by Wendyzzzzz on Monday, Sep 10 2007 at 06:23AM UTC

It's a new store, so I am positive that the selection will grow and the atmosphere will improve.

by Anonymous on Wednesday, Mar 05 2008 at 08:43PM UTC

I went to browse a little and found the owner very unfriendly. Perhaps she does not like browsing in her store, because she kept demanding to know what exactly I wanted to make. I like to look at all sorts of yarns and think about them and I have many patterns at home so I browse a lot in NYC yarn stores. I did not like being pushed into "having an idea" and when I left without buying anything, I thought I probably will never come back here.

by infinityexplorer on Saturday, Mar 08 2008 at 07:10PM UTC

This little shop around the corner is a great addition to the neighborhood. It is a few blocks from my apt and I pop in all the time. The owner Dona is always friendly. If she is ordering food she asks everyone in the shop if they are interested.

The yarn selection is growing for the compact space there are lots of cubbies for yarn. In the first few months there was a basic selection and now that the classroom area is finished the yarn selection has grown and it is overflowing. The selection of books and accessories has also increased.

The class offerings (knitting, crochet, etc.) have started and the classes are well organized and the instructors are knowledgeable and keep your attention.

I go to the Tues SnB and everyone is great and we have lots of fun chatting and knitting.

I wish there was a starbucks closer as I am a starbucks junkie (frapps, iced tea, and cinnamon dolce lattes), but that is not the stores fault. They do have coffee and such available, what can I say...

It is will be interesting to see how this lys progresses!

Sock On!

by Anonymous on Wednesday, Mar 26 2008 at 03:24PM UTC

I just love, love, LOVE this store! I live about two blocks from it and it just makes my life soo much easier... The owner, Dona, is the friendliest yarn store owner ever! While I've been to quite a few stores in the city, she was the only owner who greeted me as I walked in and asked if I needed help, but wasn't pushy about it either. She is also very helpful and knowledgeable if you have a quick question about your project, or in general about anything in knitting or crocheting.
I've been hanging out at her store a lot since the first day I walked in, and I must say she's always really nice to everyone!

The store itself is awesome too, with beautiful yarn and colors! If I could, I'd take home most of the yarn! I took a private lesson with one of her instructors too, and it was the BEST!

As my #1 favorite store, I highly recommend it to anyone to at least stop by, because it will be worth it!

by Anonymous on Thursday, Apr 03 2008 at 08:24PM UTC

I love this store for browsing and just hanging out. The owner is awesome and very helpful, but not pushy. She lets you have your space, but she is always available for questions. It is a very cool, laid back atmosphere. The selection is mouth watering.... I love to check out all the new stuff. She seems to always have a full stock of great yarns in every color. I always find what I am looking for and I also come out with more than I had in mind. This is one of my favorite yarn stores in the city.

by Anonymous on Monday, May 26 2008 at 10:57PM UTC

Are classes really going on at Yarntopia? I keep asking her for a schedule, but she keeps coming up with excuses!

by Anonymous on Monday, May 26 2008 at 11:00PM UTC

Are classes really going on? I keep asking her for a schedule, but have never received one!

by getta2 on Sunday, Jun 08 2008 at 03:22PM UTC

unfriendly service, there are many very nice shops in NY around 80th street I'd recommend anyone go to

by Anonymous on Friday, Jun 20 2008 at 09:21PM UTC

I am shocked that the store is still in business. The owner is a bit too pushy and on top of anyone in the store. She does not really want browsing. And to top it all off, she overcharges for most, if not all, of the yarn. Take the crosstown bus and go to Annie and Company on Madison and 93rd. Great selection and great service.

by Anonymous on Saturday, Jun 21 2008 at 05:53PM UTC

I'm a broke Columbia student. I've been coming to Yarntopia to browse and ogle all of the beautiful yarns about every other week for the last year. As I mentioned before, I'm usually broke and therefore almost always am "just browsing" yet each and every time I've come in I've received a warm welcome and have been made to feel totally comfortable to just hang out. It amazes me that anyone would say this owner doesn't want browsing. I've spent enough hours in this shop to see that she is friendly to EVERYBODY. There's no profiling going on here like some of the other yarn shops I've been to in the city. I find Annie and Company the shop that the above poster mentioned to be among the snobbiest and most unpleasant in the city and that's saying something. It's bizarre how people's perceptions can be so different. As far as the prices go from what I've seen (which comes from many hours of shopping around)the prices are on par with NYC shops which are usually a little higher than online stores.
I will be working full time this summer so will finally have a few bucks in my pocket and plan to buy some of the luscious yarns I have been fondling at Yarntopia for this past year.

by HiddenTohru on Thursday, Jul 03 2008 at 08:01PM UTC

I just came to NYC for a visit, and found this store through Knit Map, so I went to check it out. First, as a poor little country girl from the south, I was amazed by the selection! So many colors and so many really fancy (in a good way) yarns that I had never seen or touched before! The person working there was so, SO nice to me, when I said I wasn't local and didn't know most of the yarns she jumped up and showed me around, pointing out all the great yarns and making me feel the really soft ones, and was basically really nice and helpful the whole time. She even invited me back to the communal knit night! It was a really good experience all around, and I would definitely go there again next time I'm in NYC.

by Anonymous on Saturday, Sep 27 2008 at 06:56PM UTC

There is a selection of yarn with good prices, but nothing that is special. The staff ignored me - which is fine, but she was very unfriendly to other customers. I give it a so-so.

by Anonymous on Sunday, Dec 28 2008 at 01:34PM UTC

I am surprised that people feel like the owner is unfriendly. I drop in every now and then to daydream about my next projects (and buy things from time to time) and she leaves me alone to browse while she's very welcoming to other customers, including on two occasions people who were new to knitting and just walked in. Don't let the negative reviews here deter you from checking the place out. It's only a few blocks from the 103rd St. Broadway local stop and it's got a great selection of good, regular stuff. Its relative lack of "special" stuff is fine with me (opposite of The Yarn Company in the 80's on B'way and its sheared-at-dawn-on-the-solstice-from-the-left-flanks-of-wheatgrass-fed-guanaco "specials"). There's a big basket of swatches so you can see how the yarns knit up.

by KnittingKnoobie on Thursday, Apr 02 2009 at 02:37AM UTC

I've been here a couple of times and Dona has always been helpful, warm and polite. The selection is gorgeous and she has a lovely selection of sock yarn. This is a place, if I'm in the neighborhood, I'll always stop in. Unfortunately I'm not there often enough!

by Knittingfanatic on Tuesday, Oct 06 2009 at 12:06AM UTC

I'm very familiar with most of the yarn stores in NYC and I don't think that the owner of Yarntopia is unfriendly. I've noticed that most NYC yarn stores are not very warm in general; but in return, they offer a great selection of yarns and patterns. I went into Yarntopia to ask about their custom knitting services. The owner was friendly and eager to help. I usually go into a store with something in mind, although occasionally, I just like to browse... As for those of you who write stuff like, "I'm suprised that this store is still in business," I truly find it disappointing. There are enough yarn stores that are struggling (and closing) nowadays because of the tough economy... that kind of negativity isn't helpful to anyone.

by mindy on Thursday, Mar 11 2010 at 02:04PM UTC

I agree- the store is lovely and she is freindly and welcoming yet gives you your space. She steered me to a less expensive yarn which I totally appreciate. I have been to every yearn store in the city and this is one of the nicest, both in selection and hospitality.