At a LYS close to you ~ Pompon Laine + Café
Fascinated by other people’s creative paths, I recently started to ask LYS owners with whom I’ve been working to share some of their experiences on the blog.
Today, the first in the series: the coop team from Pompon Laine Café in Trois-Rivières, Qc.
Pompon Laine Café – or “Pompom Wool Cafe”, if you will – is a LYS located in Trois-Rivières, Quebec, where the St. Lawrence and St. Maurice rivers meet, between Montreal and Quebec City. It is a cooperative open since 2015, where you can find yarn and tea, as well as a warm welcome from Zoée, Christine & Geneviève.
How did you get into knitting/crocheting?
Social media, especially those revolving around knitting, were very stimulating for us – especially Ravelry, Pinterest & Instagram.
The three of us have different backgrounds, which is great for our coop – we are united by our love of fiber, knitting and textile arts in general. Christine comes and goes between knitting and crochet, Geneviève is a compulsive knitter and Zoée graduated from the Centre des textiles contemporains (Center for contemporary textiles) in Montreal.
How did you turn your craft into a business?
It happened gradually, as our business grew. We opened the shop quite quickly, but didn’t sacrifice our shared artistic vision, of which we’re quite proud!
The three of us put together our strengths, our knowledge, our energy – and our free time! -, which allows us to offer a wide range of classes and workshops, as well as assist crafters on the spot.
Which 3 words best define your shop?
Passion, warmth, modern. We are passionate about natural, local, and fair-trade fibers. Every time we discuss our next collection, we take into account the ethical process, the materials, the origins, etc.
Creating a welcoming space where people would feel good is central to our enterprise. It’s successful, as our customers have adopted the shop!
We are also driven by our desire to view textile arts in a new, lively and evolutive way. We would like to bring a sense of renewal through new creative trends.
Why do people go in?
To find yarn, because they want to take a class and/or are looking for guidance in their learning.
Why do people go back?
For the individualized service, the warm welcome and quality products in a range of prices. We also offer excellent coffee and tea, which many crafters love to sip while they work!
Describe what a great day is like in your shop.
Our days are almost always filled with customer service, assistance request, and classes.
Thank you Pompons for answering our questions, we are so happy to be part of your fiber family.
Happy knitting everyone,
Julie
Banner photo credit: Étienne Boisvert