New store to sell a variety of supplies sourced from small businesses, as well as feature local art and crafting classes.
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- A new craft store, 29 Stitches, is opening in St. Cloud this summer.
- 29 Stitches will sell a variety of craft supplies sourced from small businesses, and feature local art and classes.
- The store is owned by mother-daughter duo Robin and Jordyn Tomaszewski, who aim to build a creative community around crafting.
St. Cloud will be getting a new, local craft store this summer.
Mother and daughter Robin and Jordyn Tomaszewski came up with the idea for their craft store, 29 Stitches, just a few months ago.
Though they said it was an “impulsive decision” to start their own business, they don’t plan on going back any time soon. The are eyeing a June opening.
The two enjoy crafting activities like drawing and making herbal products like sleep pillows and sachets in their own time. Jordyn Tomaszewski currently works at fabric and craft retailer Joann in St. Cloud, which will be closing along with the rest of the company’s stores this year after the chain filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy for the second time within a year and auctioned off all locations to a new ownership group.
Jordyn Tomaszewski enjoys working at Joann with a great team of other employees, she said. After the store’s closing, she wanted to find a way to fill the gap that will be left behind by the store’s closure and possibly hire Joann’s employees at the new shop.
“I started applying for other keyholder positions, and not hearing anything back, and then my mom being like, ‘we should open a fabric store,'” she said. “If I can’t find someone to employ me, I’ll employ myself.”
Jordyn Tomaszewski grew up playing hockey and always had the jersey number 29, inspiring the name for the shop. Her nickname “stitches” was given to her after an injury requiring stitches in middle school – hence 29 Stitches.
“It’s mind boggling … Every time I go (to the store), it’s just being hit with another train of realization that it’s actually happening,” Jordyn Tomaszewski said.
29 Stitches to sell fabric, yarn, art supplies
29 Stitches, located at 18 15th Ave. S., will sell a range of crafting supplies, such as yarn, fabric, embroidery floss and art supplies. It will source the items for sale from other small businesses, Robin Tomaszewski said. The shop will also have a focus on sustainable items.
29 Stitches will host crafting classes with guest teachers, some of whom will likely be former Joann employees. It will also include a gallery space to show art from local artists and crafters to help them get started.
Robin Tomaszewski said she also wants 29 Stitches to become a shop that encourages community around crafts and gives St. Cloud-area residents a creative outlet.
“The vision really is to hopefully fill the void of losing Joann because it was quite shocking to a lot of people,” she said. “So we’re hoping to fill that void and be community-oriented, supportive of local crafters, encourage more creativity.”
Teagan King covers business and development for the St. Cloud Times. She can be reached at teking@gannett.com.
