The Alley Fabric Nook is closing soon
The store is still stocked with a wide array of fabrics.
The Alley Fabric Nook is closing soon.
Photos by TANNA YEOUMANS Margaret Pyette in her ‘happy place’ before she moves on with retirement plans.
Photo by TANNA YEOUMANS With a wide variety of top quality fabrics, various patterns, and a multitude of sewing accessories, everything in the store is on sale.
BONNERS FERRY — About eight years ago, The Alley Fabric Nook opened their doors to the quilting and sewing community.
“I was my mom’s caregiver, and I moved into her home for six months over in Montana,” said owner Margaret Pyette. “For five and a half of those months she was well enough that we quilted every day. When I came home, I decided that this was going to be my happy place, and it still is.”
The shop boasts 100 percent top quality fabrics, and a wide variety of patterns, quilting accessories, yarn, thread, and basically everything needed to get crafty.
“That was one of the promises that I made to myself when I opened up the shop,” said Pyette. “There would be only top quality merchandise, and that is what I stuck to all these years.”
After running the business for so long, Pyette has decided it is time to close up shop.
“I opened eight years ago in memory of my mother, and I decided that I want to do a lot of traveling, go places, and do things,” said Pyette.
Pyette went on to explain that she has many unfinished projects in her basement, all cut out with threads and patterns, and no time to work on them.
“It’s time to take time for me and get my projects done and do what I like to do,” said Pyette.
With tons of inventory that needs to sell, everything in the shop is marked 35 percent off in an effort to clean out the thousands of yards of various fabrics, hundreds of patterns, kits, threads, two sewing tables, and many other things.
“I am really torn, but after lots of prayer, I have decided the path I need to take is retiring,” said Pyette. “The store is still jam packed full, so everything must go.”
Taking advantage of the discounted prices may allow people to get things they may not need right now, but for future projects.
She had put the shop up on the market for sale for about two years in hopes some entrepreneur would see it and want to purchase the business. She had a couple bites, but no closing deals. However, if there was an offer made, she would still consider selling, which is the option she would love the most.
“That would be the best, ideal thing, if somebody were to come in and buy it,” said Pyette. “It is a huge business and a huge benefit to this community. Because there are numerous shops in the community, people come from out of town, they go to the restaurants and have lunch, and go other places and to their shopping, so it is a huge benefit to this town. I do hate to see it go because of that, so that is why I tried to sell it.”
When Pyette opened up shop, she didn’t have as much inventory as she has since accumulated, so she gave classes during that time, receiving a receptive community response.
“The community has been fantastic since day one,” said Pyette. “My out of town customers from places like Coeur d’Alene, Spokane, Troy and Libby, all over Canada, it’s amazing the people who will drive the distance to go to a destination shop. There again, having multiple shops in one tiny town, was a huge benefit.”
She is selling everything that is in stock, and will no longer be taking orders. As of now, there is no set closing date, as she strives to deplete the inventory as much as possible.
“I just appreciate everybody’s support, and their thoughts and their prayers throughout my business,” said Pyette. “I have enjoyed every bit of it and have made a lot of new friends.”
The Alley Fabric Nook is located at 6485 Harrison St. #102, Bonners Ferry, the phone number is 208-267-6665.