Lion Brand Yarn Studio – LOST GEM
Lion Brand Yarn Studio – LOST GEM
34 West 15th StreetNew York, NY 10011
Even before entering, I was captured by the window display that seems to change seasonally with an appropriate theme. The window was dressed in white for winter with swans and birch trees, and then, in time for the beginning of spring, there was a bicycle covered in wool with baskets of colorful knitted flowers. 15th Street has been Lion Brand’s flagship location since 2008. In the nearly fifty classes held each week, countless events, workshops and weaving clubs, yarn lovers and learners alike will find not just a business, but a community center. All are invited to purchase the necessary materials to begin a knitting or crocheting project and then to sit down and stitch the day away. According to studio manager Michelle Urcuyo, it is what sets Lion Brand Yarn apart from other stores. “In the current retail climate when one could easily stay home and buy online, we want to provide a place where people can find knowledgeable staff who care more about making certain that the customer gets what is right than making a sale.” It is about loving and learning the craft and inspiring regulars and newcomers to discover just what imagination and commitment can create. “It feels like more than a store because so many people have made it their home, and while that’s incredibly corny, I think that’s pretty special, too,” said Michelle. “We want every single person who walks in the door to feel comfortable here, and based on our wildly varied bunch of regulars, I think we have done pretty well.”