Home at last

We’re in!

I know that the Tangled Web reopened in its new location more than a month ago. But it seems to me that it’s only been this week that we can say, we’re really in our new home.

Moving is a pain -- we all know this. But I’ve never been involved in moving a commercial enterprise. You might think that yarn doesn’t weigh much. Try crating up thousands of skeins and you’ll change your mind. And don’t get me started on taking down shelves and putting them up again.

If you’ve visited us in our new location shortly after we opened in June you might have been greeted by a a crew looking like they had a bad case of battle fatigue. That would be right. Our new computer system -- which is fabulous -- took a little getting used to. Creating labels with scannable bar codes was more than a notion. I felt I knew the old store like the back of my hand; in the early days I was hard pressed to find a pen, scissors or even yarn. For the first few weeks we shop girls would look at each other with suppressed panic. Could we get the computer to work? Where are the Ann Norling patterns? These needles don’t have the new labels? YIKES!

And when I got home I would head straight for the shower where I would stand for 20 minutes with hot water beating against my neck and shoulders. I would collapse in my knitting chair with no emotion for the yarn sitting on needles. Who could look at yarn when you've unboxed, sorted, labeled and shelved endless balls of Eros?

But I've recovered, thank you so much. You have to admit that the new space is beautiful! The bamboo floors give a zen feeling to the store. There’s plenty of space for shoppers and customers with questions. The computer system has eliminated a lot of paper and receipt writing. And with all the shelving done, patterns sorted and needles nestled in new homes, we’re back to doing what we do best --providing great yarns with lots of service to make projects spectacular. This week it really seemed like we are back to business as usual. I've located the scissors, the pens; we have a permanent yarn-winding station; everything is labeled down to the Kookaburra soap and the smallest button.

We have worked really hard -- especially owner Mary Spratt and manager Anne Fry -- to make the Web’s new home something special. When the second floor is opened for classes and comfy knitting lounge I know 7709 Germantown Avenue will become a destination spot for needlesmiths across the area.

Come see for yourself. We’re easy to find, look for the cool sign outside the front door.

We’ll save a seat for you.

Lucia Herndon

Talk about a project that knocked our collective socks off! Look at what the lovely and radiant Cortez whipped up:


This gorgeous skirt is from a recent Vogue Knitting magazine. The black yarn is Lamb's Pride Worsted and the colors are Capella. Cortez wins the Giant Golden Needle Award for dedication, stick-to-it-iveness and STYLE!!!

Just a quick note - we'll be closed this Friday so we (and you) can barbecue and relax. We'll be back open on Saturday.

So no Knit Night this week, but we'll back on next Friday!!!

Now that the insane barcode-stickering madness has subsided (we're in the 21st century!), we thought we'd show you some pictures of our new and improved Tangled Web. We still have a ways to go, but we're loving the new space.

Here is the upstairs - the table and chairs in the foreground is the classroom area and the green couches by the windows are in the soon-to-be lounge area:
Here is the tricky peephole where we can loom over the cash register area from the upstairs:
Here is the first floor, looking toward the front (Germantown Avenue) end of the store:
Here is looking toward the back (Winston Street) end of the store:
And here is the beginnings of our weekly Knit Night (every Friday, from 5-8 pm!):
Our phones are still wacko, but they'll be up and running soon. We hope you'll stop by soon - remember, there's lots of parking on Winston Street and you can enter the store from Winston.

We're Open Again!

Yep, we're open in our new location, 7709 Germantown Avenue. Our phones are not quite working yet, but we're here and it's gorgeous and we can't wait for you to see it. So stop on by!

A New Home; But Old Traditions

We’re about to close the door on the Tangled Web. Not for good of course. Just for a couple of weeks as we prepare to move to a new and bigger location on Germantown Avenue.

It is a bittersweet time. I have been associated with the Web since 1995 when I finally wandered into the store to renew my long-dormant interest in knitting. I hadn’t really been knitting for the last 18 years but the store front was intriguing and I entered a whole new world that fall afternoon.

I was hooked in no time -- a yarn junkie; frantic for wool and cottons and needles and patterns. I made a sweater for my daughter -- which she hated. But I was not deterred from knitting. I vowed to get better (the sweater was pretty sad) and try new techniques.

As a customer, I spent a lot of time at the Web, taking classes,buying novelty yarns. After a while, I began teaching classes. When I left my newspaper job in 2005 I asked owner Mary Spratt if I couldn’t work a few hours a week. She graciously agreed and I crossed over from being a customer to an employee. Of course I was there so often that she was either going to have to hire me or call the police and charge me with loitering.

I know the new space is going to be great -- lots of room for yarn, classes, comfy knitting. We’re even going to have a kitchen and office space. But it will be hard to say good-bye to 7900 Germantown Avenue. I walked in there a stranger and found kindness and laughter and friendship. I taught a lot and learned even more. The shop has offered more than yarn but also served as a haven from a hectic world. It has been a source of wisdom and skill and compassion. With any luck we will take all of that to our new home.

Here’s hoping that all of you will come and find that while our location has changed our creativity and care have not. After all, we are a full-service yarn boutique.

Lucia Herndon

Progress Pictures!!

The renovations of the new space are progressing nicely! Check out the pictures!

Look at the beautiful bamboo floor!

Big beautiful mirror so we can practice our Funky Friday disco routine!

Upstairs - freshly painted.

FAB-ulous green bathroom!

Look at the beauteous brand-new front steps!

Just to keep you updated, Saturday, May 24 is our last day open in our old location, and Tuesday, June 10 will be our first day in our new location at 7709 Germantown Avenue. Please feel free to call the shop at 215-242-1271 if you have any questions!