On Localness..a New year's Resolution
It's easy to be caught up in the excitement over a Loopy Ewe sneakup or the latest Woolgirl shipment. I've been thinking lately about why this is and I've come up with some insights:
1. Dogs. Anyone whose had a dog knows that they, unless they are very stupid, are mirrors of our own emotion. My dogs don't jump on me, but when my mom comes to visit and uses that high excited baby-talk voice, watch out! A low toned voice is what I was always taught to use when training my dogs. Excitement is contagious. Maybe knitters and yarn addicts are even more so. I know reading everyone's excitement on Ravelry over a Sneak-Up and I find myself looking and loading up my cart even though I know I don't have money to spend.
2. Disconnect. There's something about getting something in the mail. Well, besides bills and junk mail. I'm convinced that online stores that cheerily wrap their items and include little extras make us think that these sellers are our friends. While they may be friendly, this is a cleverly crafted business model. Don't get me wrong, they are nice people, but they are nice people wanting to make a profit off of that niceness. There's nothing wrong with that, it's much better than the big box stores brusqueness and impersonality, but it's a means to an end.
So, where am I going with all this? Buy local! I've had too many stores in Arkansas close before I could visit them. I don't think it's my fault, but lines I can find in my city, like Regia or Noro, I need to buy in my city. There is my New Years Resolution. I'm still a proud member of Woolgirl's Sock and Yarn Clubs, because there is no way I'm finding Yarntini or MissBabs in Arkansas, but yarns I can find across town, I will order across town.
1. Dogs. Anyone whose had a dog knows that they, unless they are very stupid, are mirrors of our own emotion. My dogs don't jump on me, but when my mom comes to visit and uses that high excited baby-talk voice, watch out! A low toned voice is what I was always taught to use when training my dogs. Excitement is contagious. Maybe knitters and yarn addicts are even more so. I know reading everyone's excitement on Ravelry over a Sneak-Up and I find myself looking and loading up my cart even though I know I don't have money to spend.
2. Disconnect. There's something about getting something in the mail. Well, besides bills and junk mail. I'm convinced that online stores that cheerily wrap their items and include little extras make us think that these sellers are our friends. While they may be friendly, this is a cleverly crafted business model. Don't get me wrong, they are nice people, but they are nice people wanting to make a profit off of that niceness. There's nothing wrong with that, it's much better than the big box stores brusqueness and impersonality, but it's a means to an end.
So, where am I going with all this? Buy local! I've had too many stores in Arkansas close before I could visit them. I don't think it's my fault, but lines I can find in my city, like Regia or Noro, I need to buy in my city. There is my New Years Resolution. I'm still a proud member of Woolgirl's Sock and Yarn Clubs, because there is no way I'm finding Yarntini or MissBabs in Arkansas, but yarns I can find across town, I will order across town.
posted by Camille at
10:48 AM
3 Comments:
Have you read Animal, Vegetable, Miracle? I'm having these same "local use" feelings lately. Just a general need to live and shop more deliberately. Good for you for making a pledge of sorts! I'll probably be with you in the New Year.
I think it's a fine idea to support your LYS. They depend on you to stay open. Rents aren't cheap, and neither is the other overhead they have to deal with. But like online sellers, a lot of LYS owners aren't really your friends - they want your money.
I have to say that Jen of Woolgirl is really my friend, and she takes the time to write me long, detailed letters. I'm also opening an online yarn shop in January called "Yarny Goodness", and I'll be selling the work of small indie dyers who can't get their yarn into stores or onto other online sites. I'll have the one of a kind yarns that they can't replicate and anything else they dream up.
I also wanted to say that I genuinely care about the people who will shop with me. I don't need to open a business, nor do I really care if it makes money. I've very carefully chosen my vendors and want my customers to be happy with their selections. I also blog about yarns on my Yarn Review page, so people will know all about a yarn before they shell out money for it.
You can usually tell when a seller is feeding you a line of BS to sell stuff to you, but I hope that I'm never perceived as such.
Amen! Buying local means that tax dollars stay local and that benefits everyone living there. But when you can't find the kind of specialty yarn you're looking for, I like the idea of supporting small business owners online. My new Year's resolution is to support my local lys's by buying more yarn in 2008!
Post a Comment
Subscribe to Post Comments [Atom]
<< Home