Our company is a family owned business, started by the current owner's grandfather, in 1911, with a store in downtown Jacksonville, Florida. The first store specialized in fine handmade blouses, linens, and ready-to-wear garments. When the second store opened in the 1920's, also in downtown Jacksonville, it was named French Novelty, since many of the items carried were imported from France, which was considered to be the fashion capital of the world. Of course, "novelty" stood for new. The Mizrahi family still operates French Novelty stores serving Jacksonville, North Florida, South Georgia, and now serving customers worldwide as we celebrate our 100th year with a reputation for unique, quality fashions, incredible values, and excellent customer service. To the right is a picture of our first store in 1919, with the founder, Salim Mizrahi, standing in the doorway. Our Business Philosophy We shop the major fashion markets to bring you unique social occasion fashions that can only be found in specialty stores and boutiques. We negotiate the best prices from our vendors to bring you the best values every day. French Novelty is known for its commitment to personalized customer service for five generations. Mary Lou manages our Prom Dress and Formal Wear store at Cedar Hills Shopping Center. She has been a French Novelty store manager for over 25 years. She carefully selects all of our beautiful Prom, Pageant, Informal and Destination Wedding dresses, Bridesmaid, Mother of the Bride, and other special occasion dresses. Mary Lou is an expert in measuring and fitting you in that perfect dress for your special occasion. Agatha manages our French Novelty at the Dunn Avenue store. Her French accent gives a refreshing charm to your shopping experience.