Ideas. strategIes. News.

Transcription

Craft
Ideas. Strategies. News.
Spring
’14
Busi n ess
Insi d e r
Facing
forward
Travis Smith,
CEO of Jo-Ann
Fabric and Craft
Stores, offers an
insider’s view
of where the
craft industry is
headed
Still
scrapping
Despite reports
to the contrary,
scrapbooking
remains popular
Trend or Fad
How to identify
the difference –
and drive sales
for both
from the CEO
Craft
Moving Forward
Standing still is one of the surest ways to get behind in our modern business
world. We all need to figure out how to ride the waves, reach our customers,
and help them find the products that they need.
One of the things that I really like about this magazine is that it’s chock full
of learning opportunities. Large and small companies alike can take tidbits
from the case studies in these pages, and adapt those ideas into their own
business plans.
Editor:
Todd Shryock
Associate Editors:
Erik Cassano,
Danielle Toth
Art Director:
Amanda Horvath
Project Manager:
Erin Walker
Cover photography:
Toby Shingleton
An organization’s ability to learn, and translate that learning into
action rapidly, is the ultimate competitive advantage.
– Jack Welch, chemical engineer and CEO of GE from 1981-2001
Some of the stories in this issue contain obvious lessons, like merchandising
tips or product mix guidelines. Cover stories like the JoAnn article offer a wealth
of craft business inspiration. Other stories may feature slightly more subtle hints.
In our scrapbooking story, Jennifer Edwardson mentions her success with
developing beginner kits – an idea echoed by Heather Mann in the dollar store
crafting article. No matter what your store’s core product line includes, you can
take this idea and adapt it to make your own custom packages for
beginners.
Don’t want to create your own bundle? Simply give a discount
instead when customers buy a beginner tool along with a certain
number of other supplies. Or offer tool rentals for beginners. The
beauty of learning is that you can take an idea you’ve discovered
and transform it to your specific store’s (and customer’s) needs.
Just as we can learn from the successes of others, so too can
we learn from our shared history. We love the history of crafting
timeline that Mike Hartnett has begun to put together in this issue,
and look forward to exploring more of our milestones in the future.
In closing, I would like to share a personal milestone. Darice,
our family business, turns 60 years old in July. A big thank you
to my mom and dad for working tirelessly on their contribution
to the craft industry, and for giving my family the great
American Dream!
Sincerely,
Michael Catanzarite
Co-CEO
Darice Inc.
2 • Craft Business Insider
Craft Business Insider
is published by
SBN Interactive,
835 Sharon Drive, Suite 200,
Westlake, OH 44145,
(440) 250-7000.
sbninteractive.com
13000 Darice Parkway
Strongsville, OH 44149
1-866-4-DARICE
(1-866-432-7423)
FAX: (440) 238-1680
Email: [email protected]
Darice is an action-oriented
company, committed to continual
improvements and advancements
in the craft industry. As a leader
in their field, Darice is dedicated
to maintaining, expanding, and
strengthening the relationship
with its customers. Their simple
mission statement says it best,
“Exceed Customer Expectations”,
a practice followed daily at the
company’s Strongsville, Ohio
based headquarters facility and
distribution center.
craftbusinessinsider.com
Spring
’14
Bu sin ess
In sid er
Spring
’14
con te n ts
Trending
Despite reports to the
contrary, scrapbooking
remains popular
16
Facing forward
12
Travis Smith, CEO of Jo-Ann Fabric and Craft Stores,
offers his view on where the industry is headed
departments
4
6
8
Briefs
What’s hot! New products and tips
Trending
Trend or fad: How to identify the
difference — and drive sales for both
Best practices
Steve Diddams shares what’s hot in
the party store space and how you
can take advantage of it
10 Crafting tech
It’s a blogger’s world. Internet writers
have a huge impact on craft trends
21 Industry insider
Thrifty craft ideas for low-budget
customers
Spring 2014
22 In season
How to merchandise wedding items —
and sell more of them
24 Industry insider
How you display and highlight merchandise
has a real impact on your sales
26 Industry insider
Tradeshow trends
28 Crafting timeline
A look at the industry’s past and the
progress made
30 Back page
From tiny acorns, household names grow
Craft
Business Insider • 3
briefs
It’s time to get crafty
What’s new? What’s hot? What’s important to your
customers? We have the answers.
hot!
what’s
Retailers from across the country are seeing different
trends and customer interests, ranging from
domestically manufactured products to chalkboard
crafts. Here’s a random sampling of what craft store
operators are seeing.
“U.S.-made rules right
now. People are really into
learning the story behind
the products they purchase
and knowing where they
come from. We stock a lot
of U.S.-made supplies, like
Brooklyn Tweed and Jill
Draper yarns, and people
seek these out first.”
“My Craft Room is finding
even more interest in
knitting and crochet than
ever — I’m sure the winter
weather has a little to do
with it. The most popular
projects now are cowls
and hats. And in paper
crafting, our customers
just can’t get enough dies.”
— Jaime Jennings and Amber
Corcoran, co-owners of Fancy
Tiger, a craft boutique in Denver,
Colo.
— Joyce Rapezzi, owner of My
Craft Room in Troy, Mich.
“At Mangelsen’s we are
really excited about
the chalkboard trend —
chalkboard paints, markers,
stickers, wall decals, etc.
Our customers will take any
of our unfinished wood (or
even a mason jar), paint it
with chalkboard paint and
make a great piece of home
décor.”
— David M. Mangelsen, owner of
Mangelsen’s in Omaha, Neb.
Mod Podge
Rocks!
Mod Podge has always been a favorite
with crafters, but with the new Mod
Podge Rocks! stencils, an entirely new realm of possibilities has been
opened for your customers to explore. The stencils are peel-and-stick
and reusable, and come in a variety of patterns, including tree bark
and skeleton keys.
Crafters apply the stencil to the item of their choice, dab on some
Mod Podge, remove the stencil, then sprinkle with glitter (or sand or
anything else they want to use). Once dry, the excess glitter is brushed
away, leaving the desired pattern behind.
“With this line, you can make designs with glitter and Mod Podge that
you couldn’t normally achieve by hand,” says Amy Anderson, freelance
designer. “It was also important to me to have a line that was great for
beginners, basic enough for a variety of projects and reusable — these
stencils meet that criteria.”
arm yourself
Is your store taking advantage of the arm-knitting trend? No needles
(or knitting skills) are required. Arm knitters use their hands and
arms to knit yarn in interesting patterns and can create scarves,
blankets and other items, all customized with their choice of colors.
Plenty of guidance for beginners is available on YouTube (simply do
a search for arm knitting), and these same videos can spark ideas
for what styles and colors of yarn to stock. Find a local arm knitter
to run a demonstration, or put one of the instructional videos on a
continuous loop in your store to help spark interest.
up!
Chalk
it
Crafters will love the versatility of the
DecoArt Americana Décor™ Chalky
Finish line. These paints and finishes
are the perfect products for flea
market find re-dos or giving furniture
a facelift. Economically priced and
easy to use, Chalky Finish paints
dry quickly allowing the painter to
achieve a wide range of techniques
like distressing, layering colors, dry
brushing, stenciling and more. Unlike
other finishes, products from this line
have low odor and clean up easily
with soap and water.
“Just brush them on, wait a little
while, then buff to a nice satiny
sheen or let the finish cure for a
more matte look,” says Donna Bush,
DecoArt’s manager of creative
education and design.
Chalk Paint Photos courtesy of DecoArt®
Mod Podge Photo courtesy of Plaid®
Spring 2014
Craft
trend
fad?
How to identify the
difference — and
drive sales for both
OR
T
he craft retail space is never a fixed target for
store owners trying to gauge the next hotselling items that will be flying off the shelves.
Is it burlap? Paper-mache letters? Yarn bombing? Or
something else you’ve seen on Pinterest or Etsy?
Is it a trend that will be around for a while? Or is
it a fad that will dry up in the span of months? How
do you determine which it is, and how do you react
without overreacting?
They’re all valid questions, and none has a
completely predictable answer. However, there are some
steps you can take to prepare for the next big thing
without betting the farm on a product line that will be
passé by the start of next month.
Telling the difference
In order to market to a trend or fad, you have to
know the difference. Dave Catanzarite, co-CEO of
Darice, says the primary difference is the scope. A
trend tends to encompass large-scale craft concepts,
such as wedding décor, and can last for the span of
many months or several years. A fad is short-lived,
with a lifespan of weeks or a few months and usually
encompasses a single product or product line.
“The use of burlap is an example that I’d consider to
be more of a trend,” Catanzarite says. “It’s lasted for the
past year and a half or so. People have been using burlap
and other natural materials in weddings, home décor and
other projects that tend to have a larger scope.”
The recent popularity of rubber band loom bracelets,
by contrast, is most likely a fad.
“It started on YouTube, with a video showing how
to do it, and now it’s huge,” Catanzarite says. “It was
huge throughout the Christmas season. But it’s big for
a while and then it tails off. Eye-bombing is another
example, a fad in which people were putting plastic
googly-eyes on refrigerators, computers, notebooks and
other items. But the rule is generally that fads last for
a few months or a year. You might sell $1 million this
year but only $100,000 next year.”
Playing your hand
Because trends tend to have a larger scope and more
endurance than fads, there is less of a chance of retailers
overreacting to them. A shipment of burlap could have
a number of decorative uses, meaning more customers
might purchase it, allowing your store to turn more
profit on that product. In short, the sales predictions
are usually more reliable with trends.
With fads, the spike in interest — and subsequent
sales — is immediate and sharp. When people want it,
their appetite is insatiable. Instead of steady brisk sales
like you might see with a trend, you may have a difficult “If you buy weekly
time keeping a fad item in stock for a few months. As
and try to minimize
soon as the shipment hits the floor, it starts selling.
overstock, that’s usually
That’s why it’s much easier to overplay your hand
the best plan of action.”
when it comes to fads. And that’s how yesterday’s license
— Dave Catanzarie,
to print money becomes today’s clearance-rack item.
Co-CEO, Darice
How do you guard against putting too many eggs in
the fad basket? Catanzarite says inventory control is key.
“How you buy your stock is very important,” he says.
“In order to control inventory, we air-freight most of it,
sometimes on a weekly basis. So we have the short-term
stock we need, and we can get more when we need it.
That way, when a fad cools off, we still have stock for
Scanning the horizon
what we’re selling, but we’re not way overstocked.”
No trend or fad is risk-free. But careful observation of
Look at different suppliers when possible. Compare
what is emerging can give you a good idea of which
rates and availability, and go with the supplier who
risks are worth taking.
can get you the short-term stock you need, and get it
“I usually see trends start on the coasts,” Catanzarite
to you quickly. There is a sweet spot with fads — you
want to be aggressive enough to capitalize on the selling says. “Paying attention to what’s developing in New
power of the fad without going overboard and finding
York and California is a good idea, in my experience.”
yourself with pallets of unsold backstock should the fad
If stores in New York are starting to sell a lot of a
suddenly die out.
particular item, investigate further to see if the item
“It’s not an exact science,” Catanzarite says.
makes sense for your store.
“Trying to hit that middle ground between aggressive
“In the end, you sometimes can’t help it if you
purchasing and not going crazy can differ between
misjudge,” Catanzarite says. “If you’re wrong, you’re
stores and depends greatly on the nature of the fad. But wrong. Just do your homework and be prepared for
if you buy weekly and try to minimize overstock, that’s
when the next trend or fad hits. Because when it hits —
usually the best plan of action.”
particularly with fads — it hits fast.” ●
Spring 2014
Craft
Best Practices
party stores
Party time
Steve Diddams, of Diddams Party Stores, offers an insider’s view of what’s
hot in the party store space — and how you can capitalize on it
P
supplies, including paper plates, napkins, streamers
and balloons, even small toys for gifts. Pretty much
everything except the food.”
Party stores rely heavily on the one-stop-shop
concept. By grouping items together, a customer who
enters the store for one item may end up purchasing
related items, turning a $5 sale into a $30 sale.
“If a kid is invited to a friend’s birthday party, a lot
of times, they’ll need to purchase a gift for under $20,
and that’s the price point we try to stick at,” Diddams
says. “It’s the same thing with catering supplies, like
bulk cups and plates. Once they’re in the store, we want
to take that opportunity to get those add-on sales by
providing convenience to the customer.”
The related-item concept is evident throughout
all of Diddams’ stores. Although children’s birthday
parties are the core business, they are only one of five
Photo by Crafting the Perfect Party® by David Tutera™
arty supply stores are close cousins of arts and
crafts stores, and if the two spaces don’t specifically
overlap, they certainly touch on the edges.
Aside from similarities in the products on the
shelf, stores in both spaces market to many of the
same consumers — party planners, home decorators
and other do-it-yourselfers on a budget. Both draw a
sizeable business from youth-targeted products, and
both face competition from general merchandise
retailers, including big box chains and dollar stores.
With that in mind, owners and operators of arts and
crafts stores can learn a lot from the party supply space,
including how to move merchandise and how to market
to a specialized customer base.
“Our core area is juvenile birthdays,” says Steve
Diddams, founder and president of California-based
Diddams Party Stores. “That includes all of the
main business lines, which include costumes, candy,
baking supplies and specialty balloons. But items
aren’t just grouped for convenience in the stores.
There is a visual appeal factor at work, as well, that is
as important as the convenience factor.
“We try to tell color stories throughout our
stores,” Diddams says. “It’s a critical element, because
customers are often looking to coordinate colors for
showers and parties. We want our customers to be able
to look at our displays and visualize their color theme.”
Display arrangement becomes a sales driver once a
customer is in the store. Getting customers to drive
to the store in the first place, though, is another
matter. Marketing is one area where party stores
and arts-and-crafts stores are really in the same
boat. As specialty stores, both are fighting for face
time in a crowded retail market, competing against
big-box and discount retailers that carry overlapping
inventory, in addition to household products such as
groceries and cleaning supplies.
It’s much easier for a big-box retailer to drive party
supply sales when a customer is already in the store for
groceries. That means stores such as Diddams have to
make a much stronger effort to personally connect with
customers. On that front, Diddams says he’s gotten
much more traction with Internet-based advertising
than with print circulars and newspaper ads.
“Things have changed so rapidly,” Diddams says.
“Now, we’re finding that we’re having more success
with email blasts, which are much more targeted.
We collect email addresses for targeted email ad
campaigns, and we’re also a lot more active on social
media than we’ve ever been. We find that customers
check out places like Yelp, and if they like what they
see, they’ll check us out.
“Everything is targeted now. How you sell
merchandise, how you market your store, you have to
really home in on your audience. Casting a wide net
doesn’t work like it used to.” ●
On th e We b
For more information on Diddams,
visit www.diddams.com
Spring 2014
Marketing
party supplies
Party supply stores and arts and crafts
stores target common customers. As an
arts-and-crafts store operator, you may
find you have an opportunity to venture
into party supplies, too. But before you
start calling vendors and scheduling
deliveries, you need to develop a plan to
promote and sell party supplies. Here are
some things to consider.
Devote adequate space to these supplies.
As an arts-and-crafts store, you’re not in
the party-supply business. But if you’re
going to carry party supplies, you have
to allot enough floor space to deliver
adequate product selection and the
potential for add-on sales.
Build visually attractive displays. Arrange
products according to color. Stock
complementary products next to each
other. Devote the same time and care you
devote to setting up a display for a crafting
product. Remember that you are still
selling to crafters; it’s just that the project
is a party instead of a quilt or a scrapbook.
Focus your marketing. Casting a wide
net isn’t necessarily the most effective
means of advertising anymore. Find your
audience via social media avenues. Gather
email addresses, focus your marketing on
smaller audiences of crafting enthusiasts
and let them know you now carry party
supplies. If you give those people a great
customer experience, word will quickly
spread that you sell party supplies with
the same high standards as your crafting
supplies.
Craft
crafting tech
blogger’s
It’s a
world
Internet writers have a huge
impact on craft trends
W
hile Pinterest drives some of the largest
traffic numbers on the Internet, about 80
percent of its content is recycled. So where
does the majority of its content come from? Bloggers.
Bloggers, both paid and unpaid, are a huge
influence in the crafting world. They have
their own individual followers, and when
combined with social media sites, they’re
reaching more people than ever.
“In today’s digital world,
blogging is an important medium,”
says Katie Wade, who operates
Lemon Jitters, a craft blog
that covers techniques, projects, supply
information and more. “You can see the impact clearly
with big blogs with lots of followers, but even smaller
blogs create a buzz in the creative community. I myself
have bought products because of blog posts, so I know
the power they can have from a consumer perspective.”
Tapping the resource
Many bloggers work through a middleman, such as
TapInfluence or Blogging Edge, rather than directly with
a particular retailer. Wade, for example, has worked with
several companies that link bloggers and retailers.
However, if your store has the resources to dedicate
someone to engage and work directly with bloggers
on a regular basis, doing so builds a relationship
and rapport that may result in blogs that are more
accurately tailored to your style and needs. But don’t
just choose a random blogger and jump in. The key to
successful blogging is to make sure you are working
with the right blogger on the right project, says
Tauni Everett, a social media manager who operates
snapcreativity.com, where she shares blogging and
social media tips, home entertainment ideas, and craft
and DIY projects.
“Most companies assume that working with the
most popular, high-traffic blogger is the answer, but
that’s not necessarily true,” she says. “A small blogger
Tips for a
Successful
Blogger
Relationship
Ready to build your own blog campaign or create
your company’s design team? Darice’s Social
Media Coordinator, Sarah Kubelka, shares some
tips she’s learned along the way:
Research
the blog —
and the blogger
— you’re
interested in
working with.
Questions to
ask include:
Photo courtesy of Katie Wade www.lemonjitters.com
with a loyal following can exert far more
influence, particularly when it comes to
niche products.”
It is also beneficial to seek out paid
bloggers, Wade says. Most professional
bloggers don’t do unpaid work unless it
is a project they’re doing for themselves,
and paid bloggers will spend more time on
projects and more energy promoting posts,
resulting in a cleaner, more reader-friendly
post.
However, Everett says that regardless
of whether bloggers are paid or unpaid,
quality of content and reader perception of
that content are the most important factors
to consider.
To create high-quality content, choose a
topic that focuses on projects, rather than
products. Unless the product is new and
innovative, most people don’t want to read
a product plug. Instead, focus on easy-tocreate projects that incorporate products
sold at your store.
“Think about a concept that goes along
with the season,” Wade says. “Holiday
projects are always popular. So instead of
saying, ‘Look at this cool new glue,’ you’re
saying, ‘Look at this great project you can
make for the holidays.’ People respond
better to that.” ●
Spring 2014
• Is the blog’s audience a good match for you?
• Is the blogger active on social media channels
with high engagement and dedicated followers?
• Check out the blogger’s previous sponsored posts.
Is the content what you expect for your posts?
• Is the blogger working with other brands? If so,
who? Watch out for conflicts of interest.
Communication is key. Make your mutual
relationship clear from the beginning — what you
will do for them and what you expect from them
in return. Listen to their questions and concerns,
and give very clear, precise project guidelines. Craft
bloggers actually want strong direction — they want
to give you what you want, and that may be hard if
you do not communicate effectively.
Be upfront, prompt and flexible.
Remember, your ultimate goal is to build long-term
relationships with industry influencers and make
it a win-win for both parties. Be courteous of the
blogger’s time and respond to them in a reasonable
amount of time. Things are bound to come up — be
as understanding and flexible as possible.
Compensate bloggers.
In addition to supplies, be
willing to offer a stipend for projects and blog posts.
Craft
Scrapbooking
Sells
Despite the closure of Archiver’s and
other specialty stores, this medium
remains popular with crafters
S
crapbooking sales boomed in the early 2000s, but have decreased
somewhat recent years. Some attribute the decline to the recession,
while others point to the increase in less expensive online companies.
However, scrapbooking still makes up the largest percentage of
crafters — 10 percent, or 23 million people, according to a 2012 Craft
& Hobby Association survey. In addition, social media sites such as
Pinterest and Instagram encourage creativity and allow both crafters
and noncrafters to share projects.
“Scrapbooking is a great way to showcase those treasured photos that
we take,” says Lorraine Ungeheier, of the Scrapbook Expo. “These days,
everyone has a camera on their phone, so we are taking more pictures
than ever. Instead of storing precious photos in boxes, crafters are
incorporating these pictures into scrapbooks that are truly works of art.”
On the rise again
Jennifer Edwardson opened her store, Scrapbookin’ Adventures,
in 2006. While she’s seen other stores close, her British Columbia,
Canada, store has remained open.
“Through the economy change, one thing we noticed was that we
weren’t losing customers — we were losing dollar amounts,” she says.
“People were still coming and had a need for the products, but the
Spring 2014
Craft
average purchase price went down. But we started to see
a rebound in 2011, and now we’re on the rise again.”
Scrapbooking supplies continue to be in demand
as customers increasingly see the value in preserving
family memories, Edwardson says. As many age and
experience life events such as marriage, children and
deaths of loved ones, they have a heightened desire to
create something unique and personal to pass along.
In addition, as interest in genealogy has increased, so
has interest in scrapbooking, since it is a great way to
document a family tree.
Scrapbooking also stimulates the senses in a way that
simple recall or digital memory preservation can’t. It
often includes not only photos but memorabilia as well,
such as the ticket stub from a first date, a pressed flower
from a bridal bouquet or a ribbon from a baby shower
gift. The lingering smell of the flower and the texture of
the ribbon provide a unique and enhanced experience.
quickly,” she says. “Customers are looking for really
easy, very colorful, print-driven albums that have
everything all right there for you in the kit so you don’t
have to buy a million different things and figure it out.
It’s pretty much done for you.”
Mixed media, which incorporates textures and
materials ranging from feathers to fabric and other
tactile items, and hidden journaling contained in
pullout tags or tiny envelopes, is also on the rise
in scrapbooking, as is die-cutting, Ungeheier says.
From manual machines to cutting machines that use
electronic files, die-cutting patterns are becoming more
intricate and the materials used more varied.
Stamping, flowers and chalkboard are also hot, as
are mixed and matched patterns, such as chevron with
polka dots or stripes with flowers.
Modern, sophisticated styles are also trendy. These
books are meant to look professional when completed, as if
they were purchased from a store rather than handmade.
Hot, hot, hot
Set yourself apart
Scrapbooking kits are popular now because they are
relatively inexpensive and simple to assemble, says
Dena Fishbein, of Dena Designs, a full-service design
and merchandising studio that creates everything from
scrapbook paper to apparel and home décor.
“People who are pressed for time like the simplicity
of a kit that allows them to get a book done very
The great thing about scrapbooking is that retailers
can go as simple or as complex as they want. Ungeheier
recommends starting with basics such as adhesives (both
wet and dry), paper trimmers, scissors, card stock, several
paper collections, embellishments and basic tools. Acidfree supplies are a must, she says, as these preserve pictures.
5
ways to take
advantage of
papercrafting
Papercrafting, in which crafters
construct 3D objects out of paper,
is exploding in the scrapbooking
market. It uses virtually the same
materials as traditional 2D pages and
provides an innovative opportunity to
enhance those pages. Papercrafting
has also transitioned to home décor
as creative crafters use the medium
for everything from picture frames to
party decorations.
Nostalgia SMASH Journal Gift Set
from K&Company.®
It is also important to keep like products together so “When collections aren’t
customers can easily see what mixes and matches well.
together in a store, people don’t
“When collections aren’t together in a store, people
know what paper is meant to go
don’t know what paper is meant to go with what
with what embellishments.”
embellishments,” Fishbein says. “While they can be
inspired to incorporate new and different things, keeping — Dena Fishbein, Dena Designs
core collections together makes shopping easier.”
Displays are also important. Scrapbooking customers
tend to be very visual and want to see what a finished
go. It really makes up 10-fold down the road.”
product can look like. Keep samples and finished projects
near scrapbooking items to spark customers’ imaginations. Workshops and make-and-takes are also excellent ways
To encourage new customers to take the scrapbooking to garner customer interest. People love to experiment
with new products, learn new skills or improve existing
plunge, Edwardson recommends something she does
ones, and socialize with peers who have similar
at her store: Offering a package deal. She creates a kit
interests. These events can be inexpensive, conducted
with everything a beginner might need, including a
with internal personnel using in-house products.
paper trimmer, scissors, adhesives and several papers and
Creating space in your store for others to socialize also
embellishments. She retails the kit for about 15 percent
encourages customers to stay longer — and the more
off of what those things would cost separately.
they linger, the more they tend to spend.
This offers a great option for potential crafters who
For any retail store, it’s about the experience, and
don’t want to drop a large amount of money on supplies
arts and crafts retailers can beat out the big-box stores
for something they’re not sure they will like.
with simple personal touches.
“As retailers, we’re always looking at the bottom
“Any big box can carry paper, but do they display it
line, but 10 to 20 percent is not a huge amount to give
well?
Is the staff knowledgeable about how to use the
when you look at what you’re getting in the long run,”
newest die-cuts? Are their projects regularly changed to
Edwardson says. “If you bring in a beginner, they will
show off the entire collection?” Ungeheier says. “These
come back and spend more money and not think twice
are what set smaller, independent retailers apart.” ●
about it because of the savings they received at the get-
To take advantage of this trend, retailers should:
workshops.
1 Organize
When you show both current
and potential customers the
papercrafting possibilities, they
will be more likely to purchase
the tools and products.
Stock kits.
are more willing to try
2 People
something for the first time if it is
inexpensive and easy. Kits allow
potential crafters to experiment
before taking the plunge.
Spring 2014
completed
3 Display
projects.
Crafters are visual, and they want
to see what a project can look
like post completion. Create
papercrafts from your store’s
materials and display them near
their corresponding products.
a papercrafting
5Host
contest.
Exhibit entries in your store
to garner interest and have
customers vote for their
favorites. Reward the winner
with a gift card or a gift basket of
papercrafting supplies.
advantage of
4 Take
multimedia.
Post video tutorials to your
website, social networks and
blog that illustrate papercrafting
how-tos.
Craft
Facing
forward
Travis Smith, CEO of Jo-Ann Fabric and
Craft Stores, offers an insider’s view of
where the craft industry is headed
By Erik Cassano
O
Photo by Toby Shingleton
ver the years, the craft retail industry has been
molded, shaped and reshaped by countless
trends and product lines. It has adapted to
evolving technology. And it has been buoyed by economic
prosperity and weighed down by slumps and recessions.
But through it all, one thing hasn’t changed — the
passionate, creative customer base that cares about
crafting. And that, says Travis Smith, is the ingredient
that has made the craft retail recipe successful, no
matter what outside factors influence it.
“Our retail industry is strong, and that’s in large
part due to the passion of our customers,” says Smith,
president and CEO of Jo-Ann Fabric and Craft Stores.
“What’s more, about half of what is bought in our
stores is given as gifts, or given to a cause. A lot of our
customers do things like make quilts for the homeless.
So we have a very passionate customer base that is also
a very giving and philanthropic customer base.”
Spring 2014
Craft
“We’re going to serve as
a resource for ideas and
techniques, not just a place
to purchase supplies. That
is one thing that can really
set us apart.”
— Travis Smith, CEO of Jo-Ann Fabric
and Craft Stores
But having passionate customers is only good
when you can connect with them and drive sales.
Smith says that over the past decade, that has been
an ongoing challenge faced by him and other leaders
of bricks-and-mortar craft store chains, as online and
big-box retailers have taken a bite out of business.
Both have convenience factors working in their favor;
online retailers allow customers to shop from virtually
anywhere, and big-box retailers compete on an allunder-one-roof retail model.
The competition has caused craft retailers to become
creative in their own right, adapting to a new retail
world in a way that highlights the specialized product
selection and in-depth knowledge that only stores in
the craft retail space possess.
A unique position
General-merchandise stores and online retailers stock
arts and crafts products, and that’s not likely to ever
change. Those players are in the game to stay, and craft
retailers will have to continue to adapt.
But craft stores have another platform on which
to compete, and it’s extremely important for their
passionate, discerning customer base: In a word, craft
stores can inspire.
“Most crafters deal with a time hurdle,” Smith says.
“They don’t have the time to come up with new ideas
for projects. So the more we can inspire the customer,
the more videos and project sheets and finished samples
we can put out there, the more we’re going to create
ideas. We’re going to serve as a resource for ideas and
techniques, not just a place to purchase supplies. That
is one thing that can really set us apart.”
The challenge within the challenge is to take that
inspiration and make it accessible on the customers’
terms. Customers are becoming increasingly Web-savvy
and are looking to sites such as Pinterest for project
ideas. Craft stores have to inspire in much the same
way and create user interfaces that allow customers to
purchase supplies at the moment inspiration hits.
“I need to be able to supply solutions that allow my
customers to shop my stores how, where and when
they want, whether that means shopping online with
the option to return the item to a physical store,
shopping by phone or coming in to the store to speak
with a sales representative,” Smith says. “Things have
changed so much, and as a craft retailer, you have to
give your customers every possible option to interact
with your store.”
Craft stores have to be willing to work with sites
like Pinterest, as well as other social media networks
in which crafters share ideas. Today’s conversation
becomes tomorrow’s crafting craze, and store operators
need to be able to react quickly. It’s a part of developing
a deeper relationship with customers, giving them
incentive to seek out the responsiveness, selection and
service available in the craft store market.
“Crafters used to get their inspiration from family
members — their mom, aunts, grandma,” Smith says.
“Today, that’s being replaced to a great degree by social
media. You take a look at some of the trends that have
emerged on social media over the past few years, like
the use of burlap, canvas and canning jars. Those of
us in the craft store space have to work with those sites
Spring 2014
and add momentum to the initial inspiration. We help
our customers flesh out their crafting vision.”
Filling the pipeline
Technology is also changing how stores operate. With
new order replenishment systems in place, Jo-Ann is
taking steps to be more responsive to customer demand
and take quicker action when supplies of a given
product are running low.
The responsiveness factor is especially critical for
Smith’s company, because it supports a network of
stores with varying degrees of square footage and
product selection.
“The stores have to stay in communication with
distribution centers,” Smith says. “You don’t want a ton
of back stock that sits around, but you don’t want to
run out of what customers want. There is a sweet spot
where you order enough, but not too much or too little.
And ensuring that you hit that target takes investment
on the tracking end of things.”
Regional appeal is also a growing trend, and one that
Smith thinks will continue. Each region has a set of niche
products or themes that sell particularly well, and craft
store operators who identify and take advantage of those
trends can boost their sales.
“Because we’re in the business of serving customers,
Craft
— Travis Smith,
CEO of Jo-Ann Fabric
and Craft Stores
For more information: Jo-Ann Fabric & Craft Stores,
www.joann.com
“I need to be able to
supply solutions that
allow my customers to
shop my stores how, where
and when they want.”
we have to find our niche,” Smith says. “We’re trying to provide
specialty items and services that they can’t find anywhere else, and
a big part of that is regional appeal. So a store in Florida might
sell nautical prints and fabrics. In Arizona, you might emphasize a
Southwest color palette. In Alaska, it might be wilderness prints.”
How you appeal to regional customers depends on the size of the
store or chain that you operate. Smaller craft store companies may
already be regionally focused, while larger chains, such as Jo-Ann
Fabric, have to closely monitor regional trends. But it’s a worthwhile
pursuit, because the future of craft retail is going to rest on the same
foundation of customer service that has always carried it and separated
it from retailers that might carry the same products but can’t provide
the same type of connection with truly passionate crafters.
“Getting that ground-level view isn’t always easy for a big
850-store chain like ours,” Smith says. “But it’s very important. We
want to talk to our customers, to be a resource for them, both in
terms of inspiration and know-how. That’s what has served us well
for years and what will continue to serve us well.” ●
Industry Insider
product development
Dollar
store designs
Thrifty craft ideas for low-budget customers
D
Photo by Morena Hockley for dollarstorecrafts.com
ollar stores are no longer just for quick trips
for gift bags or office supplies. They now carry “It’s a smart idea to
offer low-budget
everything from kitchen items and tableware
options for beginners.”
to clothes — and even craft supplies.
“We’ve definitely seen an increase in the craft
— Heather Mann, founder
supplies available at dollar stores in the past five years,”
and editor-in-chief,
says Heather Mann, founder and editor-in-chief of
dollarstorecrafts.com
dollarstorecrafts.com, a daily crafting blog that shares
craft ideas and items made using materials purchased at
Mann recommends dollar-store owners create a
dollar stores. “With the state of the economy and people’s
designated four- to eight-foot section of the store
tight budgets, people still want to take part in hobbies
specifically for crafts and that it be labeled to make it
but don’t have as much money to spend on them. So
easy for crafters to find what they need.
they’re looking for a cheaper source for supplies.”
Retailers can also take advantage of the dollar-store
There are also many people who don’t consider
trend by offering a budget section, something many
themselves “crafters,” per se, but who want to recreate
large retailers have already done. Clearly label the area
a DIY project they saw on a TV show, blog or social
so penny pinchers know where to find deals.
media site. These crafters also look to low-cost items.
In addition, if you’re offering new craft supplies or
Dollar stores can take advantage of the budget trend
targeting a novice audience, building inexpensive kits
by offering simple crafting supplies. Kids’ craft supplies
are great sellers because many parents don’t want to spend that contain supplies for one or two items can help
attract new customers.
a lot of money on these items. Think markers, paint,
“I don’t want to try a new craft if it’s going to cost
pencils, crayons and different sizes and textures of paper.
me $50,” Mann says. “So if you have an area where you
Plaques and frames are also popular because they
can be used in a variety of crafts — Mann used a frame want to increase customers, it’s a smart idea to offer
low-budget options for beginners. You’re providing
and plastic canvas to create a DIY earring holder — as
value, and customers who enjoy the craft will come
are broadly used craft items such as beads, yarn, paint
back and spend money on higher-ticket items.” ●
and paintbrushes.
Spring 2014
Craft
in
season
H e r e c o m e s the
t
bride
How to merchandise wedding items – and sell more of them
hrow the idea of “traditional wedding
season” out the window. Weddings take
place year round — just run a search for
“winter weddings,” and 324 million results pop up.
In addition, thrifty brides look for deals months in
advance of their weddings, regardless of the season.
So if you’re limiting your wedding item merchandise
to the colder months in advance of June weddings,
think again. You may be missing out on a huge
opportunity.
“We’re finding the later months, November and
December, have become very popular for weddings,”
says Patrice Catan-Alberty, the owner of Catan
Fashions, who also works with Darice to develop bridal
products. “Wedding items are popular year round as
brides try to stay ahead of the game.”
Cater to the customer
The key to selling wedding items any
time of year is to make them easy to find
and easy to browse.
Catan-Alberty recommends displaying items in
chronological order, starting with the ceremony and
ending with the reception. This makes it easy for bridal
customers to quickly locate exactly what they need —
whether it is DIY veils and headpieces or guest books
and centerpiece items — without feeling overwhelmed
during what can be a stressful planning period. This
also helps brides who follow a wedding plan or checklist,
allowing them to easily find the items they need for a
particular use without having to search the store.
You should also create engaging displays that illustrate
both ways to use the items and what the finished product
will look like.
“Many customers are visual and need to see the end
result,” Catan-Alberty says. “They also don’t want their
items to look like a craft; they’re looking for appealing
items for an elegant event that fit their budget. We
work very hard to make sure we convey that, which is
why we like to show what finished products look like.”
Aside from displays, in-store events such as
workshops and make-and-takes show bridal customers
not only what the finished product looks like but also
how simple it is to create, encouraging them to buy the
materials to make their own.
Follow fashion
Catan-Alberty also examines fashion
trends to determine the right bridal
crafting product mix. For example, when
she saw that gold was replacing silver, she immediately
consulted with Darice to offer more gold and goldaccented products. In addition, awards season dresses
featured lace and cutouts, which are now showing up
not only in bridal but in crafting, as well.
“It’s important to be able to trend quickly and offer
exactly what the customer wants,” says Phyllis Sika,
a buyer at Darice. “The craft industry is really not
involved enough in bridal to a level where we’re going
to know what’s hot or not. That’s why fashion is so
important — it tells us where to go next in the craft
industry.”
Keep tabs on fashion magazines and blogs to learn
what is hot — and what customers will want to see in
your store.
Entice interest
Merchandising is all about exciting
and fascinating your audience but that
doesn’t always need to happen in the
store. Catan-Alberty recommends creating videos that
showcase products and their uses and posting them on
your website, social media sites and your blog. Videos
shouldn’t be focused on selling; instead, they should
be more how-to. For example, highlight a country chic
wedding theme by showing how to make burlap and
lace candle holders. Using products that are available in
your store to create an easy and inexpensive tutorial can
inspire interest and creativity in your customers — and
entice them to visit your store to pick up supplies.
Also help potential customers see the versatility of
items, as crafting is all about finding multiple uses
for products. A belt, for example, can also function as
decorative ribbon or be fashioned into a headband.
“You don’t want to pigeonhole an item for just one
use,” Sika says. “Brides want to have something that
sets them apart, so it’s important to show multiple
avenues for different products.” ●
Spring 2014
crafty
bridal
trends
Crystal.
Often used as a
theme, brides are
using crystal on
everything from
centerpieces to
garters, bouquets and
wedding cakes.
Paper flowers.
Silk was the go-to flower
material for many years,
but paper flowers are
now an inexpensive way
for crafty brides to create
everything from bouquets
to ceremony and/or
reception decorations.
Natur al/
environmental.
The less is-more wedding
is popular now. Ecofriendly women are
choosing wedding items
made from recycled and
reusable materials.
Personalization.
Today’s brides are looking
for ways to put their own
touch on their weddings.
Adding rhinestones,
lace and more to storebought items creates a
personal flair.
Alternate
millinery.
DIY headpieces
and flowers have
trumped traditional
tiaras and veils.
Craft
Industry Insider
merchandise
cart
appeal
How you
display and
highlight
merchandise
has a real
impact on your
sales
C
raft stores often face a juxtaposition of sorts.
Even the smallest craft store carries a wide
array of products to cater to the supply needs of
many different kinds of crafters.
But each crafter who walks through the door
has a specific area of interest. So how do you funnel
each crafter to the items he or she wants, while still
maximizing your sales?
In short, craft store owners and operators need to
organize their stores in a way that makes shopping
convenient for narrowly focused customers, while still
exposing them to other purchasing opportunities.
It’s both art and science, and store managers need to
constantly work to get it right.
Think like a customer
It’s the first rule of shelf stocking: If you want to drive
sales, you have to think like your customers think.
“I always like to put my customer hat on,” says
Susannah Schultz, a merchandise space planner at
Darice. “Customers usually don’t have a lot of time,
they probably have kids with them, and they don’t want
to be there any longer than they have to be. So, in a big
store, how can I find what I need without canvassing
the whole store?”
That means grouping items by related use.
Scrapbooking aisles should contain hole punches,
scissors, albums, markers and stickers. If an item has
multiple uses, consider stocking it in multiple places.
“For example, basic tape is a product with many uses
for many projects, so it would make sense to stock it in
different places,” Schultz says.
The time of year can also impact how you stock.
Seasonal displays can splice into your year-round
crafting displays, giving you an opportunity to
highlight merchandise that might otherwise stay in the
background.
“For any given season, you should try to take relevant
items and mix them in with the seasonal items,”
says Jennifer Bullis, a senior category manager with
Darice who has extensive previous experience in store
merchandising. “During the Christmas season, you might
take scrapbooking supplies and put them in with your
seasonal Christmas items, with the idea that a customer
might want to create a Christmas scrapbook or handmade
card. It gives the customer all those items right at their
fingertips, alongside the other seasonal items.”
Utilize end caps
End caps and standalone displays provide a great
opportunity to highlight both seasonal and trending
products. Many store managers keep a close eye on sites
like Pinterest for an inside look at what customers are into,
and what their stores will need to place front and center.
“For instance, burlap became really big recently as a
crafting item,” Bullis says. “So burlap is now something
you would want to stock in multiple parts of the store, and
something you might find highlighted on an end cap.”
Bullis recommends using three main criteria to
determine what gets highlighted in an end cap display.
“Is it a seasonal or color trend, is it a new product, is
it trending on sites like Pinterest?” she says. “Those are
the things you should consider first.”
And the closer to the front of the store a display is,
the better. If you want customers to see it, make sure
their eyes fall on it when they walk in the door.
“It’s something that can really vary by store,” Schultz
says. “Each store has a different layout and a slightly
different customer base. But generally, you want to have
seasonal products and trending items in the center aisle.”
Spring 2014
Adjust your approach
Customers sometimes complain when stores move their
merchandise around, but doing so serves a purpose:
Today’s workable floor plan isn’t necessarily workable
tomorrow. You need to constantly re-evaluate your
approach to stocking merchandise and make changes as
necessary, with an eye toward maximizing sales.
“We create planograms, which are schematics that
show how products can be displayed at a store,” Schultz
says. “Sometimes a buyer will bring in a new item that
we’ll want to highlight within one of our planogram
kits, so we’ll move some things around. We’re always
trying to make our displays cleaner and tighter.”
Every adjustment you make should be done with
an eye toward increasing the convenience factor for
customers. That includes not just product placement,
but signage and price tag placement and maximizing
use of the shelf space at eye level.
“Within each department, you want the cleanest
presentation possible,” Schultz says. “You want a
customer to be able to scan it and find products with
minimal difficulty. You want signage that doesn’t
change font, and display pegs that are consistent and
don’t change your eye level. Simply put, you don’t want
to make things topsy-turvy for your customers.”
In a large specialty store, it’s an ongoing process
to keep things clean and simple, but it can be
accomplished with proper planning.
“Craft stores tend to be very big and SKU-intensive,
so it does take a good deal of organization to create the
look you want,” Bullis says. “You can’t be everything
to everybody at all times, so you always have to decide
what you want to highlight.” ●
Craft
Industry Insider
tradeshows
Show time!
Trends from the tradeshow floor
As the arts and crafts industry wraps up two important shows —
the Craft & Hobby Association 2014 Conference & Trade Show in
January and the American International Toy Fair in February — we
bring you insights from Kort Masteller, national sales manager at
Darice, who gained an inside look at the latest trends that will soon be
in demand at your stores.
3D printing
While still relatively new and often expensive —
the most inexpensive desktop 3D printers still cost
about $400 — 3D printing, which uses media
such as plastic, ceramics, metals and even wood,
is transforming the arts and crafts world. New
products enter the market regularly.
New 3D drawing pens, for example, use heated plastic that
quickly cools and solidifies into a durable structure. These pens
are perfect for creating unique art pieces or even rough drafts to
visualize a finished work.
Artists and crafters who do not want to purchase their own 3D
printers or tools can use computer-aided design software and upload
designs to 3D printing companies, such as Shapeways.
Upcoming
trade shows
Check out the latest
trends for yourself at
these upcoming trade
shows.
Tween
products
Many retailers are chasing this highly
desirable segment of business, and
the associated dollars are substantial.
Tweens like to have unique items that
set them apart from their peers, and
the tween arts and crafts industry is
tailored to that concept.
Currently hot are locker
decorations, which include
sophisticated items such as lighted
chandeliers and sconces, organizational
bins, carpeting, wallpaper and
magnetic frames, dry erase boards and
mirrors. Other trendy products include
room decor, hair accessories, picture
frames and jewelry.
Art Materials World 2014
April 30-May 2, Pittsburgh
www.namta.org
Produced by the International Art Materials Association, Art Materials World
features art and creative supplies from manufacturers, importers, publishers
and distributors.
2014 Paper Arts Show
July 29-31, Atlanta
http://bit.ly/paperartsshow
This inaugural Craft & Hobby Association event includes paper craft exhibits,
workshops, networking events and shopping opportunities.
Licensed products
The interest in licensing is an ongoing
trend. Retailers are always anticipating
the next hot licenses and looking at
which licenses continue to generate
significant dollars. Lego is riding
the wave from The Lego Movie, and
Grumpy Cat was all the rage at the
American International Toy Fair in
February. The Wizard of Oz, Disney
Princesses and Duck Dynasty are also
popular licenses.
But before you sell these products,
make sure you have the proper legal
agreements and documentation, as fines
can be hefty.
Kits
Kits for all sorts of crafts, from scrapbooking to jewelry and card
making, are extremely popular right now. Kits target existing crafters
looking to enter a new medium, and noncrafters looking for an easy
project, by providing all the supplies needed for the craft in one
inexpensive bundle. In today’s busy world, they are also great for those
who may not have the time to invest in more laborious crafts.
Kits are especially popular in scrapbooking, for example, because they
provide a time-saving alternative to selecting from myriad papers and
embellishments. Scrapbooking kits come with precut decorations and
preselected embellishments, so all the user has to do is assemble with his
or her own photos.
2014
Pantone
Color of the
Year
& play
Parents and educators are especially
interested in arts and crafts that combine
learning with play, such as crafts that
teach colors, seasons, letters, numbers,
time, science, math and more.
Popular learn-and-play crafts include
plant-growing kits, color-by-number books
and create-your-own toys and models.
Spring 2014
Violet
Tulip
Hemlock
Cayenne
Freesia
Celosia
Orange
Color
Learn
Placid
Blue
Radiant
Orchid
Home decor, fashion and craft trends often mirror each other.
Pantone, the authority on color, says that both pastels and
brights are popular this spring. Placid Blue, the color of a calm
sky; Violet Tulip, a light purple-gray; and Hemlock, a summery
green, are trending pastels. On the bright end of the spectrum,
Cayenne, a vibrant red; Freesia, a sunny yellow; and Celosia
Orange, a tropical orange, are popular. Radiant Orchid is the
2014 Pantone Color of the Year, so look for the romantic purple
to be popular in everything from fabric to paper. ●
Craft
crafting timeline
The craft industry’s roots stretch through the annals of time. Take a journey through the early years of
crafting in part one of our timeline, with part two to follow in our next issue.
Compiled by Mike Hartnett
1649
A Dutch merchant, Peter Thorwöste, builds
a blast furnace in Finland. It made nails, wire,
and metal-reinforced wheels from wrought
iron; it later expands to become a premier
steel/ironworks company.
1600’s
Friedrich Staedtler creates the first
wood-cased graphite pencil in
Nuremburg, Germany.
1689
Oliver Cromwell begins his conquest of Ireland.
1720
1662
1700’s
Husqvarna begins as a manufacturer of
rifles for Swedish king. It begins making
sewing machines in 1872.
The Treaty
of Nerchinsk
establishes a
border between
Russia and China.
An ancestor of Lefranc &
Bourgeois opens an art
materials shop in Paris.
The Great Plague of Marseille
kills 100,000 people.
1790
1792
English inventor Thomas Saint patents the
first sewing machine.
The first artificial pigment, Prussian Blue,
is created by accident while the inventor
was trying to create a red.
The New York Stock Exchange is founded.
The French Revolution is in full swing.
1812
1800’s
Patrick Clark and brother James open the
first plant for manufacturing cotton thread.
1839
War between the United States and Great
Britain begins.
The collapsible metal paint tube is
invented, supplanting the pig bladder
method of storage.
1856
Four companies, including Isaac
Singer’s Singer Manufacturing Company
and Elias Howe’s Howe Machine
Company, pool their patents to license
the modern sewing machine.
1871
The quilting machine is invented.
The Great Chicago Fire burns for three
days, killing hundreds and destroying 3.3
square miles.
1841
Queen Victoria
is in her fifth year
as queen of the
British Empire.
1863
Ellen and Ebenezer
Butterick create the first
graded sewing patterns.
The International Red
Cross is formed.
1878
1893
Whitcomb L. Judson patents his “claplocker.” Today we call it a zipper.
New Zealand becomes the first country
to enact women’s suffrage.
Rueben Blumenthal
launches Lion Brand Yarn in
New York. Five generations
later, the family is still
running Lion Brand.
The first commercial
telephone exchange begins
in New Haven, Conn.
1900’s
1903
Edwin Binney and his wife Alice, of Binney
& Smith, create wax crayons which are
sold under the brand name Crayola.
The Wright brothers fly the first heavierthan-air airplane.
1906
What is now
MacPherson’s,
the industry’s
largest art materials distributor, begins
business in Montana as a distributor to
the shoe repair trade.
The San Francisco earthquake kills
about 3,000.
1924
Hans August Prym establishes William
Prym Inc., in New York to import and
distribute the company’s products. In
1988 the company acquires the Dritz
Corp., which had started in the 1920s by
John Dritz, a purse manufacturer.
J. Edgar Hoover is picked to
head the new Federal Bureau
of Investigation.
1905
The art material company,
Grumbacher, is founded by
Max Grumbacher. It is now
owned by Chartpak.
Albert Einstein formulates his
theory of relativity.
1911
Dick and Grace Blick mail their first
pamphlet selling a lettering pen.
The business grows into Dick Blick,
the largest and oldest provider of
art materials in the U.S.
Roald Amundsen reaches the
South Pole.
1925
The Muselman family launches Economy
Printing Concern, which evolves into
DRG (Dynamic Resource Group) and now
includes Annie’s, Country Sampler, and
Strategic Fulfillment Group. The company is
led by the grandsons of the founders.
1927
Simplicity Pattern is
launched, selling patterns
for 15 cents each.
Charles Lindberg flies
across the Atlantic to Paris.
A.I. Friedman opens its first store in New
York serving the retail sign making and art
supply industry.
1933
Henry Levinson starts Permanent
Pigments in Cincinnati and concentrates
on producing oil paint.
Wall Street crashes, starting the Great Depression.
1940
The Model Industry Association is formed,
a precursor to HIA and then CHA. 1941
Robert Metzenberg buys Dick Blick. The
family-owned business is now lead by the
third generation. By 1984, the catalog had
grown to more than 400 pages.
Dupont invents Orion, the first acrylic
fiber, which eventually led the way to
acrylic yarn.
Spring 2014
1929
Frederick Mink Sr. starts FM Brush with
three employees. Today it has more than
350 employees producing and selling more
than 17,000 SKUs, led by four of Frederick’s
descendants.
Franklin Delano Roosevelt is elected to a
third term as president.
1943
Cleveland Fabric Shop opened,
which later changed its name
to Jo-Ann Fabrics, then Jo-Ann
Fabrics and Crafts.
Craft
back
page
From tiny
acorns …
By Mike Hartnett
T
his issue includes part one of an industry
timeline, key dates in industry history. I
suggested the topic months ago as a magazine
article, but as I worked on it, I learned more and
more fascinating stories about the humble beginnings
of many (most?) of the industry’s well-known
companies.
There are too many wonderful stories that are too
good to squeeze into one magazine, let alone one
article, so this will be a series.
For example, the biggest, most well-known
industry names may seem pretty formidable today,
but that was not how they started. Take our largest
retailers, for example.
• In 1939, two couples that had fled Germany open
a cheese shop in Cleveland. A son convinces them
to sell fabric in the front of the store. That was the
beginning of Jo-Ann stores.
• In 1954, World War II veteran pilot Pasquale
Catanzarite uses his life savings of $200 to
open a shop in Cleveland. It was the beginning
of Darice, Inc., now the largest full line craft
company in the U.S.
• In 1957, Elaine and H.D. Hancock open a store in
Tupelo, Miss., and call it Hancock Fabrics.
• In 1962, a Ben Franklin retailer in Arkansas asks
the corporate office for permission to turn his shop
into an all-discount store. The Ben Franklin bigwigs
refuse, so Sam Walton drops his Ben affiliation and
calls his store Wal-Mart.
• In 1972, David Green opens his first store, all of
300 square feet, and names it Hobby Lobby.
• In 1973, Michael Dupey is operating Ben Franklin
stores in Dallas when he hears about Mangelsen’s,
a former Ben Franklin store in Omaha that had
switched to an all-craft format. He visits the store
The biggest, most wellknown industry names
may seem pretty formidable
today, but that was not how
they started.
— Mike Hartnett
and returns home and changes to a similar format.
He changes the name of the stores, too: Michaels.
• In 1985, Jack Parker opens the first A.C. Moore store
in Moorestown, N.J.
And that’s just a handful of retailers. The stories of
the early days of some independents, publishers and
manufacturers are just as amazing. Collectively, these
stories have lots to teach us.
• Just because you start small doesn’t mean you’ll stay
that way.
• If it weren’t for garages and kitchen tables, we
wouldn’t have an industry, because just about
everybody started at one or the other.
• Everybody changes with the times. Plaid, for
example, once sold wallpaper for miniature
dollhouses. Michaels sold wicker lawn furniture.
I’ve said it before, and I still believe it: The theme
song for the industry should be Elton John’s “I’m Still
Standing.”
And I realize now that this series will never end.
The industry is packed with so many creative,
entrepreneurial people that key dates in industry
history will continue to occur. What will future
historians say about 2014? About you? ●
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To learn more about our
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