story, circa 1880s building. Only this past Friday, he waited alongside Mayor Gina-Louise Sciarra to cut the ribbon to officially open his retail business, Assemble Made and Curated, at its new location.

Brown, who has been a member of the Northampton business community since 1995, moved his store from space occupied on the lower level of Thornes Marketplace at 150 Main St. in Northampton to a larger space at 164 Main St.

“The first time I walked in the (new) space, about a year ago now, it just felt like the right place for us,” Brown said. “Thornes was great for us. We did great there for six years, and we’re looking forward to the visibility of the corner of Main and Old South streets.”

At the ribbon-cutting ceremony, Brown and his boyfriend and co-owner Joe Romanos as well as the four other staff members were joined by Jody Doele from Thornes Marketplace and representatives from Valley Community Development, the Downtown Northampton Association, and the Greater Northampton Chamber of Commerce.

Throughout its lifetime, Brown’s new Main Street space has been home to a number of businesses, including Sherman Jewelers and a Benetton clothing store. Most recently, the space was occupied by Glenn Alper’s musical instrument store Birdhouse Music, which has since joined his new venture with Easthampton’s Marigold Theater, Bar & Cabaret.

The move was made possible through a Patronicity crowdfunding campaign, which reaped more than $20,000 from nearly 200 patrons, and $40,000 through a matching grant program through the Massachusetts Growth Capital Corporation.

The Biz-M-Power program gave the Northampton company $2 for every $1 raised. The program offers small businesses like Assemble financial assistance through this program in an effort to help companies expand with an acquisition, improvement or lease of a facility, purchase or capital lease of equipment, or other capital improvements. The Biz-M-Power program gives preference to low to moderate income brick-and-mortar small businesses owned by women, minorities, immigrants, non-native English speakers, U.S. military veterans, disabled individuals, and members of the LGBTQ+ community. The program also provides preference to businesses operating in the state’s Gateway cities.

Making space

Assemble, which Brown calls a “retail experience,” offers repurposed furniture and sculptures, local art and handmade goods, and curated vintage items and gifts.

“We have a really diverse customer base — we have college kids who come to more serious collectors of art of specific kinds of vintage items or antiques,” said Brown.

Prior to Thornes, Brown shared a space with Liz Karney of custom furniture store Sticks and Bricks. Initially, he helped Karney build furniture and maintain the store, but over time, their relationship evolved into more of a partnership. Eventually, the pair would share the workshop space where Brown would make sculptures and homewares through reclaimed materials, and often host several shows of his work.

His repurposing of materials is a way to cut back on waste and be more environmentally-conscious.

As the quarters inside the 800-square-foot space grew tighter and tighter, Brown said it was apparent that he needed to find more space.

Settling into a space of his own, Brown said he felt a sense of nostalgia, reflecting on trips to Goodwill and other thrift stores with his grandmother Barbara Woodward and great-aunt Anne.

“I always tell people that Assemble is like a living room in my mind,” he said. “It’s all of these different styles of things that I think are still useful.”

Brown’s partner, Romanos, brings several years of retail experience, managing merchandising at the gift shop Cedar Chest, which is the anchor store in Thornes.

Walking into the store, patrons can check out a vintage flower push pins, porcelain vases and a collection of a floral patterned, coral-colored Pyrex on open shelves that showcase the exposed brick walls and refurbished hardwood floors.

Further into the store are various styles of shelves and apothecary boxes, with stacks of unopened packs of Garbage Pail Kids Topps trading cards, candles and other unique wares. One-of-a-kind art pieces festoon the walls like that of the shop’s bestseller, artist Maria Masinter, who takes discarded objects and creates scenes and creatures in old boxes, drawers and clock cases.

One of Brown’s regular customers has likened Assemble’s atmosphere to “walking into a warm hug.”

Assemble is open Monday through Thursday, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., Friday and Saturday, 10 a.m. to 8 p.m., and Sunday, 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Assemble also has some select items available for purchase on its website at assemblenorthampton.com.

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