Buttons n Bolts

Today, after being prodded by friend Sally, I went on an excursion across town to the close-out/retirement sale for Buttons-n-Bolts. Sally heard great things about this sale over a chat group and didn’t think that I should miss it. I’m glad she told me about it! This store had been the premier fabric store for garment construction in Tucson for over 30 years. The owner, Joyce, moved her store here from the east coast after hearing a customer from Tucson complain that the fabric stores in Tucson only sold polyester. In a gutsy move, she and her husband moved their 2 daughters and fabric stock to Tucson. Her husband, at first, had to take a job in Phoenix until he could find a job in Tucson. Joyce built her business here by herself and it became a sewer’s shopping destination. Joyce closed her retail outlet and switched to internet based a year and a half ago. She found it was too expensive to maintain her storefront and just couldn’t keep it up. We compared notes about the state of the home sewing industry. Joyce reported that all the sewing businesses she knows about, including Joanne’s and Hancock’s, have been suffering with the recession. Part of her business has been selling lace and trims for bridal gowns. She is taking a terrific loss on her lace collection at her closing sale. She says that there has been a dramatic slow-down in hand made gowns. Instead, brides find inexpensive gowns on the internet, and then pay to have them altered. This saves them hundreds of dollars. Joyce is a special lady in the sewing world. I wish her well in retirement.

Enough about the store history! I found some great fabric at Joyce’s sale, held in a self-storage unit. Everything was 75% off, which made it hard not to buy some of the wonderful things she had left. She had a nice collection of natural fibers, including bamboo, tencel, rayon, and silk. I found many attractive prints in cotton knit, which I’ll use in sewing tops. She had some coordinating bottom wear that I also bought. I ended up buying 10 pieces of fabric, each 2-5 yards long. I remember leaving Bellevue thinking that I would miss my fabric stash. I don’t think that is a problem anymore. Tomorrow I need to start sewing, since lack of fabric is no longer the issue!

My fabric acquisition isn’t the only reason today is special. Son Phil turned 24. Happy birthday, son! We love you and hope you have had a good day.