about The Yarn Spot on Mon Mar 08 21:10:10 +0000 2010
Still a new store, the Yarn Spot is adding new stock all the time. It's a pleasant, airy space with a very friendly staff who foster a friendly atmosphere. There's a broad range of yarns at all price points. Light pours in through the large, south-facing windows. It's a comfortable place to settle in, look around, knit, and make friends.
I disagree with the reviewers who describe a "clubby" atmosphere. On the contrary, I've found the staff to be helpful and friendly.
The shop has a wide range of beautiful yarns, and a whole (small) room of sale items. There's also a large selection of books, patterns, and tools.
The real problem -- and it is, for me, a serious one -- is that the shop is almost claustrophobically small. There are one or two chairs, but no place to sit and knit (there's a classroom down the hall, but it's not connected to the shop). The tight space is particularly noticeable in the winter, when everyone has a coat on.
Aylin's is a great place to shop if you can get in and out quickly -- but if you're going to stay a while, you may find it stuffy and hard on the feet.
There are things I like and things I don't like about A Tangled Skein. It has a great selection of yarns at various price points, and there are good periodic sales (there's one every Friday the 13th, plus others). There are plenty of comfortable places to sit, and the shop stocks a large array of pattern, books, tools, and items that would make great gifts. You can get comfortable and hang around for a long time. Parking isn't difficult, and there's a wonderful casual restaurant across the street, Franklin's -- I've had many a Sunday lunch there while waiting for the shop to open at 1:00.
On the minus side, the shop is dark -- seriously dark toward the back, where there's a large table. The sofas and chairs in the front of the store get more light, at least during the day.
The level of friendliness varies. Staff interactions with customers seem to run the gamut from speaking only when approached to being rather overbearing. While knowledgeable, they sometimes seem to assume that customers know more than they actually do. Inexperienced knitters looking for basic instruction may be scared off by a mile-a-minute, highly technical description when they just want basic information.
My bottom line: because I don't usually need help and am happy to poke around, I enjoy the shop -- particularly when I go in with or meet a friend there. When I need help, I often want to finish up and leave pretty quickly.
Deborah's Comments
about The Yarn Spot on Mon Mar 08 21:10:10 +0000 2010
Still a new store, the Yarn Spot is adding new stock all the time. It's a pleasant, airy space with a very friendly staff who foster a friendly atmosphere. There's a broad range of yarns at all price points. Light pours in through the large, south-facing windows. It's a comfortable place to settle in, look around, knit, and make friends.
about Aylins Woolgatherer on Mon Mar 08 21:18:24 +0000 2010
I disagree with the reviewers who describe a "clubby" atmosphere. On the contrary, I've found the staff to be helpful and friendly.
The shop has a wide range of beautiful yarns, and a whole (small) room of sale items. There's also a large selection of books, patterns, and tools.
The real problem -- and it is, for me, a serious one -- is that the shop is almost claustrophobically small. There are one or two chairs, but no place to sit and knit (there's a classroom down the hall, but it's not connected to the shop). The tight space is particularly noticeable in the winter, when everyone has a coat on.
Aylin's is a great place to shop if you can get in and out quickly -- but if you're going to stay a while, you may find it stuffy and hard on the feet.
about A Tangled Skein on Mon Mar 08 21:38:28 +0000 2010
There are things I like and things I don't like about A Tangled Skein. It has a great selection of yarns at various price points, and there are good periodic sales (there's one every Friday the 13th, plus others). There are plenty of comfortable places to sit, and the shop stocks a large array of pattern, books, tools, and items that would make great gifts. You can get comfortable and hang around for a long time. Parking isn't difficult, and there's a wonderful casual restaurant across the street, Franklin's -- I've had many a Sunday lunch there while waiting for the shop to open at 1:00.
On the minus side, the shop is dark -- seriously dark toward the back, where there's a large table. The sofas and chairs in the front of the store get more light, at least during the day.
The level of friendliness varies. Staff interactions with customers seem to run the gamut from speaking only when approached to being rather overbearing. While knowledgeable, they sometimes seem to assume that customers know more than they actually do. Inexperienced knitters looking for basic instruction may be scared off by a mile-a-minute, highly technical description when they just want basic information.
My bottom line: because I don't usually need help and am happy to poke around, I enjoy the shop -- particularly when I go in with or meet a friend there. When I need help, I often want to finish up and leave pretty quickly.