Help Support Purls Of Joy Knitting Store

PURLS OF JOY CO-OP

INTRODUCTION

After 11 years of operation the owner of the Purls of Joy Yarn Store on Healdsburg Avenue in Healdsburg, CA has decided to retire. She plans to close the store by the end of February 2022, and a group of local knitters, all of whom have had a connection to the store over the years have self-organized to see if the business can be maintained, as a member-driven Cooperative.

COOPERATIVE MISSION

The prime driver of the proposed Cooperative is to maintain the spirit of Purls of Joy, established by the current with the goal of supporting and growing the community of local fiber artists around the Healdsburg area, from shepherds to individuals producing finished knitted goods.

We plan to maintain the store on Healdsburg Avenue, to be staffed by Cooperative volunteers, to offer a range of woolen fibers and finished goods from a diversity of sources to meet the needs of the larger Healdsburg community. We plan to serve all comers, from visitors and tourists, to long term area residents and newcomers to the City.

The Cooperative wishes to offer a space for all members of the Healdsburg community to come together to share experience and knowledge of the fiber arts, including local artisans but also to support those who are just beginning their journey in this space. For example, we wish to maintain the Thursday evening “Sit and Stitch” events at the store where all are made welcome. Even with the challenges that Covid brought, this gathering was re-invented in a large outdoor parking lot so that all safety protocols could be managed.

We plan to support programs of outreach and education with focus on groups that have been traditionally underserved. Several CO-OP members are teachers who have experience in teaching knitting and crochet to people as young as 8 years old and are committed to bringing the fiber arts into the classroom and to the seniors in our community.

We also plan to continue support of programs that the store has supported in the past, such as Project Linus which provides blankets for at risk children throughout Sonoma County and Alice’s Embrace which provides prayer shawls and lap blankets for those living with Alzheimer’s. We will also continue to support Purls of Joy’s

Beanie Brigade which has knitted over 3500 helmet liners for our troops.

Throughout the year, there are many events that makes Purls of Joy a place to be. Starting in winter, there are always new winter woolens to create, spring tends to bring out non woolen fiber to knit and in summer lightweight shawls being knitted. There is always something going on monthly at the shop. Even in the hot summer months of Sonoma County Purls of Joy participates in the Sonoma County Yarn Hop where fiber enthusiasts can hop around the county visiting all of the fiber stores around.

WHERE WE ARE NOW?

The putative Cooperative has about 50 interested members, of whom about 20 have indicated willingness to financially support the Cooperative, with the goal of acquiring the existing Purls of Joy business, and to provide sufficient operating capital to ensure that the business can operate as of March 1 2022. As of today, the Cooperative members have generously given commitments of about $85,000 This is not quite enough to complete the acquisition and to secure sufficient Operating Capital. We estimate approximately $110,000 would be required to complete the acquisition and provide the needed operating capital.

WHAT WE ARE ASKING FOR?

We are looking for your support in closing this funding gap so that we may keep a vibrant community centered fiber arts center in the heart of Healdsburg as a complement to existing businesses in town.

Any contribution would be greatly appreciated!

Thank You

The Purls of Joy CO-OP