Stitchboard Admin message #437
Re: Tunisian gauge
May 2, 2014 at 10:26:03 PM  (in response to BetwixtTheStitch message #1)
 
Sherry,

Absolutely, then, the big box stores will not do!    For a baby blanket, you must be sure the color matches exactly!

I'm so glad they do understand about available colors!    People who don't crochet or knit often don't understand that you can't just "invent" colors as you want.  You have to go with what's out there!

Somewhat sad news...found out that a semi-local bead store closed for good.    I went to call them and their phone number was disconnected. 

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Stitchboard Admin message #439
Re: Tunisian gauge
May 3, 2014 at 5:38:35 PM  (in response to BetwixtTheStitch message #3)
 
Sherry,

Exactly!  Artists, even people who paint houses can get custom colors...but try asking RH or Caron for a custom color...they'll laugh you right out of the business!

I don't know what was behind the decision to close the bead store.  It could be competition from big box stores...but not sure that's it, since they really can't compete with a full-service bead store.  I'm guessing it was because of the economy.  Or maybe they were just tired of being in business.  Could have also been that a supplier dried up.  All I know is that it's a terrible shame.    But hardly surprising, given these tough economic times. 

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Stitchboard Admin message #441
Re: Tunisian gauge
May 4, 2014 at 4:33:29 PM  (in response to BetwixtTheStitch message #5)
 
Sherry,

It's very sad...that's why I feel it's so important to keep local merchants going...even though that one wasn't really terribly "local" to us, and that's why we didn't even know when they closed up, because we so rarely get out in that direction. 

It's ridiculously expensive to have an actual store front.    The big box stores have an entire conglomerate behind them, so of course, they don't have as big of a problem, but mom & pop stores are becoming more rare.

We lost our only yarn store in the area a few years ago...so now either we have to drive at least half an hour out to get to another or buy online.  There isn't even a choice. 

But this also is not surprising.  They can't compete with the big box stores, so many of the store fronts go empty instead.

We have all kinds of empty store spaces in our area, and stupidly, someone else built a new building in town for more stores, and thus far, it's gone empty.  No idea what they were thinking.  I'm guessing that unless they have a bunch of money, they're going to be seriously strapped for cash, because I don't see how anyone is going to go in there.

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Stitchboard Admin message #443
Re: Tunisian gauge
May 6, 2014 at 5:55:49 PM  (in response to BetwixtTheStitch message #7)
 
Sherry,

I hate to see the independents going out of business.    A friend of ours had a store and she had to go out.  She was buying the building, but business had been soooo bad, she had to stop paying, and of course, they foreclosed on her.    Her shop was so nice and unique...what a terrible thing to see it go away.  

I'd like to see mom & pop stores come back, but I think it's never going to happen...at least not for the foreseeable future. 

I'm so glad you and your family can pull together.    It's so hard to go it alone these days.

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Stitchboard Admin message #445
Re: Tunisian gauge
May 7, 2014 at 6:04:55 PM  (in response to BetwixtTheStitch message #9)
 
Sherry,

Exactly!  For instance, one time I was in JoAnn's and a clerk asked me if I knitted, because a customer needed help with a knitting question and the clerk knew nothing about knitting.  And I was very happy to share my expertise...but the level of service simply can't be there if you have a broad-based craft shop where clerks are hired at any level of experience (or non-experience) and can't help customers with specifics of the things they're trying to purchase!

One of our local box stores has (or had) certain beads called Perler Beads; I had asked the store manager herself if they carried them, as I'd once seen someone purchasing them.  She said no.  Imagine my surprise when, several months later, I found they did indeed stock Perler Beads.  They weren't sold with the beads, though.  They were sold with the items that were geared a little more toward kids...the suncatcher kits, clay "eraser"-making kits, polymer clay kits, etc.

Another time I asked about stuffing pellets in another box store.  I was told they didn't carry them.  They sure did.  But not in a spot where you would expect them.  I found them with the novelty items...at that time they were selling pretty (and expensive - $10, ouch!) pincushions that looked like chairs, sofas, etc.

I think clerks at least should be knowledgeable about their stock and where in a store things are located.

I'm so sorry you had to close your shop.    Glad you got out before the economy tanked.  Sadly, more mom & pop shops are needed, but it's simply not going to happen.  I see that specific crafts (and non-crafts) will be mostly limited to big box stores and online shops.  I think the days of mom & pop stores in many different areas, not just crafts, are over for some time, and that's such a shame. 

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Stitchboard Admin message #447
Re: Tunisian gauge
May 9, 2014 at 11:48:44 PM  (in response to BetwixtTheStitch message #11)
 
Sherry,

How can a JoAnn's employee not know they carry cotton yarn?!  Even our little dinky JoAnn's carries it, and at least the employees here all know about it!

I think that even when employees do know what they sell in the way of yarns, they don't really know exactly what to use for what.  They don't know that cotton should be used for dishcloths, placemats, etc.  And that acrylic shouldn't be used for things like potholders...but is fine for things where there are no worries about melting...such as afghans, garments, etc.

Though to be fair, the knitting question I answered was about double pointed needles.  I haven't looked lately, but at that time, the only double points you could buy were a set of sock knitters.  Which was fine for socks or for Barbie clothes, but useless for a much larger project.  I forget what the woman was making, but I think she needed size 10 double points, and definitely, JoAnn's didn't carry anything that big back then!

It really is a shame.    If big box stores would find and concentrate on a few niche areas, they'd have an easier job, and then we would get that level of expertise that we used to have yesterday from mom & pop stores.

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Stitchboard Admin message #449
Re: Tunisian gauge
May 10, 2014 at 10:51:01 PM  (in response to BetwixtTheStitch message #13)
 
Sherry,

You would sure think it would be easier for them to know...but apparently...they didn't! 

That's probably still the case in ours.  Next time I go there, I'll try to remember to take a look.

BTW, what browser do you use?  Firefox upgraded itself today...uuuuuugggggggggggghhhhhhh.  I've been fighting it all day.    They moved the "forward" and "back" buttons, I had to search for "reload," they removed the title bar altogether, and so far, I'm not liking these changes! 

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