by Anonymous on Friday, Dec 19 2008 at 08:16PM UTC

I went to this shop for the first time yesterday. The staff were friendly and the stock of yarn was fabulous.

by Cheryl Adams on Thursday, Mar 26 2009 at 04:03PM UTC

I'm biased, but this is an incredible shop. Everyone is very helpful and the yarn stock is absolutely amazing. Check out the web site for classes and hours. http://www.yourlocalyarnshop.com/

by Knitamazoo on Wednesday, Aug 12 2009 at 09:22PM UTC

A wonderful yarn shop with a great atmosphere! They have a fabulous selection of yarn and friendly, helpful staff.

by Cat on Thursday, Jan 28 2010 at 06:49AM UTC

Really fantastic! Couldn't believe their scrumptious yarn selection; such a wide variety of larger, better-known brands as well as indie dyers/spinners. All sorts of truly covetable knitting-related objects, too! Really kind and charming staff. You can bet I'll be back just as soon as I'm in the area again!

by Trish on Sunday, Jun 06 2010 at 03:18AM UTC

This is a great shop! It's large and has a great selection! I was really impressed.

by loongirl on Thursday, Jun 24 2010 at 02:40PM UTC

First, the yarn selection is stupendous!!! It's drool-worthy, and I can spend hours just touching and feeling. I can't buy it all, must be selective, and it's so HARD to choose only what my budget allows. Thankfully, owner Kelly regularly has these fabulous sales that often are 50-60 or even 70% off! And not just a few kinds of yarn - the last sale I went to she had eight 8' tables plus 10 shelves of yarn on sale!

Second, the management and staff of YLYS is wonderful. Helpful, easy to talk with, good with yarn suggestions for your projects. Kelly is generous to charities, using her store to raise money for local charities often.

Third, I love this store, and will gladly travel 80 miles roundtrip to shop there. They are worth it.

by Honey Smith on Sunday, Dec 05 2010 at 01:12AM UTC

This store is my "candy" store! When you first walk in you don't know where to go first. I can spend hours here. The staff is awesome and always willing to help you. I crochet but I am trying to knit. I know if I have any problems, they will help me. Support this wonderful local yarn shop. The variety and prices are great.

by Marsha Marsha on Monday, Dec 06 2010 at 02:07PM UTC

YLYS is truly YOUR store for all your knitting pleasures! Staff and owners are VERY helpful and most willing and able to help you solve any knitting problem. The store size and selection is beyond your wildest dreams! Classes are not only for beginners, but also for those who want to take it to the next step. Kelly is even willing to provide private lessons if you can't make a group class. I love the "living room" chairs and the chance to meet other knitters and learn from them as well.

by By jeanjean on Friday, Apr 29 2011 at 10:46PM UTC

We visited this shop today and I was really disappointed in the service. They didn't even care if I was there. Lots of yarn yes, but not worth the drive. Sorry that Kalamazoo Yarnie gal referred us to them.

by Wasted gas on Friday, Apr 29 2011 at 10:53PM UTC

I wasn't impressed with this store. Very dark yarns, even though they have a large stock.
Classes expensive. I traveled 45 minutes it wasn't worth it.

by Granni Sue on Wednesday, May 04 2011 at 12:23PM UTC

jeanjean and wanted gas...I am appauled at your comments. I to drive 45 minutes to go to this WONDERFUL store. I have done a lot of traveling and this is by far the most wonderful yarn shop. There is always someone to great you, to help with even the silliest questions..EVEN FOR THOSE OF US THAT HAVE BEEN KNITTING FOR YEARS! They have the best yarn selection and support local vendors. Their classes are very reasonable, their time is valuable as well as anyones. jeanjean they DO CARE IF YOU ARE THERE, WHETHER YOU ARE KNITTING AND CHATTING OR BUYING. Shame on both of you for your comments.

Kelly, Linda, Lynette and Melissa are the best people you will ever meet in a store, they treat everyone like family.

The group of women that sit and knit are wonderful and WOW you can learn alot from others. I have meet some wonderful women there and enjoy going in to see them.

WHAT OTHER STORE CAN YOU GO TO AND FEEL LIKE YOU ARE AT HOME!!!!!!!!!!! NONE OTHER THAN YLYS.

THANK YOU KELLY, LINDA, LYNETTE AND MELISSA FOR YOUR WONDERFUL STORE AND FRIENDSHIP. THANK YOU FOR FINALLY PROVIDING BATTLE CREEK WITH A YARN STORE OF QUALITY AND KNOWLEDGE.

NINI

by loongirl on Thursday, May 05 2011 at 04:03PM UTC

Hmmmm. Interesting that jeanjean and wasted gas posted their comments within 7 minutes of each other. Apparently they went to the shop together? Or they are the same person posting negative statements in an attempt to discourage others from going to this shop? How sad.

JeanJean has recently posted on the KazooYarnies Ravelry forum her feelings about shopping at YLYS. http://www.ravelry.com/discuss/kazooyarnies/1616521/1-25#17 It's quite apparent that other Yarnies don't agree with her.

She mentioned that she's "a fairly new knitter". What a shame that she has actually offended those who would be the first to offer her any kind of help she might want.

Still, the KazooYarnies have personally invited her to our KiPs that we hold 2-3 times monthly, and I'm hoping she will join us. Since she's following both the KazooYarnies and YLYS forums on Ravelry, she's obviously interested in us (even though she told us she was leaving the KazooYarnies because we support ALL local-owned yarn shops). I'm hoping her negativity towards us will change if she'll come out to a knit-in-public and have some fun with us. Yes, jeanjean, all of our KiPs are in the Kalamazoo area, and we support locally owned restaurants - come join us!

jeanjean and wasted gas (not sure if I'm talking to two people or one person) - there's room on this earth for more than one or two local yarn shops. Each shop has it's own style and features, and YLYS is a very fine shop, full of colorful wide-ranging fibers suited for all budgets. (Please take your sunglasses off the next time you are in YLYS so you'll be able to see all the bright colors!)

I have never been ignored when there, and have been offered help every time I've been there. I appreciate that you both mentioned there was 'lots of yarn'. YLYS has probably the best selection of yarns within 100 miles; their inventory is astounding.

Like Nini, I also drive nearly 45 minutes to get to YLYS, and I never leave without buying something. It's not that I HAVE to buy anything - Kelly and Linda don't mind if I just sit and knit without making a purchase. (I love their 'living room' - it's such a comfy place to knit.) But the yarn choices are so wonderful that I just know I'm going to find something fabulous to take home. My budget is tight, and gas is expensive, yet I've never come home disappointed.

Feel free to stay in Kalamazoo if you wish - the rest of us know a good shop when we see one, and the extra $5 spent in gas is to get there is well worth the investment. Maybe in time, when you are a bit more experienced, you'll recognize this too.

:) beth (and just like Nini, I'm not afraid to sign my name to my posts)

by Jeannie on Thursday, Oct 27 2011 at 11:45PM UTC

Your local yarn shop in Battle Creek is very nice.
I think they have a lot to offer all of us. Even though I have
my own yarn shop in Kalamazoo, it's fun to shop around (we're woman what
do you expect).

We have a lot of wonderful choices in OUR area to shop
for yarn.

Thank you!!
Jeannie
Yarn Den

by cosmer01 on Friday, Dec 30 2011 at 01:46AM UTC

After reading the comment chaos above, I was very interested in visiting to get my own opinion. The store was a little darker in lighting than I personally prefer (I like ridiculously bright lighting, so my opinion may not be the best to go off of), but it was still light enough to clearly see all the yarn. They have a huge selection of high quality yarn, and were very helpful in helping me find what I needed. If I didn't live 90 miles away, I would definitely hang out here in my free time. It was very cozy, and I'd love to visit again.

by cosmer01 on Friday, Dec 30 2011 at 01:50AM UTC

After seeing all the caps lock drama in the comments above, I was curious to see this store for myself. I was pleased to see the wide selection of yarns that they carried, although the lighting in the store was slightly dim. (I prefer overly bright rooms, so my opinion may not be valid for that.) The employees were super helpful in going out of their way to help me out, and were very pleasant. If I didn't live 90 miles away, I would definitely go here to hang out.