Businesses being creative in tough economy

COURTESY PHOTO Gloria Huebert, an employee of A Stitch Connection, at the shop's grand opening last week. When stores started closing around Carol Vealey-Ellis, the business owner began to think.

She figured a cool head is what would save her four-year-old sewing machine dealerships and education business, A Stitch Connection.

Consolidation seemed the best answer.

Last week, with her fingers crossed and a lot of praying, she opened a spacious new shop in the Parker Promenades shopping center at the corner of Gladiolus Drive and U.S. 41 in Fort Myers.

About 125 customers showed up for the store's grand opening that featured gleaming state-of-the-art Husqvarna Viking sewing machines and an education center.

Ms. Vealey-Ellis said sales were good and she's encouraged by the stream of both loyal customers and new faces.

Before the new location opened, Ms. Vealey-Ellis owned four other sites: one off Alico Road, another in Naples, one in Fort Myers and one in Port Charlotte.

All but the Port Charlotte location were located inside of Joanne's Fabric shops.

Joanne's Fabrics is open seven days a week — six of them from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. The long hours and inevitably higher payroll, coupled with the fact Ms. Vealey-Ellis' customers have been hankering for a standalone location like her shop in Port Charlotte, made her decide to make some changes.

She closed the Alico location and will shut down her Naples business at the end of January.

Instead she is putting everything into a bigger, more-centralized location.

"In reducing stores and payroll, it will allow me to give better customer service and keep my trained staff," Ms. Vealey-Ellis said.

For the same rent she was paying for the spots inside Joann's stores, Ms. Vealey-Ellis now has a 3,000-square-foot store with more amenities and services for customers and less strain on the payroll.

"I believe being a smart business woman you need to look at the trends to stay healthy," she said. "I plan on being around a very long time and meeting the needs of my customers."

In this new location, Ms. Vealey-Ellis will be offering a full line of sewing machines and fabrics along with a wide array of education classes, such as heirloom, clothing construction, embroidery and quilting.

Ms.Vealey-Ellis has been in the sewing business for nearly 20 years. In that time, she culled legions of loyal customers and won a laundry list of awards and accolades. Right now she is the No. 1 Husqvarna Viking dealer in Florida and holds the No. 3 spot in the country.

And customers like Patti Haglin are excited over having a more centralized location to go and sew.

Ms. Haglin, who lives in the Shell Point Retirement Community, said she loves the fact that she can be at the shop in minutes doing what she loves best.

Ms. Vealey-Ellis pointed out that sewing is a relaxing hobby to take up during times of stress.

"We offer an excellent source of entertainment, education and a new hobby," she said.

For more information about the business, check out A Stitch Connection's Web site www.astitchconnection.com.