Well, a sign of the times–my local yarn shop (LYS) is closing its doors the end of August.
I haven’t actually asked the owners why this is happening. I can only guess. Perhaps online shopping is digging into their sales (although yarn is so tactile, there is nothing online that can compare with holding it in your hands) or the pandemic put them so far behind they haven’t been able to catch up. One way or the other, I’m assuming sales are down.
Or perhaps they’re being forced out of their building by land developers, who are rampant in the area, and they know they won’t be able to rent anything else for the same price.
All speculation.
What I know for sure is this: I will miss them. I’ve been an avid knitter for 43 years, and never lived in a town without at least one yarn store. Some have definitely been better than others, but they all provided me with what I needed. Not just yarn, but the supplies you sometimes forget about when you’re starting a project, like the right size needles.
Don’t tell me I can buy yarn at Hobby Lobby or Walmart. Nuh-uh. It’s not the same as the top quality yarn you can purchase at a LYS. There’s something wonderful about discovering a new merino wool, re-discovering Shetland wool or finding out there is such a thing as machine washable alpaca. You don’t get that at chain stores.
And yarn stores have been more than a place to purchase supplies. I’ve met some of my closest friends in them, debated relationships around the stitch-and-bitch tables, taken refuge during some of my saddest days. They are community centers as much as they are places to shop, full of character and spirit.
So I’m mourning the loss of a brick-and-mortar friend. Farewell, good buddy.
Image Credits : yarn © Maciej Bledowski–stock.adobe.com; women knitting © AboutLife–stock.adobe.com
My World With Words 
Reblogged this on Designs & Words and commented:
From my other blog, a few thoughts on a sad farewell.
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What a loss this is, Belinda. I’m sad about it for you. I really understand.
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Thank you, Judy. It’s funny the things you think you can take for granted.
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So true. What comes to my mind is the cliché that “when one door closes another one opens.” I’m going to hope something opens up that will revive your spirit, Belinda!
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Thank you! That’s something to look forward to..
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Belinda–I grieve for you. Chain stores cannot compete with the camaraderie or product you get with a local store–any local store. This is sad.
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Thank you. It’s a difficult loss for me and one that I think will be more challenging as time goes on.
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Belinda, that’s a shame. Who knows…someone may hear of that, get inspired, and decide to take a run at opening a similar shop. That has happened here…where a type of shop will close and a similar one will open to fill that void. It reminded me of a “news agency” that was open for years where I grew up/live…they sold Hallmark cards and figurines in the back, but in the front there were newspapers, magazines, paperbacks as well as the ability to buy lottery tickets, cigars, gum, etc. People in town would always see each other and talk for a few minutes. It was a news stand with a gift section. It was also a community of sorts, and it was a loss for many when it closed.
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Hopefully another shop opens…we’ll see. I think there’s the market in the area, but what do I know? Community is so important.
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I love the tribute to your yarn stores. I like that you shared an important part of your life and that you shared how others may feel as well. Loved it!
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Thank you. Your words mean a lot to me. They show I was able to communicate how I’m feeling about a place that’s been such a big part of my life.
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