Madame Fortuna opens on Main Street

Posted 8/21/12

NARROWSBURG, NY — Allison Ward is like your cool older sister whose closet you constantly want to raid; and now, that’s exactly what you can do. Ward recently opened her studio and showroom, …

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Madame Fortuna opens on Main Street

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NARROWSBURG, NY — Allison Ward is like your cool older sister whose closet you constantly want to raid; and now, that’s exactly what you can do. Ward recently opened her studio and showroom, Madame Fortuna, at 25 Main St. (in the mews).

The store offers Ward’s handmade jewelry plus vintage clothing, beauty products from Golden Potion and “other amazing things that I find on my treasure-hunting trips.” Ward has been making jewelry for 10 years, and it all started when she made herself a necklace to remind her of the love she has for the city of New Orleans, where she lived for many years. (She is originally from Memphis, TN). After that, she made one for her friend, and from there it just took off. Now she has an extensive jewelry collection and makes her goods with found trinkets like small pocket knives, or watches, and creates collections based on an idea, like her Adventure line.

Ward says the clothing in her store is what “the Madame Fortuna woman would wear with the jewelry.” Ward has been shopping at thrift stores and flea markets since a young age and says, “I can’t not buy vintage, and that’s become an issue when I don’t have an outlet.” Now she has the perfect outlet for her treasures; the small studio and store houses antique furniture to display jewelry and artwork, antique rugs, a comfortable green velvet couch, a changing room, and a custom-made mural painted by an artist friend. It’s the place Ward wants people to come and hang out. She said it will be like a salon and plans on holding special events there.

Ward owned a vintage clothing store in Brooklyn for many years, called “Fortuna.” She said that is where she met many of her best friends, so she is excited to now open a store in Narrowsburg and bring old friends and new together in the space. Ward and her husband moved to the area to raise their son after living in New York City for many years. She decided to open Madame Fortuna (she added “Madame” to the name because she is “the lady of the house” and it also creates a “magical vibe”) on Narrowsburg’s Main Street because “it is a street full of amazing independent business owners” and it’s known as a shopping destination. In recent years, she worked from home and had her studio in a guest bedroom. “I wanted to go to work, I didn’t want to go upstairs,” she said.

For now, her store hours are Saturday from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Sunday 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. or by appointment, which Ward gladly welcomes. You can even bring in your own heirlooms and she will create custom-made jewelry for you. Ward gets excited to help customers pick out the perfect piece of jewelry, and pair it with a curated vintage clothing selection. She said her pieces “always manage to find the right people.”

For more information, call Madame Fortuna at 845/252-7327.

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