Yes, Of Course I Can Answer Your Weaving Questions. This is My Shop, My Weaving School, My Livelihood
Recently I was talking with one of our volunteers about why she made a commitment to our small business here in York Haven, PA.
“Simple,” she said, “it’s all about the experience, the knowledge and the community.”
I was thrilled to hear her response, because that’s exactly what I want for my customers and my students. When we opened Red Stone Glen 7 years ago, I had several different options. The realtor I was working with showed me an empty big box retail space. On the main road, it had great visibility. And the price was attractive as well. But the experience?
Not so much.
My vision was for a center where students could learn a whole host of new fiber skills. Weaving. Spinning. Natural Fiber Dying. Rug Making. Tamari Balls. Free-form Weaving. Meditative Weaving. Basically, everything you could think to do with fiber, all in one location. Coming from far away? No problem. There are tables outside on the patio, bring your lunch and have a picnic. Coming from really far away? Again, no problem. We have an entire house dedicated to student housing up on the Ridge. All told, the Red Stone Glen campus sprawls across 50 wooded acres, at the end of a dead-end road, bordered on the backside by a twisting, clear and beautiful creek. Do we attract the drive-by customer?
Never. But we hit every mark as a destination. We are an experience. But we’re only here because folks have decided to support our small business. Online and in-person, they’ve decided that what we offer contributes to the joy of fiber-work, and the community at large.
Remember the volunteer at the top of this post? She gets it. Shopping local and shopping small are important to her, because she sees a bigger picture. A greater good. And you don’t need to take my word for it. She tells you herself, right here.
So, thank you. All of you. For shopping small. For supporting Red Stone Glen. For being part of our community.
~Sara Bixler