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April 14, 2004
I know what I want to do when I retire.
I want to own a fiber arts shop (that mainly sells wool for spinning and finished yarn/stuff for knitting). It has been a dream for many years now. I am researching small business stuff online - the government actually has a huge website for women in small business. Tons of tutorials. My ex father-in-law (there really ought to be a nicer term for that) is the master of small business so I think I will recruit him as my mentor - he doesn't know this yet hahahahahahaha. I have quite a bit of experience being a *customer* of fiber arts stores but I don't know very much about running a business. I have about two years before I start this scheme so I am going to edu-ma-cate myself as fast as possible.
I have to make up a business plan pretty soon (I am at least two years out on this idea by the way). I think it will be incredibly hard work, but that isn’t foreign to me. They say that if you do what you love, the money will follow. I am going after that philosophy hahahahahaha. I need to do some market research but I think that the shop should be in or just South of Carbondale (Illinois). Carbondale is a great little college town with a fair share of arty folk and people who appreciate the arts. I have looked through the Southern Illinois phonebook that my dad sent me and there is almost nothing listed in the way of yarn shops. It is all that cheap craft crap. I am going after the crowd that appreciates quality material that isn’t afraid to pay more than they would for the cheap plastic yarn from Kmart.
I have a harebrained scheme concocted to start collecting inventory now and put it into storage. That way, when the time comes, I will rent a place and have at least 50% inventory in stock (I will still have to buy the current in-season stuff then). There are several huge sheep farms right there in Anna/Cobden that I can get fleeces from. I would like to have the sort of shop that offers tons of classes on spinning and knitting as well as scrumptious yarn to cuddle. I would love to be known as the neighborhood hangout with a constant pot of coffee. The Carbondale area has lots of cool pseudo old houses that would be perfect. Unless I win the lottery, I will rent for awhile because I want to buy a home for my family first.
Anyway, doing lots of thinking/dreaming/scheming. I am not looking to be rich. I just want to do something I love. I plan to work one or two days a week as an RN until my finances are safe with the new arrangement. They say that it takes two years to start turning a profit and that the first year you can expect to lose money. I think I am in a great position with my retirement pay and RN degree. What do you think? I don't know, maybe I can convince a few of my fiber art friends to sell their stuff at my shop or even come teach (really, Massachusetts isn't THAT far from Illinois LOL).
Posted by DebC at April 14, 2004 08:37 AM
Comments
Sounds like a good plan to me.
Posted by: Dad at April 14, 2004 06:18 PM
Thats sounds very cool. I always wanted a shop where I could sell my things and offer classes of all kinds of neat things to do. Maybe one day I'll get there two like you. Then you can be my mentor. HAHAHA
Posted by: Kim at April 15, 2004 12:26 AM
LOL.. thats too....not two
Posted by: Kim at April 15, 2004 12:27 AM
Deb..dont sell Mount Dora short! We have two wonderful knit shops one of which teaches etc. not as extensive as what you describe such as spinning etc. However Barbara Sheddan is getting up in years and I wouldn't be at all surprised to see her place for sale one of these days! It's crammed full of beautiful yarn. Hardly a place to sit! The Drawer stocks yarn and wonderful canvas, but I don't think she teaches anymore and sticks mainly to kneedlepoint! Her gift shop about overtakes the yarn department. Just a thought. Barbara taught me to knit etc.
Regardless sounds like a neat idea you have there. Go for it! Love Gramma
Posted by: belva at April 15, 2004 05:25 AM
I would LOVE to live in Mt Dora but unfortunately I really need to stay in the Illinois area. I am very happy with the idea of living in Southern Illinois, it is a good compromise for us. I swore over my dead body that I would never again live in Northern Illinois.
Of course, my goal is to convince the rest of the family to migrate North of Florida hahahahahaha.
Posted by: DebC at April 15, 2004 07:00 AM
Then that's exactly where you should be. You could raise Alpaca's shear them and spin to
your hearts content. The boys could have animal duty!
Posted by: belva at April 18, 2004 02:39 PM