Owning/running a needlework store

I hope this isn't an inappropriate place to post this. But I'd love
to pick the brains of any of you that has owned or operated a
needlework store. It is kind of a dream of mine and I'm having such a
hard time finding employment, I wonder if I should look at employing
myself!

I just have a zillion questions. How stable is the industry? Startup
costs, monthly expenses, areas most likely to be a successful
location, how you got started, what were your greatest challenges,
what will sink the shop. Etc. etc. etc.

I'm not sure I'm ready to give up the work I love (corporate trainer),
but I'm curious about the above.

Thanks,
Laurie
Washougal, WA

I've had these same questions. The only needlework store in this area closed
about a year ago. She never did carry much yarn; she had more cross-stitch and
"heirloom sewing." Another craft shop bought her x-st inventory. The ONLY
place in town that carries yarn now is WalMart. (And I think I have more yarn
than they do!)

Still stitchin' and smilin'
Carol in SC

I hope this isn't an inappropriate place to post this. But I'd love
to pick the brains of any of you that has owned or operated a
needlework store. It is kind of a dream of mine and I'm having such a
hard time finding employment, I wonder if I should look at employing
myself!

I just have a zillion questions. How stable is the industry? Startup
costs, monthly expenses, areas most likely to be a successful
location, how you got started, what were your greatest challenges,
what will sink the shop. Etc. etc. etc.

I'm not sure I'm ready to give up the work I love (corporate trainer),
but I'm curious about the above.

Thanks,
Laurie
Washougal, WA

Laurie:

I haven't owned a yarn store (or store of any kind) but I will start the
ball rolling with some thoughts and observations.

1) Diversity. Consider what you can offer and diversify as you can.
Can you have a variety of classes, good hours or a larger selection?

2) Knitting isn't going to be queen of the crafts forever - the shops
that survive the best are the ones that follow #1 the best. You
won't be able to compete with the chain stores, but have a variety
of yarns and sales. Consider having an account with a mill (or other
inexpensive types of yarn) so you can have some 'bargain' yarn. .
maybe to the point of having large cone(s) and winding off skeins for
the bargin basket/shelf. Those folk that can't afford to come in
and buy the $10/skein yarn to make a large sweater or afghan will
keep coming back and getting a few off your bargain table and
drooling on the more expensive yarn - if you keep giving them reasons
to visit - they'll come back when they have extra money (birthday,
anniversity, tax refunds. . .)

3) Have the prices readily available - too many times I've been in a
busy yarn store and they've lost business because I had no way to
find out prices and can't afford to just pick it out and not worry
how much it will cost.

4) Lose some floor space to chairs - maybe a table or two, and/or a
space for children to safely play.

5) Advertise what you have and where you are!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

6) #4 & 5 - can be used to encourage mothers with younger children that
would love to learn to knit/crochet. . . but can't afford a baby
sitter AND to buy the yarn/patterns/equipment - give them a way to
safely come and browse - encourage people to stay a little, sit down
and work on something. (or they already know how but just can't get
out to shop)

7) Take that thought and run! Someone comes in to browse and sees
another person working on a sock (because there is a place for
them to sit and work on one) - "ooooohhhh maybe I could learn
to do that" or "I've seen that pattern and didn't realize how pretty
it really is!" . . .

8) Have a Knit time - invite people to come and spend a hour or two once
or twice a month - or maybe once a month in the evening and once
during the day on the weekend or some such thing. . .

9) Is there a local guild of Lacemakers, knitters, spinners. . . might
consider hosting them occassionally or more often. . .

10) Think about your hours carefully - they, of course, need to work for
you but consider that a large number of folk work 8-5 so if you are
open only 9-5 they will have little opportunity to stop by.

11) HAVE A WEB PAGE - even if it is nothing more than one page with
address, phone number, hours and a list of yarns/items carried.
It makes it easier for people passing through and/or visiting your
town (or area) to find you!

12) Have classes!!!!!!

13) Have items already made up, using yarn you carry and patterns you
carry Make it a little different from the pattern picture (at
least a different color).

14) Have small items that people can make - using a more expensive yarn
but only needing one or two skeins. Like socks, scarves, pot
holders, mittens. . . . people will see them and think - wow! I
could get just one skein and have fun knitting/crochetting with it
and not go broke - they may end up liking the yarn so much that they
come back for enough to make a sweater

15) If there are other yarn stores in your area - visit them and see
what yarns they carry and what else they have going on - then be
different (doesn't have to be totally - but if you both carry
exactly the same thing and offer the exact same classes. . . then
since the other store(s) are already established - it could be
much harder for you to get any of the business.

Where - well right across from a Hobby Lobby or Michaels may not be the
best place but somewhere there's a bit of traffic could be good (if
they can easily see you are there - because of a easily readable sign
and or a good window display) - but considerations - lots of parking
(preferably free), safe place to be in the evenings/night time (if you
will be open then), maybe there is somewhere near for the SO to go
visit. Sometimes where doesn't matter as much - if the other
considerations are met *AND* people know where you are! If there is a
bus service - then close to a bus route would be a plus.


Good luck in your search for information - do be sure to check out a
small business course as suggested by others - this should give you the
in's and out's of the business/state side of having your own business.
Otherwise - these observations are from 30+ years of visiting many
craft/yarn stores and noticing what seems to be working and what seems
to be downfalls.

Sonya

In article ,
(Laurie) wrote:

I hope this isn't an inappropriate place to post this. But I'd love
to pick the brains of any of you that has owned or operated a
needlework store. It is kind of a dream of mine and I'm having such a
hard time finding employment, I wonder if I should look at employing
myself!

I just have a zillion questions. How stable is the industry? Startup
costs, monthly expenses, areas most likely to be a successful
location, how you got started, what were your greatest challenges,
what will sink the shop. Etc. etc. etc.

I'm not sure I'm ready to give up the work I love (corporate trainer),
but I'm curious about the above.

Thanks,
Laurie
Washougal, WA

Laurie:

I do not know the area you live in and also not how many people there are
still doing embroidery work. (I take it that you mean that when you say
needle works) My brother in law had a small embroidery store in Calgary,
and later here on the Island. In the end he quit, it was not making any
money. He found that wool stores, for knitting and crocheting, and stores
specializing in quilting materials were doing much better. He was close
to 65 and also did not have the capital to make the change.

Maybe going to a course on marketing and business back ground will be a
help. Go and look in your telephone book and see how many stores like
that are there and do visit them. Do they look properous, and would there
be room for a second store like it in your community. These are all
questions you have to get answers to Laurie. A very important question is
do you have capital to start up and if not, do you have collateral to get
a loan from the bank. It is a very complex situation. Go and get help
from professionals in your town.

Good luck with it....I would go and find out about it from someone in the know.

Els

--
delete doba to email me.....:=))

Hi Laurie!

I agree with most everything Sonya said...you should open a yarn store,
Sonya!

Truth be told, my friend and I were looking into opening one ourselves, so I
asked the owner of a yarn shop I frequent (30 miles away from home no
less!), and in addition to some of the points Sonya listed, he gave me some
things to consider:

1) When shopping for a retail location, look at the cars in the parking
lot. According to Chris (the LYS owner), if there aren't high-end cars in
the lot, it's not worth opening there. That brings us to his second point:

2) Your competitor, believe it or not, is not Michaels, Joann's or any
other chain store. When people make a conscious decision to shop for yarn
in a specialty store, they aren't looking for "cheap" or low-end yarn...they
want the good stuff. It's important, however, to carry good valued yarn as
well. For instance, although people would come in and drool over the Noro,
that's not going to be what you sell the most of every day. Keep some good,
reasonably priced wool yarns on hand as well as an alternative. Can't
afford the Rowan wools? Stock Brown Sheep close by in similar weights so
that the customer has the opportunity to choose.

3) As a curteousy, stock lower end acrylic and baby yarns, but don't make
this your main business. According to Chris, your bread and butter will be
coming from the moderately priced yarns, accessories, and perhaps
publications.

4) Holding classes and special events that are well publicized will also
generate good income. Don't overlook this.

That's what I've been told...but keep in mind, I live in Southern
California, and the culture here is pretty different (namely, many affluent
areas) from other parts of the country. You'll need to modify these
guidelines to suit your needs and your community.

Hope this helps! Good luck!

Allaya

"Laurie" wrote in message
m...
I hope this isn't an inappropriate place to post this. But I'd love
to pick the brains of any of you that has owned or operated a
needlework store. It is kind of a dream of mine and I'm having such a
hard time finding employment, I wonder if I should look at employing
myself!

I just have a zillion questions. How stable is the industry? Startup
costs, monthly expenses, areas most likely to be a successful
location, how you got started, what were your greatest challenges,
what will sink the shop. Etc. etc. etc.

I'm not sure I'm ready to give up the work I love (corporate trainer),
but I'm curious about the above.

Thanks,
Laurie
Washougal, WA

in article , goaliemom at
wrote on 8/30/03 9:54 AM:

One other thing I'd like to add is to have a catchy name that people will
remember. Something that stands out. It's probably on the bottom of the
list in importance, but it will keep you on the minds of people.
Goaliemom


------

"KnitWits" ?

Laurie,

Boy, have you ever received some good suggestions and tips. Sonya if you ever
open a store, I'll be there even though I don't know where you live. I have to
agree with one of the others about the crocheting, my LYS is only interested in
knitting and fabrics hardly any crocheting things at all so include that too.

Hugs,

Nora

Laurie wrote in message =
m...

I'm not sure I'm ready to give up the work I love (corporate trainer),
but I'm curious about the above.

What made me stay loyal to the wool shop near me is that when I enquired =
about a pattern, and told the lady that i was unsure that I could cope =
with it, she said that if I got stuck I could go back and she could give =
me a hand.

Very impressive.

Also, I was looking for some 100% cotton, or wool within a budget and =
she did a thorough search and found just enough for the jumper I was =
knitting in her stockroom.

If you think that you can do it, go for it. I had a bit of a panic when =
my mum gave up her job and opened a cafe last year. Thank goodness it is =
going alright, we were very worried for her at the time, but she knew =
she could do it )

Sarah
--=20

Laurie,
You are not the first person to post this question here. And what better
place to post it than in this group?
My first thing would be to make it a friendly store. Crafters are slow
shoppers, and need to be able to fondle yarn. It is helpful to have samples
of knitted things around so that people can see what certain wools look like
when knitted.
I would think that the industry is fairly stable, as people will always want
to create beauty. You would need to be very careful of the rent, as a high
rent can wipe you out.
Katherine

"Laurie" wrote in message
m...
I hope this isn't an inappropriate place to post this. But I'd love
to pick the brains of any of you that has owned or operated a
needlework store. It is kind of a dream of mine and I'm having such a
hard time finding employment, I wonder if I should look at employing
myself!

I just have a zillion questions. How stable is the industry? Startup
costs, monthly expenses, areas most likely to be a successful
location, how you got started, what were your greatest challenges,
what will sink the shop. Etc. etc. etc.

I'm not sure I'm ready to give up the work I love (corporate trainer),
but I'm curious about the above.

Thanks,
Laurie
Washougal, WA

Allaya, Southern California is shockingly lacking in yarn/needlework
stores. If you are serious, look at Pasadena. The South Lake
shopping area would be PRIME yarn store location. Well, as long as it
had a little tea shop in the back for lunches. There are masses of
companies around there that flood the streets at lunch time and with
those disposable incomes and computer glazed eyes, I think there are
converts waiting to happen. If I hadn't been bent on coming back to
the Pacific Northwest, that is where I would have opened a shop.

I appreciate everyone's advice. I've been printing out the
suggestions and I agree with them all. I'm a crocheter and have
dropped a bundle when I managed to find neat patterns for crochet (I'm
doing socks right now and they are CUTE).

Fortunately I do have some retail experience and better yet, a lot of
customer service, merchandising, and marketing experience so I know I
could draw customers in and get them to buy. I just don't know much
about the demographics of areas to decide on locations (fortunately, I
haven't bought a home here yet so I'm mobile). I've never negotiated
a lease and I've never done a payroll. Ugh, and the taxes...I'll look
up those small business courses right now!

I am also taking advantage of SCORE but I thought the best juice would
come from the demographic I would be targeting as a customer.

You are all being very helpful!
Laurie
Washougal, WA