“No, really. What if we opened a yarn store…?”
And so went an often repeated conversation between neighbors, fellow yarn fanatics, and knitters Frances Banks and Cindy Westermann. From these initial musings, which started as text exchanges during the summer of 2020, the idea that is now Stitch Yarn Studio was hatched.
In late January 2022, our vision of creating a welcoming, inclusive, and inspiring space for fiber lovers and makers will be realized. And Northern Kentucky & Cincinnati’s newest yarn store at 701 Scott Street in historic downtown Covington will open its doors.
After telling people, we are opening a yarn and knitting store, there’s usually a series of questions that follow:
WHY A YARN STORE?
In short, we both love yarn and are both avid knitters, and Frances has also been crocheting since the age of 8. We talk about yarn all the time, continually look at patterns, and regularly trade notes about our yarn purchases and projects. We are both “yarn tourists” who constantly seek out the local yarn store when we travel. We know what we like in a yarn store - and what we don’t. We also felt that Northern Kentucky is lacking in choice when it comes to having a local store that sells an interesting selection of quality yarn in an inviting environment.
WHY ARE YOU LOCATING THE STORE IN COVINGTON?
“Why not Covington?” we ask in reply, “Have you visited recently?” The revitalization of historic Covington is creating a vibrant and exciting mix of stores and destinations like Hotel Covington, Braxton Brewery, and established organizations like the Baker Hunt Art & Cultural Center, to name a few. Covington offered us the best options for finding an urban neighborhood location that had the character and charm that we wanted - versus a sterile strip-mall feel. Our eventual selection of the corner of 7th and Scott Street met many of our requirements a unique space with lots of windows and natural light historic character and warmth (wait until you see the tile floors!) proximity to unique businesses and venues and most importantly, enough space to showcase a wide selection of yarn and hold classes while maintaining a cozy “relax & stitch” feel.
HOW WILL STITCH YARN STUDIO BE DIFFERENT FROM OTHER YARN STORES IN THE AREA?
We think our tagline, “A happy landing place for knitters, crocheters, and fiber lovers,” says it all pretty well. Stitch Yarn Studio will be where stitchers and fiber lovers - no matter their craft or skill level - will be welcome. We want to create a shop filled with new inspiration and project ideas for you every time you return. We will have classes and stitching groups. We hope to host knitting retreats and special events with nationally and internationally known designers and yarn companies. And we’re going to be featuring yarns and fibers from regional independent dyers and makers. So our selection of yarns will range from the “workhorse” lines you love to unique, specialty fibers. Finally, in addition to our physical retail location in Covington, we will have an online store featuring our entire yarn inventory, notions, knitting needles, crochet hooks, and publications. Customers will be able to shop 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, with options for shipping or in-store pickup of online orders.
We’re excited to bring our vision of the ideal yarn store to life. In the coming months and years, we hope you’ll come to feel the same about Stitch Yarn Studio, and it’ll become your “happy landing place” that you return to again and again.