Welcome to
Labor of Love Yarn and Fiber Arts!
Store Closing
It is with bittersweet emotions that I send you this
newsletter. Labor of Love Yarn is closing its Romeo
location after 11 years serving the knitting community.
I hear the gasps through the internet! It has been a
wonderful journey from our exciting beginning to this
amazing change. I don't want you to fret though, we
aren't going away, just re-imagining ourselves. I
encourage you to please read on to hear the story.
So, about 8 months ago, I went to a fiber fair and had
a ball. The upside was all of the people we met,
conversed with and taught to knit! The downside was
it was a lot of work and really hard on the yarn, not to
mention impending weather disasters, dust and debris,
and so on. That very day I met some wonderful ladies
who owned a wonderful little restaurant called the
Rustic Bluebird. They were admiring our amazing
house and half joked about buying it. Christmas came
and they asked again if I was ready to sell because
they were serious! I started thinking about it and
realized a few things:
Retail and the yarn business is in trouble. I saw the
writing on the wall. I didn't want to just jump ship but
all of the yarn shops I knew, were suffering, changing
hands, and generally scrambling to make up for sales
lost to internet buying. Yes, people the internet is
killing your local yarn shop!!!! Eleven years ago, there
were over 6000+ yarn shops across the US. Now
there are under 2000!
I don't want to sell online. It's not my thing. I get a lot
of joy mingling with real live people so no internet
sales for me.
I'm always reinventing myself, why not yarn sales?
Why not take it to the people? We need to reach a
younger audience so knitting doesn't become a lost
art. I've always taught something, sewing, cooking,
childbirth, midwifery, English as a second language.
Why not use all of that experience to promote and
teach knitting on the road?
I can not only create new knitters, I can promote the
local yarn shops by sending the new knitters to them.
I can sell my house to another woman (lots of women
owners of our lovely green Victorian), and help her
realize her dream of a beautiful restaurant in a beautiful
house.
I get to have more time with my handsome husband,
beautiful grandchildren, and aging mother.
You guys get lots of fun Michigan based yarns, US
based yarns, and fun stuff brought right to your
neighborhood!
With all of that said, I made a deal with Deana, the
Rustic Bluebird lady and I had a 20' trailer custom
made and turned it into a rolling yarn shop. I've
booked exciting yarn gigs all over the place this
summer and fall. I will be posting a calendar on our
Facebook page Labor of Love Yarn, and this web
page.
In the last few years you have heard me ask, cajole,
and beg you to support your local small businesses.
Now I am screaming at you to do your part to turn
this discouraging trend around. We will no longer have
local businesses if you don't. Pick a couple of stores
and make a deal with yourself to spend $10, 20, 50
even $100 a month in them. You will be surprised
how things change if we all pull together.
Our hours have also changed to better accommodate
you, so please check out the LOCATION page for
our new Hours.
Stop in and get a tour of the new trailer!
Labor of Love Yarn and Fiber Arts!
Store Closing
It is with bittersweet emotions that I send you this
newsletter. Labor of Love Yarn is closing its Romeo
location after 11 years serving the knitting community.
I hear the gasps through the internet! It has been a
wonderful journey from our exciting beginning to this
amazing change. I don't want you to fret though, we
aren't going away, just re-imagining ourselves. I
encourage you to please read on to hear the story.
So, about 8 months ago, I went to a fiber fair and had
a ball. The upside was all of the people we met,
conversed with and taught to knit! The downside was
it was a lot of work and really hard on the yarn, not to
mention impending weather disasters, dust and debris,
and so on. That very day I met some wonderful ladies
who owned a wonderful little restaurant called the
Rustic Bluebird. They were admiring our amazing
house and half joked about buying it. Christmas came
and they asked again if I was ready to sell because
they were serious! I started thinking about it and
realized a few things:
Retail and the yarn business is in trouble. I saw the
writing on the wall. I didn't want to just jump ship but
all of the yarn shops I knew, were suffering, changing
hands, and generally scrambling to make up for sales
lost to internet buying. Yes, people the internet is
killing your local yarn shop!!!! Eleven years ago, there
were over 6000+ yarn shops across the US. Now
there are under 2000!
I don't want to sell online. It's not my thing. I get a lot
of joy mingling with real live people so no internet
sales for me.
I'm always reinventing myself, why not yarn sales?
Why not take it to the people? We need to reach a
younger audience so knitting doesn't become a lost
art. I've always taught something, sewing, cooking,
childbirth, midwifery, English as a second language.
Why not use all of that experience to promote and
teach knitting on the road?
I can not only create new knitters, I can promote the
local yarn shops by sending the new knitters to them.
I can sell my house to another woman (lots of women
owners of our lovely green Victorian), and help her
realize her dream of a beautiful restaurant in a beautiful
house.
I get to have more time with my handsome husband,
beautiful grandchildren, and aging mother.
You guys get lots of fun Michigan based yarns, US
based yarns, and fun stuff brought right to your
neighborhood!
With all of that said, I made a deal with Deana, the
Rustic Bluebird lady and I had a 20' trailer custom
made and turned it into a rolling yarn shop. I've
booked exciting yarn gigs all over the place this
summer and fall. I will be posting a calendar on our
Facebook page Labor of Love Yarn, and this web
page.
In the last few years you have heard me ask, cajole,
and beg you to support your local small businesses.
Now I am screaming at you to do your part to turn
this discouraging trend around. We will no longer have
local businesses if you don't. Pick a couple of stores
and make a deal with yourself to spend $10, 20, 50
even $100 a month in them. You will be surprised
how things change if we all pull together.
Our hours have also changed to better accommodate
you, so please check out the LOCATION page for
our new Hours.
Stop in and get a tour of the new trailer!
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