Things are coming together and there appears to be a light at the end of our very crowded, raw yarn-filled tunnel. If you’ve been to the 4th Avenue studio recently, you’ll know, there’s barely a foot-wide pathway through our entry hall into the studio. There’s so much yarn coming in and going out, and we’ve even added two more bodies to the studio, it’s becoming quite a squeeze. Constantly bumping into each other or having to crawl under racks of yarn to get from one table to another has gone beyond being mildy amusing… to pretty frustrating.
I’ve been looking for a new studio space for at least a year and a half now, and it’s been tremendously difficult because rents in Vancouver are especially high and the spaces are all extremely small or extremely large. I started actively courting our new studio space back in September and worked on the legal stuff all through October (while also juggling the incorporation of our business at the same time), and then the building proposal and drawings were submitted to the city in mid-November. Of course, with the holidays putting a damper on everyone’s workflow, we didn’t see the building permit approved until January 30, six weeks later.
But I’m so happy to say that I’ve been visiting the new studio space every couple days and things are progressing as far as I can see. The landlord is building out our shell space to include a second floor for our offices and a proper place to have lunch (the $5 Canadian Tire stool perched between bins of twisted yarns is not really my dream for how our girls have lunch every day). And on the main floor, we’ll be setting up the production dyeing area as well as a very small retail area for our on-hand yarns. There will be a separation too between the two areas so that I don’t have to worry about customers slipping on the wet floor and cracking their skulls open (something I worry about every time someone comes to visit right now… mainly, because I’ve slipped and fallen in the studio before myself). Last week, I saw that the main floor had been framed. And this week, the stairs and the upstairs offices have also been framed. I see electrical going in and hopefully this means we’re getting close.
The new studio is located at the opposite end of Main street from where we are now. Basically on East Kent Avenue South between Main and Fraser. Unfortunately, it’s not really a transit or pedestrian-friendly area… but if you drive, you’ll be happy to hear that there is TONS of free parking out front. No more having to fight to find street parking. Yay! (I think Carina will be happy about that one too).
The aim is to move immediately after FibresWest (March 16 and 17). So if I am a bit nutty at FW, please forgive me. We’ll be bringing basically everything we have in the studio for FibresWest… much of it will be on sale too. With all our TNNA order production in full swing right now, there is literally no space for more bodies at the current studio so it looks like FibresWest will be as close to a pre-moving sale as we can get! Hope to see you there… and then at the new studio.
That is really exciting!!!!!! Although I’ve always wanted to visit your current studio, the timing was never right (coming from Victoria makes things just a tad more difficult), but that area is great for when we drive over the Knight St Bridge to see my parents. Hope you are open on weekends as I plan to visit! :) Congrats on the new space. Sounds like heaven!
Well…. I’m in BC late march/early April. I will see if I can swing by!
Come on down :) Hopefully we’ll be finished unpacking!
How exciting! Really looking forward to a trip to Vancouver in the summer so I can stop in!
Wow! Felicia! What an incredible feat, this is so exciting, I can’t wait to see the finished space, as I’m sure you are too!
:) Not nearly as incredible as you guys… building your own studio YOURSELF!
I’m so excited for you! I hope I have the chance this year to visit the new studio! I’m really hoping and keeping my fingers crossed mighty hard that I’ll be able to see you at FibersWest and stock up!
Really happy for you Felicia! Can’t wait to see the new place,congrats.
see you at FW
Felicia this is amazing news, I am beyond excited for you. I can’t wait to shop till I drop at your booth in March and I definitely can’t wait to see the new studio! Congratulations!
Very exciting! I can’t wait to visit the new studio! And also see your lovely booth at fibres west.
This is all so exciting, Felicia! I can’t wait to see the studio reno complete!
Oh, how wonderful for you, and how great that Sweet Georgia is doing so well! I’m hoping to get up to Vancouver in late May, and a visit to your studio was on the list, no matter what. Now I can look forward to seeing your new space!
Congratulations on the new space – how exciting! I look forward to seeing it.
I really wish that you guys could have an in-studio moving sale…. I don’t think that I can make it to Fibreswest it’s so disappointing!!
Aww, honestly, I would love to have people come visit the old studio before we leave, but unfortunately, I think it’s just too much of a safety hazard right now to have a big group of people in there at once. But you are more than welcome to come down in the next few weeks to see what we have in the studio right now.
I probably will do that! I am just finishing up another sweater so I may need some new yarn soon!
Big congrats on the new space! Somehow I knew you’d end up biggering yourself out of the old one. Heh!
Gorgeous yarn! Love the colours!
Lesley https://byporchlight.blogspot.com