A lot of indie bookstores have disappeared over the years, driven out by Amazon or a new Barnes & Noble, with its huge selection and coffee bars siphoning off customers. This happens to many industries: a local coffee and bagel shop closes after a Starbucks opens nearby. The coffee was likely better, and the owners know their customers, but if half your coffee klatch wants fancy frosted drinks instead of a cappuccino, you too are siphoned off.
I took up knitting a few years ago. I like the feel of silks and wools, so I bought most of my yarns at local yarn shops (LYS) rather than the big-box craft stores like Michael’s who primarily sell sturdy but cheaper acrylics and seem to carry odds and ends. (I do not shop at Hobby Lobby because the owners like to meddle with their female employees’ medical business.) I live in a very large city, and have access to a half dozen LYS within a 50-mile radius. I also order from a couple of the largest online retailers (Webs and JimmyBeanWools) when I wanted something that the local places don’t carry.
Earlier this year, two of those shops closed down within a couple months of each other. The owner of one, a small shop closest to me, sent an email one week before she closed, saying that she could “not complete with Etsy.” Myself, I thought she had trouble staying open because she wasn’t very friendly, and all of her classes were scheduled in the morning or afternoon of weekdays. Did she think she was the only working woman? I have lived in this city for 8 years, and have now seen four stores go under.
About the same time, I started using Instagram, and sometimes posted photos of my work or new yarn acquisitions. I gradually became aware that there are dozens, if not hundreds, of (mostly) women who are indie dyers, producing gorgeous and one-of-a-kind yarns, much of it for sell through their Etsy stores. They are small batch artisans, using quality fibers and individualized, small run designs. The thing is: they are NOT cheaper than the large companies who make similar-looking hand-dyed yarns on a larger scale. My business experience is in an industry vastly different than this one, or any retail company, but I feel the competition is not from prices, as much as for the vast selection available from the indies, and a desire by creative people to produce something that will be completely unique.
The LYS I use most frequently seems to be thriving. In addition to a friendly staff, classes that meet on Saturday, and a big inventory, they create interest by having models of finished products that are updated regularly, clubs (sock of the month, for example) and a reputation for helping out over tricky bits for newer knitters. You don’t get this from an online store, or from an indie dyer.
I don’t know the answer. People who live in smaller towns and rural locations must travel or shop online, and I would be amiss not to state that I am such a big Amazon customer that if I miss more than two weeks ordering, Jeff Bezos gets panicky and calls to see if I am still alive. But I’d really hate to lose the local store.
I’d like to know the thoughts of those that are in a similar business, that sells a more or less hobby or luxury item. Are you a LYS struggling to stay competitive, or an indie dyer working out of your home or shop?
