I exported all of these posts into my new website blog page - Weaving In The Loose Ends
Please join me and my endeavors as I continue to strive to open the yarn shop this September!
And, as always, thank you for your support!
-Teva
Sunday, June 22, 2014
Saturday, June 7, 2014
WE HAVE A WEBSITE!!
http://www.looseendsfiberarts.com/
Well, there is not very much to it right now, but it is very colorful and bright and I just love the design job that joonbuggraphicdesign.com did for me!
Go ahead and check it out....and get back to me with what you think!
Yes, there is a blog page. I will start a new blog there once my brick and mortar is open.
Speaking of brick and mortar, did I mention I applied for a place on N.Tower Ave, Centralia? It was about a week ago, and they should be done with the background check by now. I called on Friday and left a message with the Realtor asking for an update, but I never heard back from her. They are about to get harassed, starting on Monday!
In the meantime, a Ravelry friend and I are working up our sample projects for the commercial yarn line I will be stocking - Noro, Ella Rae, Debbie Bliss, Juniper Moon Farms, Painted Desert, and much more!
I meet with the Malabrigo representative in 2 weeks! woohoo sock yarn!
Also, I really want to thank those who are supporting me and my endeavors. Even the random serendipitous support has been fantastic! I recently ran into a lady from Bellevue who closed/retired her collectibles shop. I am happy to say that I am getting quite a bit of glass display cubes, a cash register, the register stand and cabinet, all for a great deal! Yipppeeee!
Wednesday, May 28, 2014
Update for the month of May
Well, I can't believe it's been three weeks since my last post! I have a milestone today - I submitted an application for a retail space - 401 N. Tower, to be exact. Hopefully it will get approved and I will finally be on my way to my brick & mortar dream!
ALSO, my website is almost ready! Actually, it is pretty ready, but since I don't have anything to offer yet, it is not ready for publishing quite yet.
The rest of this month has been dedicated to networking and finishing up my business plan....which isn't finished yet.....
As for networking, I located the Centralia Downtown Association's (CDA) Facebook page and posted the link to this blog, and the president of the board invited me to their next board meeting.
A strange coincidence - a few days later I happened to be downtown in a coffee shop with a yarn distributor, and a stranger came up to me and said "You must be Teva! I see all this yarn and figured it had to be you!" and that was how I met Steve, the CDA president.
The CDA board meeting went SOOOO LONG, I didn't think I would have anyone left to talk to after it was over. Those who weren't board members weren't required to stay, so half of the group was gone by the time I was able to talk about my plans for the shop. Everyone was excited to have a new type of shop in the area and are very supportive. What was really neat though, was that after the meeting, the board members hung around and walked along the sidewalk and pointed out a few empty spaces for me to consider - and this was at 9:30 at night on a Thursday!
And then there is Ravelry.com. This is a great resource for those who knit or crochet - and I think spinning and weaving are picking up on this social site as well. I created a group for my shop and I am really excited about the support that everyone is giving, and membership to the group is growing daily. One recommendation is to have a sit & stitch group meet downtown once a week at a local eatery, until I get my shop open. I think that is an awesome idea and I'm going to take a look at a few places this week.
I am really enjoying my new little hometown. :)
ALSO, my website is almost ready! Actually, it is pretty ready, but since I don't have anything to offer yet, it is not ready for publishing quite yet.
The rest of this month has been dedicated to networking and finishing up my business plan....which isn't finished yet.....
As for networking, I located the Centralia Downtown Association's (CDA) Facebook page and posted the link to this blog, and the president of the board invited me to their next board meeting.
A strange coincidence - a few days later I happened to be downtown in a coffee shop with a yarn distributor, and a stranger came up to me and said "You must be Teva! I see all this yarn and figured it had to be you!" and that was how I met Steve, the CDA president.
The CDA board meeting went SOOOO LONG, I didn't think I would have anyone left to talk to after it was over. Those who weren't board members weren't required to stay, so half of the group was gone by the time I was able to talk about my plans for the shop. Everyone was excited to have a new type of shop in the area and are very supportive. What was really neat though, was that after the meeting, the board members hung around and walked along the sidewalk and pointed out a few empty spaces for me to consider - and this was at 9:30 at night on a Thursday!
And then there is Ravelry.com. This is a great resource for those who knit or crochet - and I think spinning and weaving are picking up on this social site as well. I created a group for my shop and I am really excited about the support that everyone is giving, and membership to the group is growing daily. One recommendation is to have a sit & stitch group meet downtown once a week at a local eatery, until I get my shop open. I think that is an awesome idea and I'm going to take a look at a few places this week.
I am really enjoying my new little hometown. :)
Monday, May 12, 2014
I will not be defeated!
On my hunt for a retail location.....it's not looking so good. I checked out one place, and the owner apparently didn't 'like' me or something, because he never returned my phone calls after that. I'm very disappointed in his lack of professionalism.
The next place I looked at is AWESOME......but it is a huge warehouse (10,000 sq ft!) and he wants a couple thousand dollars a month for rent. I was hoping to have a few subleaser's interested, but they aren't faring well right now and wouldn't be able to afford it. I definitely can't do the rent by myself.
I'm looking for a good 1500 sq ft to get started with. There is one place on Tower that is being renovated but they obviously aren't looking for a lease agreement until that's completed.
My only option, I think, is to start looking off of the main strip...but there aren't a whole lot of options there, either, because I want to be in on the local foot traffic. I don't want to be too far away from the heart of the city. I want to become a downtown staple!
Still plugging away at my Business Plan....will probably be looking for a CPA soon.....
The next place I looked at is AWESOME......but it is a huge warehouse (10,000 sq ft!) and he wants a couple thousand dollars a month for rent. I was hoping to have a few subleaser's interested, but they aren't faring well right now and wouldn't be able to afford it. I definitely can't do the rent by myself.
I'm looking for a good 1500 sq ft to get started with. There is one place on Tower that is being renovated but they obviously aren't looking for a lease agreement until that's completed.
My only option, I think, is to start looking off of the main strip...but there aren't a whole lot of options there, either, because I want to be in on the local foot traffic. I don't want to be too far away from the heart of the city. I want to become a downtown staple!
Still plugging away at my Business Plan....will probably be looking for a CPA soon.....
Thursday, May 1, 2014
Logo's are here!
I reviewed and accepted my new logo's yesterday! woohoo! Also, you can find us here:
This one is going to be our "Limited Edition" logo. I am going to print that only on a few things like maybe 10 canvas bags, etc, and then offer them up in raffles and things.
This one is our 'EVERY DAY' logo. I can't wait to get coffee mugs, stickers, canvas bags, etc printed up!
Now, if only I could find the retail space I need!!
Friday, April 18, 2014
Enjoying the Process
My boyfriend and I just spent the last 5 days in Northern California and recharged. It was fantastic, spent some time in the Russian River Valley (wine tasting!), enjoyed the sun, spent a day in San Francisco, and drove along the coast and through the majestic Redwood Forest on the way back home (my favorite part).
While we were there, we checked out two local yarn shops and talked with the owners for a few minutes. I would love to give a shout out to Trudy, the owner of Yarnitudes in Sebastopol (near Santa Rosa) and to Rosanne of Purls of Joy in Healdsburg, about 30 minutes north. They greeted us right when we stepped through their doors and immediately made us feel like part of the family. When I explained that I was planning on opening my own store in Washington, they were so very supportive- and almost overwhelmed me with lessons learned and hints! The wealth of knowledge between the two - to include the stitchers at Purls of Joy who were there working on their projects - was so vast, and everyone was so much fun to talk to. I will take their comments to heart and keep in touch.
I am rejuvenated. I had to make it a point NOT to think about what I want to do with my shop while on vacation and just enjoy the moment. (It was so very difficult to keep my mind quiet!) As we were getting closer to home, however, I could feel my mind start to crank up again.
I will definitely be incorporating Trudy's and Rosanne's ideas in my shop. Some of the ideas I already had tossed around as possibilities. One thing that I did completely change my mind on was the color of the shelving. Remember in my earlier blog that I wanted dark shelving? Well, after walking into Purls of Joy and being blinded by the brightness - which was a GOOD thing, I was convinced that WHITE shelving is the way to go. How much better to see the yarn colors!
Keep stitching!
Teva
While we were there, we checked out two local yarn shops and talked with the owners for a few minutes. I would love to give a shout out to Trudy, the owner of Yarnitudes in Sebastopol (near Santa Rosa) and to Rosanne of Purls of Joy in Healdsburg, about 30 minutes north. They greeted us right when we stepped through their doors and immediately made us feel like part of the family. When I explained that I was planning on opening my own store in Washington, they were so very supportive- and almost overwhelmed me with lessons learned and hints! The wealth of knowledge between the two - to include the stitchers at Purls of Joy who were there working on their projects - was so vast, and everyone was so much fun to talk to. I will take their comments to heart and keep in touch.
I am rejuvenated. I had to make it a point NOT to think about what I want to do with my shop while on vacation and just enjoy the moment. (It was so very difficult to keep my mind quiet!) As we were getting closer to home, however, I could feel my mind start to crank up again.
I will definitely be incorporating Trudy's and Rosanne's ideas in my shop. Some of the ideas I already had tossed around as possibilities. One thing that I did completely change my mind on was the color of the shelving. Remember in my earlier blog that I wanted dark shelving? Well, after walking into Purls of Joy and being blinded by the brightness - which was a GOOD thing, I was convinced that WHITE shelving is the way to go. How much better to see the yarn colors!
Keep stitching!
Teva
Tuesday, April 8, 2014
The search is on
Well I checked out two potential leases today. One was for 5,000 square feet and the other was 1200.
The 5,000 sf place was EXACTLY WHAT I AM LOOKING FOR. Except that I don't think my yarn shop is going to make $2000 a month right off the bat. So that one is on my "will move into someday" list.
The 1200sf place is also a good place for a start-up, but it was a salon&spa before and it has too many small rooms that would have to be demo'd. I don't want to demo. Also, it has a drop ceiling that I would want to demo, because the REAL ceiling, maybe 6 feet higher, HAS THE ORIGINAL TIN CEILING SQUARES!!! Oh, that would be so awesome to see every day. Owner only wants $500 a month for it, but it is on a side street and not quite on the main "antique mall" strip.
There is one more shop available that I am pretty sure is the one for me right now. It is probably 3,000 sf and it the storefront is RIGHT ON THE STREET that I want. The owner wants $600 a month. However, I know the person who owns the belly dancing studio right next door, and with her help there's a chance I could get him to drop the rent 50-100 bucks. Worth a shot!
So now I am trying to get off of my duff and get the financial projections together. It's a pain in the ass and the leg work....ugh. I need to decide how much, what type, and what colors of yarn to get initially ordered. Notions, too. What sizes of knitting needles? How many of each size? Same with crochet needles too.
There is a local glassworks guy and I might be able to get an order of glass stitch markers made....
I think I am going to shoot for a September or October Grand Opening. Which means I will be stocking for fall and Christmas initially. Now I just need to find wholesalers in the local area. :)
A safe for the cash. A file cabinet. A scale so when I buy roving in 50lb bulk I can break it down and sell it by the oz. (roving is fiber for spinners to make yarn out of).
This blog is a great place for me to get my thoughts together.
Peg board and hooks. Where do I get that from? hmm, more research to do!
Yarn that I know I am going to have initially: Malabrigo wool. Alpaca. Sock weight. Sport weight.
I am also going to look at knitting patterns and have those available with the yarn it calls for too. Does anyone have any ideas? Feel free to post them in the comments!
Ok, enough procrastinating, back to finances I go.....
The 5,000 sf place was EXACTLY WHAT I AM LOOKING FOR. Except that I don't think my yarn shop is going to make $2000 a month right off the bat. So that one is on my "will move into someday" list.
The 1200sf place is also a good place for a start-up, but it was a salon&spa before and it has too many small rooms that would have to be demo'd. I don't want to demo. Also, it has a drop ceiling that I would want to demo, because the REAL ceiling, maybe 6 feet higher, HAS THE ORIGINAL TIN CEILING SQUARES!!! Oh, that would be so awesome to see every day. Owner only wants $500 a month for it, but it is on a side street and not quite on the main "antique mall" strip.
There is one more shop available that I am pretty sure is the one for me right now. It is probably 3,000 sf and it the storefront is RIGHT ON THE STREET that I want. The owner wants $600 a month. However, I know the person who owns the belly dancing studio right next door, and with her help there's a chance I could get him to drop the rent 50-100 bucks. Worth a shot!
So now I am trying to get off of my duff and get the financial projections together. It's a pain in the ass and the leg work....ugh. I need to decide how much, what type, and what colors of yarn to get initially ordered. Notions, too. What sizes of knitting needles? How many of each size? Same with crochet needles too.
There is a local glassworks guy and I might be able to get an order of glass stitch markers made....
I think I am going to shoot for a September or October Grand Opening. Which means I will be stocking for fall and Christmas initially. Now I just need to find wholesalers in the local area. :)
A safe for the cash. A file cabinet. A scale so when I buy roving in 50lb bulk I can break it down and sell it by the oz. (roving is fiber for spinners to make yarn out of).
This blog is a great place for me to get my thoughts together.
Peg board and hooks. Where do I get that from? hmm, more research to do!
Yarn that I know I am going to have initially: Malabrigo wool. Alpaca. Sock weight. Sport weight.
I am also going to look at knitting patterns and have those available with the yarn it calls for too. Does anyone have any ideas? Feel free to post them in the comments!
Ok, enough procrastinating, back to finances I go.....
Friday, April 4, 2014
The Decision Has Been Made!!
So, today was the second week that I visited the shop to see if the owner had her financial paperwork yet. She seemed busy with a customer, but when she looked up and saw me she immediately said "I don't have them yet" and then she went right back to showing the customer how to use a spinning wheel. I felt absolutely dismissed, so I hung around for about 10 minutes to see if I could talk to her. However, the customer was asking specific questions about the shop......and it finally occurred to me that she was the other buyer!
So, I decided then and there that I am going to open my own shop in Centralia. It seems to me that if a seller was interested in selling, they would have the paperwork ready as soon as possible. I realized today that she is favoring the other buyer so that is the end of that! Look out Chehalis, you are about to have some serious yarn competition. :)
So, I decided then and there that I am going to open my own shop in Centralia. It seems to me that if a seller was interested in selling, they would have the paperwork ready as soon as possible. I realized today that she is favoring the other buyer so that is the end of that! Look out Chehalis, you are about to have some serious yarn competition. :)
Friday, March 21, 2014
Plot Twist!
Oh no! I went to the yarn shop to ask the owner for copies of her financial records, and she told me that there is another person interested in the place, too. Competition!
You know what? That's ok. Because when I do all of this hard work putting my business portfolio together with a business plan and financials in place, it will be a piece of cake to take it and start my own business with it here in my town. (This shop for sale is in the neighboring town, but not far). THEN who's the competition? #alwaysabrighterside!
When I showed up at the shop today, I expected it to be quiet and just be her there, like it was two days ago. Surprise! The place was full of knitters and spinners! It was great! So I hung around for a while and got to know everybody and had a ball learning about spinning. I even got invited to one lady's house to learn how to weave! They meet at her place the first Wednesday of every month. How cool is that?
This is exactly what I am looking for. I hope I am able to take it over!
You know what? That's ok. Because when I do all of this hard work putting my business portfolio together with a business plan and financials in place, it will be a piece of cake to take it and start my own business with it here in my town. (This shop for sale is in the neighboring town, but not far). THEN who's the competition? #alwaysabrighterside!
When I showed up at the shop today, I expected it to be quiet and just be her there, like it was two days ago. Surprise! The place was full of knitters and spinners! It was great! So I hung around for a while and got to know everybody and had a ball learning about spinning. I even got invited to one lady's house to learn how to weave! They meet at her place the first Wednesday of every month. How cool is that?
This is exactly what I am looking for. I hope I am able to take it over!
Thursday, March 20, 2014
New Business Daydreaming
There is a yarn shop in Lakewood, Washington that I absolutely adore. What I love about it is that it is a welcoming place with lots of comfortable deep chairs, love seats, and coffee tables. It makes you want to bring your current WIP (work in progress) project and sit down, have a cup of tea, and visit with others. It's like the South's version of the barber shop. Hahaha. You feel at home.
This is what I want my place to be like. The same way I wanted my book shop to be like. Welcome! Come on in! Have a seat, pull out your yarn, and stitch away! Put your feet up, have a cup of coffee, enjoy the atmosphere and join the discussion!
The yarn shop I am interested in buying doesn't have that ambiance right now. An extra large folding table and folding chairs, that's it.
Even the containers that the yarn inventory is in -- stackable white steel wire containers! How cold and uninviting! Those of you who know me know how I love wood furniture. I think wood containers - the kind of diamond shape shelving like wine bottles are stored in - would be more warm and inviting. Hey, I will have YOU be the judge. Imagine yarn in place of what you see in these pictures:
Which is more inviting? Which would you prefer? (Of course, just the wine, right?!! Well, you are in luck, because there is a WINE BAR right across the hallway in this building!! So we don't need our own wine!)
And smells....I am all about inviting smells. I could put sachets of cedar chips in with the yarn....or, I could find a chocolate chip cookie candle. Or maybe even and oatmeal raisin candle. Anything that reminds you of your Grandma and the crafts she used to make.
Why spend a quiet night at home crocheting or knitting by yourself? Grab your WIP and come on over. We have a seat waiting for you with a nice hot cup of tea.
This is what I want my place to be like. The same way I wanted my book shop to be like. Welcome! Come on in! Have a seat, pull out your yarn, and stitch away! Put your feet up, have a cup of coffee, enjoy the atmosphere and join the discussion!
The yarn shop I am interested in buying doesn't have that ambiance right now. An extra large folding table and folding chairs, that's it.
Even the containers that the yarn inventory is in -- stackable white steel wire containers! How cold and uninviting! Those of you who know me know how I love wood furniture. I think wood containers - the kind of diamond shape shelving like wine bottles are stored in - would be more warm and inviting. Hey, I will have YOU be the judge. Imagine yarn in place of what you see in these pictures:
And smells....I am all about inviting smells. I could put sachets of cedar chips in with the yarn....or, I could find a chocolate chip cookie candle. Or maybe even and oatmeal raisin candle. Anything that reminds you of your Grandma and the crafts she used to make.
Why spend a quiet night at home crocheting or knitting by yourself? Grab your WIP and come on over. We have a seat waiting for you with a nice hot cup of tea.
Should I or Shouldn't I?
Since I live in a rural-ish area (20 miles from the State Capital), I did a Google map search of local yarn shops in the area. I wanted to scope out the competition! I found only one in my area. My boyfriend and I checked it out just yesterday.
It is in an old historical building, which I like. The store front does not open to the sidewalk, however. One must go into the building down a hallway to enter the shop. I'm not sure if I care for that aspect or not. But I do love the building. Original wooden floors in the shop! Very nice. It is a bit on the small side, and I noticed that the variety of yarn left much to be desired.
After talking to the owner, I found out that she has run the shop for 14 years and is ready to retire. Unfortunately, nobody has shown any interest in buying the shop from her.
***DING DING DING DING***
Oh, really? Is this the "Divine" calling that everyone talks about? What are the odds? Should I be interested? Should I buy this place instead of start from scratch? Wait - how much does she want for it?
75K. Seems reasonable actually. Rent in the old building is $525. Oh, how I wish I knew what the hell I was doing!
On the way home, my boyfriend and I discussed the possibilities. He is all for supporting me, which is something I am not used to! He is ready to help me with whatever I need. How awesome is that? <3
I know the VA is there to help veterans. I know the SBA is a great resource as well. I know I have an advantage being female also. So, I came home and immediately went on the internet to look things up. I found that the national 2011 average earnings for a local yarn shop owner was $59K. So I would be looking at probably three years to pay off a business loan. Since I have no idea if that is any good or not, I am assuming that it is.
Do I want to be tied down to a shop and not be available to just get up and go? Well, considering I am currently relying on a fixed retirement income, my "get up and go" is severely limited already. So that answers that.
What are my other obstacles? Well, I need to create a business plan. Do I want to keep the original business name, or do I want to change it? I need a mission statement. I need a marketing plan. I need to know the current financials. ugh. My next step is to contact SCORE and take advantage of their free counseling for those who wish to become new business owners.
So, with a little bit more research, I will find out whether this is a feasible venture or not. I hope it is, because the more I think about it, the more excited I become.
It is in an old historical building, which I like. The store front does not open to the sidewalk, however. One must go into the building down a hallway to enter the shop. I'm not sure if I care for that aspect or not. But I do love the building. Original wooden floors in the shop! Very nice. It is a bit on the small side, and I noticed that the variety of yarn left much to be desired.
After talking to the owner, I found out that she has run the shop for 14 years and is ready to retire. Unfortunately, nobody has shown any interest in buying the shop from her.
***DING DING DING DING***
Oh, really? Is this the "Divine" calling that everyone talks about? What are the odds? Should I be interested? Should I buy this place instead of start from scratch? Wait - how much does she want for it?
75K. Seems reasonable actually. Rent in the old building is $525. Oh, how I wish I knew what the hell I was doing!
On the way home, my boyfriend and I discussed the possibilities. He is all for supporting me, which is something I am not used to! He is ready to help me with whatever I need. How awesome is that? <3
I know the VA is there to help veterans. I know the SBA is a great resource as well. I know I have an advantage being female also. So, I came home and immediately went on the internet to look things up. I found that the national 2011 average earnings for a local yarn shop owner was $59K. So I would be looking at probably three years to pay off a business loan. Since I have no idea if that is any good or not, I am assuming that it is.
Do I want to be tied down to a shop and not be available to just get up and go? Well, considering I am currently relying on a fixed retirement income, my "get up and go" is severely limited already. So that answers that.
What are my other obstacles? Well, I need to create a business plan. Do I want to keep the original business name, or do I want to change it? I need a mission statement. I need a marketing plan. I need to know the current financials. ugh. My next step is to contact SCORE and take advantage of their free counseling for those who wish to become new business owners.
So, with a little bit more research, I will find out whether this is a feasible venture or not. I hope it is, because the more I think about it, the more excited I become.
The History
Here I am, only 44 years old and I've been retired from the Army for 5 years already. So far I have finished my degree, volunteered for the American Red Cross, worked as an AmeriCorps member for the American Red Cross as well. Neither worked out; personality conflicts. Specifically, it was very difficult for me to assimilate into the civilian workforce and have a boss that was half my age and had never had subordinates before. Lesson learned.
My degree is a B.S. in Emergency Management. Since I was living in a rural community, the County Emergency Management office was not hiring. I applied several times to the State Emergency Management Division, but I didn't have enough experience (duh) to get hired. Catch 22. I tried to operate my own small consulting service, but since I have absolutely no experience in business besides an Intro to Business class 20+ years ago...it didn't go anywhere.
So here I am, 5 years after retiring, and still trying to figure out what I want to do with my life. I started thinking about the old used book store I used to visit in Syracuse, NY when I was stationed north of there at Ft. Drum. I love the smell of old books. It was a century old warehouse, two story, and it was full of them from floor to ceiling. The original wooden floors creaked. The lighting was soft. There were deep, comfortably cushioned chairs that one could sink in and peruse through any books of interest. It was there that I learned Stephen King wrote under a pseudonym! An amazing find for me, at the time.
Back then, in my early twenties, this is what I wanted to do someday. To own my own old used book store-with the same ambiance. Now that I'm a little more older and wiser, I don't think it would be a good fit for me, although I still love the musty smell when I walk into a used book store.
I have been doing alot of crocheting lately. It keeps my busy and makes me feel like I am accomplishing something while sitting on my ass watching TV. I learned how to crochet from my paternal grandmother when I was a young girl and just recently realized the joy of creating with my hands. The satisfaction. I have also discovered a new world of fiber. Tons of different kinds of yarn - yay! I don't have to deal with itchy acrylic yarn from the fabric store anymore! There is bamboo! Alpaca! Merino wool! So much softer against the skin.
A couple of years ago I went to a Fiber Arts Expo in Tacoma, Washington. So overwhelming! I didn't truly become a fiber geek, however, until I participated in the "South Sound Yarn Crawl" in 2011. For those that don't know, a 'Yarn Crawl' is put on by local shop owners who promote their shops by creating a type of passport to print. Customers visit each participating shop over a certain amount of days, get their passport stamped, and are entered into a nightly drawing. At each shop they visit, they are treated to discounted prices on specialty yarn and given a free pattern to crochet or knit. There is also a designated pattern and participants are encouraged to buy the yarn required from each shop they visit. For example, here is a picture of the SSYC pattern I completed. (My beautiful daughter is the model!)
So, yes I digress. My point in all this, is that about a month ago I started considering opening a local yarn shop, just like the kind that participate in the Yarn Crawl.
My degree is a B.S. in Emergency Management. Since I was living in a rural community, the County Emergency Management office was not hiring. I applied several times to the State Emergency Management Division, but I didn't have enough experience (duh) to get hired. Catch 22. I tried to operate my own small consulting service, but since I have absolutely no experience in business besides an Intro to Business class 20+ years ago...it didn't go anywhere.
So here I am, 5 years after retiring, and still trying to figure out what I want to do with my life. I started thinking about the old used book store I used to visit in Syracuse, NY when I was stationed north of there at Ft. Drum. I love the smell of old books. It was a century old warehouse, two story, and it was full of them from floor to ceiling. The original wooden floors creaked. The lighting was soft. There were deep, comfortably cushioned chairs that one could sink in and peruse through any books of interest. It was there that I learned Stephen King wrote under a pseudonym! An amazing find for me, at the time.
Back then, in my early twenties, this is what I wanted to do someday. To own my own old used book store-with the same ambiance. Now that I'm a little more older and wiser, I don't think it would be a good fit for me, although I still love the musty smell when I walk into a used book store.
I have been doing alot of crocheting lately. It keeps my busy and makes me feel like I am accomplishing something while sitting on my ass watching TV. I learned how to crochet from my paternal grandmother when I was a young girl and just recently realized the joy of creating with my hands. The satisfaction. I have also discovered a new world of fiber. Tons of different kinds of yarn - yay! I don't have to deal with itchy acrylic yarn from the fabric store anymore! There is bamboo! Alpaca! Merino wool! So much softer against the skin.
A couple of years ago I went to a Fiber Arts Expo in Tacoma, Washington. So overwhelming! I didn't truly become a fiber geek, however, until I participated in the "South Sound Yarn Crawl" in 2011. For those that don't know, a 'Yarn Crawl' is put on by local shop owners who promote their shops by creating a type of passport to print. Customers visit each participating shop over a certain amount of days, get their passport stamped, and are entered into a nightly drawing. At each shop they visit, they are treated to discounted prices on specialty yarn and given a free pattern to crochet or knit. There is also a designated pattern and participants are encouraged to buy the yarn required from each shop they visit. For example, here is a picture of the SSYC pattern I completed. (My beautiful daughter is the model!)
So, yes I digress. My point in all this, is that about a month ago I started considering opening a local yarn shop, just like the kind that participate in the Yarn Crawl.
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