Out of the Box with Mr. Knits: Wholesale(r) Changes
See what I did there? 😀
We always enter a relationship with a wholesaler intending to represent their product in the best light. The happiest outcome is a mutually profitable experience for us and for them, as we bring the best yummies to your needles and hooks.
We have tried to be open in our Bremerton studio for regular hours, because that’s what most yarn wholesalers want. There are a few reasons it will not work.
We have disabilities that prevent us from keeping regular store hours. We should not have to apologize for our neurodivergence.
Our current landlord offers a good deal, but does not want random retail traffic in that space. To open elsewhere is overpriced for this business.
The entire business model of a brick & mortar yarn shop is failing frequently across the country. We are saddened to see so many shops shut down permanently, but we have no desire to join them. So we certainly will not be forced into that failing business model.
So our studio is open by appointment only, needing some advance notice. The result will be personalized service from Mrs. Knits, collaborating with her to assemble the perfect project for you! And there is no markup for this “white-glove” service. Mrs. Knits is delighted to set people up for success!
My job is to provide excellent service online, getting those yummies to you in the same condition you would expect at a yarn store, and calling on Mrs. Knits to answer any knitting questions you have.
Getting back to the wholesalers, most object to this non-traditional model of excellent service mostly online, and they require an in-person experience. I am reminded of the early days of personal computers. You may have heard of Dell computers. Well, Michael Dell encountered the same questions in the 1990s: how can you sell something like a computer online? He answered saying that he doesn’t cater to first time users, but rather people who mostly know what they are looking for, and may need just a little guidance to make an informed buying decision. So we know we are not the best choice for first time knitters - and we have gladly sent them to local yarn shops for that kind of help. But we are a great choice for people who know what they want.
By fully dialing-in on what we can do, and what we cannot do, we are phasing out Wonderland, Madelinetosh, and Sweet Georgia yarns. In fact, our Sweet Georgia Tough Love Sock and Party of Five yarns have already been transferred to our friends at Seattle Yarn in West Seattle. Wonderland is already going fast. And we are moving out Madelinetosh next.
We are confirmed to be ramping up with Baah Yarns, some gorgeous yarn that we can’t wait to offer you!
We already offer Skacel needles and hooks and notions, we just restocked and added more needle & hook sizes, and we are looking into further expansion of Skacel offerings.
Finally, we are in talks with other yarn distributors to offer some of their products. We’re just confirming that they would appreciate what we have to offer, without insisting on anything that we’re just not good at. So stay tuned for more expansion of Happy Knitting and Crocheting!
