Monday, March 16, 2009
I think the scariest part is over.
Well it's March and Spring is in the air. I can't believe I have been a shop owner for eight months now. I quit my second job and made the shop hours even more convenient. I close the shop on Mondays and Tuesdays so that I can open on Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday. Sundays have been really good. I hope that customers are enjoying it as much as I am.
The Dedham Big Dig across the street from me has made it difficult to park during the week so my weekend hours have been very good. Though a little thing like parking doesn't stop knitters and crocheters. Fiber crafters are very interesting people. I love to sit at the table and just marvel at how so many different people can come together and feel so comfortable because we have something in common...our love for creating.
The Sunday group is very interesting. I don't ask people about their background too much. I like that it doesn't seem to matter where we all came from. Of course facts come up but usually in a very natural manner and not because anyone is judging each other. We all enjoy and celebrate the achievments of the person sitting at the table. Some are young, old, don't speak english, white, black, catholic, protestant, Jewish,gay, locals and not so local. It all seems so natural.
This is why there have been so many books written about this phenomenon. I recognize that getting to be a part of this is a gift. I may have started Sheep Skate but it is the people that come to knit, crochet, felt or just chat that are the ones who keep it going. From now on I am going to try to say Thank You more often.
The Dedham Big Dig across the street from me has made it difficult to park during the week so my weekend hours have been very good. Though a little thing like parking doesn't stop knitters and crocheters. Fiber crafters are very interesting people. I love to sit at the table and just marvel at how so many different people can come together and feel so comfortable because we have something in common...our love for creating.
The Sunday group is very interesting. I don't ask people about their background too much. I like that it doesn't seem to matter where we all came from. Of course facts come up but usually in a very natural manner and not because anyone is judging each other. We all enjoy and celebrate the achievments of the person sitting at the table. Some are young, old, don't speak english, white, black, catholic, protestant, Jewish,gay, locals and not so local. It all seems so natural.
This is why there have been so many books written about this phenomenon. I recognize that getting to be a part of this is a gift. I may have started Sheep Skate but it is the people that come to knit, crochet, felt or just chat that are the ones who keep it going. From now on I am going to try to say Thank You more often.
Thursday, December 11, 2008
The making of a yarn and craft shop
Sheep Skate Yarn and Craft is my newest creation. I signed the lease in July of 2008. I knew that I wanted to be my own boss and that I wanted to open a shop. When my fitness career ended due to old age I was very lost. I wandered around for a couple of years, trying this and that. By the time I realized that I wanted to open a yarn shop here in Dedham Square someone else had already done it. Once I got over my initial shock, I decided I would help her run her shop. Well it didn't take too long before I realized we did not see eye to eye on how things should be run or how to treat the customers. I was disappointed when I had to quit and find another job.
I kept an eye on that shop in the square. I listened to what people were saying. I drove by often to see that no one was ever in it. Their hours were not convenient and often they would close the doors when they were supposed to be open. It soon became clear that this shop was going to close.
I watched and waited and the day I got the news that it was officially closing I started looking for a new shop. While I was looking I started to aquire furnishings. To make a long story short, I found a great little space with some character and a lot of charm (code for really old and slightly lopsided). I saw the potential.
I painted it Lilac because Zeno from Kouzina's(the restaurant down the street) pointed out how nice it would look. I brought in all the little odd ball pieces that I had bought and it all started to fall together.
I got online. Did some research. I figured out which yarns I wanted to start out with. O.K. some of it was just guess work but some I had worked with. I made appointments with different yarn reps. Each company had such gorgeous stuff it was sooo hard to make up my mind. I looked at cost, quality, color and touch, not in any particular order. It was an amazing and nerve racking process.
I know by writing it all down in this matter-of-fact way it makes it sound like it was a breeze, but believe me owning your own shop is not for everyone. I think you need to be either really smart or really crazy. I'm not what you would consider really smart.
You can come on in and judge for yourself. Whatever you decide about me is O.k. because whatever drove me to it....I have definitely created a really nice place.
Sheep Skate Yarn and Crafts
533 High St.
Dedham Square
Dedham, MA 02026
781-320-9276
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