Health & Fitness
Creating a Tight 'Knit' Community on Main Street!
Where can you go to "school" right downtown and get local deals as a perk?
With great confidence I can say that every reader of this article has either made, warn or owned something hand knitted or crocheted. It is a common bond we have as Midwesterners and we embrace that wearable artwork like a warm cup of cocoa on a cold winter weekend. We are privileged to have one of the best yarn and textile shops in Minnesota right here on Main Street!
Colors explode at you from all sides, as you enter the Darn Knit (Anyway!) shop in the Brick Alley building downtown. After leaving a sales job in interior design, Aimee Pelletier been running her shop in this great space flooded with afternoon sunlight for the last 3 years.
Locally produced yarns and handmade products are a feature of her store as she caters to needle and textile artists from not only the St. Croix Valley, but all over the Twin Cities. But the draw isn’t just the fine products to be found at Darn Knit. Just as important is that she fosters a sense of community and connection among her visitors. Education is a key component to Aimee’s business and multiple classes are conducted there each week. Students of all ages can learn or hone a lifelong hobby of knitting, crocheting, sewing or felting. Her super creative “Darn Knit (Anyway!) University” concept has created a sense of community and support for fellow downtown shops and eateries! Each student in her classes gets a DKA student ID which earns them discounts all over town from partnering businesses.
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For those not taking a class, Darn Knit is still a place to go hang out! Aimee has created a space in the store to encourage friends to socialize while working on a project among fellow enthusiasts. The knowledgeable staff with a passion for fiber arts and fostering creativity in others creates a connection between business owner and customer that you only find on Main Street!
What local small business would you like to know more about? Send us a request for our SNEEK PEEK (VIDEO) program and we’ll be happy to check 'em out and report back in a future Tour Main Street blog post right here on the Patch!
