An Announcement
Please note that this blog post from 2017 does not contain current information about our shop.
Dearest Friends,
In 1974, Marcy Johnson started teaching weaving and supplying materials and equipment for new weavers. The Weaving Works became one of the only shops in the region to offer both classes and materials, blossoming into a local department store covering the full pantheon of fiber arts. Being a part of such a wonderful fiber arts community for the past 43 years has been a remarkable experience. The Weaving Works has taken pride in its commitment to supporting the community with knowledge, supplies and service at each step of its evolution.
For the past several years, The Weaving Works has struggled to provide all the variety, expertise, and availability that our customers have come to expect from us. We have done our best to be efficient and accommodating, however, the unvarnished truth is that the days when a comprehensive urban fiber arts store can be economically viable are no longer. We have attempted to adapt with the changes over time while still supporting our legacy customer base. Unfortunately, we did not manage to adapt quickly enough and in effective enough ways to make this business sustainable again. The Weaving Works has been long subsidized by the dedication, labour, love and finances of Marcy and key Weaving Workers. At this point, the store cannot support the staff required to operate the store in the way that has come to be expected. We simply do not make enough in sales and class fees to be able to continue operating a brick-and-mortar store. (Looms and spinning wheels aren't cars, they're the only things still built to last!)
The Weaving Works family as a whole is saddened to say farewell, but we acknowledge that the time has finally come. Employment as a Weaving Worker requires more knowledge and patience than the average minimum wage retail position. With the rising cost of living in Seattle, wages are insufficient for employees to maintain, let alone secure futures for themselves and and their families. We know many of you appreciate us and the feeling is mutual, but our staff needs to move on in order to survive financially.
Thank you to everyone who has supported us over the years. We truly appreciate you and feel privileged to have been a part of your fiber arts journey. It is hard for us to say farewell to an institution that has meant so much to us and others. We hope to continue to be a part of your flock in new ways. Who knows what the future holds?!
If you would like to follow us in our future ventures, please use this form to sign up for email updates. If you would like to help support us in our final days: please purchase our inventory! Please be kind knowing that as current Weaving Workers, we are also busy looking for our next careers while working to close the storefront with grace. Please be mindful; though change is inevitable, we are all saddened by this outcome.
We invite you to join us in moving forward in a constructive manner by financially supporting the local businesses you value and depend on if you would like them to continue to operate near you. Frequent the lovely local yarn shop in your region and on your trips. Talk to your local representatives and departments (your city council members, the Office of Arts and Culture and the Office of Economic Development) about support for small businesses and their employees. Keep making beauty and kindness in the world.
With great gratitude and nostalgia,
Marcy, Jessica, Stacy, Jennifer, Cory, and all the Weaving Workers past and present.
The Weaving Works will be ceasing full service brick and mortar operations this summer. We will close retail operations at our physical location on July 29th, 2017. As we prepare to clear out, we will be open shorter hours, taking effect Wednesday, June 21st, 2017, as follows (subject to change depending on staffing availability):
What does that mean? We may or may not be able to troubleshoot your technical questions on the fly if we are very busy. We hope to maintain online sales. Classes are scheduled through the end of August.
Effective immediately:
- All items already marked down will be an extra 20% off
- No more wind-offs (winding off yarn by weight from coned yarns)
- Special orders are limited to larger equipment and products we will continue to carry online.
- Purchase the remainder of a color of a yarn and receive 15% off that color (does not include coned yarns).
- Purchase an LYS 2017 bag for $12 and receive 15% off whatever yarn (excluding sale yarn) can fit in it closed.
- We may have other promotions, equipment or furnishings for sale closer to moving out.
- Gift certificate sales will be suspended until further notice.
Subject to change.
For those of you with items on hold, we will be contacting you soon to see what arrangements you'd like to make. For those of you with special orders, we will contact you when they arrive or if we will be unable to fulfill them.
Please be advised, all exchanges, store credits, rewards and gift certificates should be used and redeemed by July 29. We cannot guarantee usage thereafter.
For a copy of the Print Announcement click here.
