You are all so wonderful. Seriously. What a wonderful community we have here in our sew-iverse!

This past week, I made the announcement that Piece Fabric Co. would be going back to its roots and becoming an online only store again, or at least primarily. I have been touched by the outpouring of kind messages, especially those acknowledging that this must have been a difficult decision and sending encouraging words to support.

Having made the announcement, I felt a modicum of relief after a few difficult weeks of figuring out the logistics of this decision. But since it came as a surprise to so many, I’d love to explain the why and what and how, because that’s what friends do, and we’ve always felt like our customers become our friends here at Piece Fabric Co. So here are the questions we’ve been asked, and I’ll do my best to answer them well.

Why are you going back to online only?

Okay, sure, start with the hardest one first! It’s a hard question because there are many factors that lead to this decision, and each of them on their own feels surmountable. But when considered together, the answer became crystal clear.

Factor 1: My personal life has changed. When I started Piece Fabric Co. almost 5 years ago, I was the only one and worked 12-14 hours/day to make it all happen! I had a few kids at home, and since my fabric shop was in my home (and it was covid so we didn’t have a lot else to do), I could work whenever I felt I needed to!

The original setup in my home:

Things have changed, and the last two years have especially brought extra demands on my time. I have three grandkids now, and I love it when they get dropped off at my apartment so that their parents can get tasks done. I have a parent who has been diagnosed with a degenerative disease, and I want to be more available to help. And I just don’t want to work 12 hours a day anymore, haha!

Factor 2: Retail hours are inflexible. Piece Fabric Co. has an amazing staff, and we try to be flexible for the needs of each staff member’s personal life. But to have a reliable retail presence, consistency is needed with the open hours, and so we made sure we had enough staff to cover the retail and the warehouse aspects of our business. 

(Here is one of my favourite reels that Graydon and I made when we opened the store one Saturday morning)
https://www.instagram.com/reel/Ceq_v2cJxiq/

This has become untenable, and we need to find efficiencies to use our staff time as economically as possible. Not having the constraints of hours that we need to be open helps us make sure we are employing the right number of people. Which leads me to….

Factor 3: The fabric business has tight margins! I am as shocked as you at the price of some of our fabric. Prices continue to rise, and that trajectory will continue. Changing our staffing level is one way we can effect our input costs and keep prices as low as possible for our customers.

Factor X: There are a few other things that are too personal to share, or they aren’t my story, so I won’t tell it, but they still weigh on me. In many ways, I wish I had been brave enough to make this switch a year ago, but here we are. 

Are you moving?

No! I love our shop and our apartment above it! Piece Fabric Co. will continue to run out of the same location, but we will be changing the layout of the shop to make it more effective as an online only store. Watch for some sales coming soon while we try to lighten the shelves before shifting them around. 

We plan to have a few “pop-up” style events so that you can come shop in person. Our first one will be in June (date tba soon!), and if you’ve shopped in person before at Piece Fabric Co., you’ll notice a different set up for shopping at these events.

You’ll also still be able to place an order for local pick-up – we’ll arrange to have your package ready and available to pick up at a time convenient for you.

Are you closing?

Someday, yes. I mean, unless one of my kids want to take the business over, although so far I haven’t been able to convince any of them. Haha! But not closing yet! That’s why we are making this shift now to be as efficient and sustainable as possible to carry us into the future. 

What’s next for Piece Fabric Co.?

Well, now that we are a seasoned business, having been around for 5 years (I say that as a joke, I still feel like I am learning every day!), I have some experience about what works for us and what doesn’t. You’ll see a continued shift in what we offer, whether that be services or products, as we continue to do our best to have the things in stock that customers buy and not have the things in stock that nobody buys (free business lesson right there). 

This summer will be a bit of a calibration time for me – we are going to hold our annual Summer Yardage Sale early so that we can be quieter over our typically slower months (July and August, I’m looking at you!). We will do our shelf moving during these months and I’ll take a bit of time to analyze what is working well that we will bring with us into the next year. We will still be open online in July and August, but don’t be alarmed if you don’t hear from me every week! 

Are you ok?

Oh, this question is so sweet. I’ve been asked it by a few people and I feel so seen when asked this. I am ok, thank you. The pathway to the decision to go back to online only has felt heavy, as I love our local customers and I hate it that we are making it harder for them to shop. 

But now that the decision has been made public, I am not feeling as weighed down. I am getting excited for what will come this fall, after a bit of a reprieve this summer and the time to process what our focus will be in the coming years. 

Thank you all, for your care of each other in this sewing community. Continue creating beauty, or thoughtful discussion, or bold statements with your time and fabric. I’m looking forward to it all.

Kendra and grandson cuddling with a quilt that needs repair :)