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Member since 7/21/06
Posts: 3642
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Posted on: 3/27/08 12:00 PM ET
My DSIL and I had a nice talk yesterday. She is a wonderful knitter. She also will be downsized from her management job as of April. She's a wonderful person.

Anyway... we got to the topic of sewing and crafting. There is a craft co-op in a nearby town. DSIL wondered out loud about what it would take to start one here in our town. And we talked about it some more. And some more. And I went home and did a bunch of homework on the idea. It sounds
hard.... but fun, and possibly do-able, if it was done right.

Have any of you ever been involved in something like this?

**BACKGROUND: A crafter's co-op is basically a co-operative business which is owned by the people who sell within it. A bunch of people get together and form a corporation, with bylaws about taking on new members, hiring, firing, hard assets, payouts, etc. They (in most cases) find a brick-and-mortar location, set up shop, and each owner works in the shop-- splitting business hours, duties, etc. Usually one or more members are paid as the managing members, but all have assignments depending on their strengths-- marketing, board of directors, steering committee, online sales expert, etc... The start-up capital comes from the owner/members, loans (shudder shudder ), and even grants. Usually, members make a pre-determined number of items which are bought with the start-up $$$ from the members, then sold for a mark-up. The markup pays the rent and overhead, and members then can split what's left (um... if anything) at the end of the year. If there's a deficit, the owners are stuck with that, too.
Does NOT sound like a get-rich-quick scheme at all... but since I have this weird need to sew, maybe this would bring in something, and do a good deed for other crafters out there??
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Cindy Lou, no more than 2
"Sew, Esmerelda! Sew like the Wind!" -Martin Short, The Three Amigos
"When inspiration calls, you don't send it to voicemail." --Will I Am.
  
Member since 7/13/07
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Posted on: 3/27/08 1:50 PM ET
We have something similar here except that there is no permanent brick and mortar location. Sales are handled through their own private craft shows 4 or 5 times a year. Cuts down on the overhead costs and time commitment. They maintain a mailing list of previous attendees and send postcards prior to each show. They have a pretty loyal following. Each show is held in a different location, presumably to reach the largest possible market. Cash flow is not as steady, but overhead costs are smaller.

About 10 or 12 years ago, there was a co-op with a brick and mortar location, but it didn't last long. I don't know why for sure but if I would have to guess, I would say it was because they didn't screen members well enough. Some of the merchandise was shoddy.
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Paula

"In Seattle you haven't had enough coffee until you can thread a sewing machine while it's running."
- Jeff Bezos, Amazon.com founder

Visit my blog at www.sewconfused.blogspot.com
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Member since 2/21/04
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Posted on: 3/27/08 2:59 PM ET
I know of a few friends from church that do something that sounds similar, though I'm not sure. They mainly make things for sale at boutiques and then travel to the boutiques and sell there. They do the high-end baby boutiques and I think make enough to make some profit. They have to use some of their profits to pay for the boutique space, but from what I understand, enjoy doing it. I'm pretty sure it is a side thing though, more to help pay for their sewing hobby, rather than make a living off it.
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*Jen*
If I stitch fast enough, does it count as aerobic exercise?
  
Member since 2/19/04
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Posted on: 3/27/08 3:23 PM ET
We had something like this here a few years back. It was a crafter's co-op where each crafter leased a small area in the store and sold their handmade goodies. I believe each crafter also worked in the store for a certain amount of time each week or month. It was fun to look through and some of the crafts were quite wonderful and some were really terrible.

Anyway it was called Coomers and when I googled it I found lots of info and stuff about how it closed in 2004. But you may find it helpful for a business model if you are truly interested.

We used to have a lot of seasonal craft boutiques that some people held in their houses or other various locations. I don't know if they still do that around here or not.
  
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