Starting a Yarn Shop

Summary: There are two basic elements you need to contend with when starting your own yarn shop business: one is location, and the other is supplies.

A yarn shop is usually something that a hobbyist establishes; this stems from a passion for a craft that suddenly branches into a successful business enterprise.

Although this is not a real formula for business success, new business owners who show a certain passion and zeal for products or services they are selling usually creates giant steps to business boom. Besides, this type of business entrepreneur is the one most likely to stick it out when the going gets tough. Yarn stores may not be exactly as mainstream as, shall we say, the athletic shop in the corner or that trendy ladies’ shoes shop in the mall, but there are craft enthusiasts and knitting hobbyists who flock to these yarn shop businesses to get that colored wool yarn for that sweater or to re-supply their supplies of knitting yarn for hand-crafted projects.

If you are thinking of starting your own business selling yarn, here are two of the most basic things to consider:

Location for Starting a Yarn Shop

It is true that the World Wide Web plays host to a lot of great selling businesses. However, if you want sell yarns and other craft supplies on a per-piece basis, you may not want to establish your yarn shop business over the Internet. Unless your clients are willing to shoulder a more expensive shipping and delivery cost than the actual cost of your merchandise, you are bound to lose out on a lot of profits. We recommend you do the Internet set-up if you are willing to ship bulk orders.

If you are a yarn supplier entrepreneur starting a brick-and-mortar business, finding a great location is a key element of success. You need to find some place that provides affordable rent, a great selling area to showcase your merchandise, and a considerable amount of foot traffic. Most of the sales for this kind of enterprise come from browsers and window-shopper-turned-shopper. For this kind of shop, you can be assured that your utility bills should be low; you would need to be creative though when it comes to attracting potential shoppers to come into your shop.

Suppliers for Yarn Store

What comprises the main business resource of a knit shop? It’s the supplies of course. You may want to get a list of suppliers for the different kinds of yarns that are currently in demand. Since your merchandise is not easily degradable, you can order by bulk and store them safely in your shop. There are trends you should keep an eye on, though. There are seasons when one particular yarn would get more sales and you may even have to contend with advance orders (i.e. Cornish Organic Wool, Dyed Devon Alpaca, Polyester Yarn.)

Other supplies you may want to stock up on are: beads, flosses, instructional books, interlock knit ribbings, knitting needles, patterns, ribbons, sewing fabrics, threads, unique buttons, etc. The acquisition of larger materials like looms depends on the arrangement you have with your clients and your suppliers.