Yarn and futon stores close

continued

Flying Sheep was one of three shops in Ann Arbor specifically dedicated to knitting (Knit A Round on Plymouth and Busy Hands on Main are the others). Of the three, the little shop on South Industrial was the least expensive. Perhaps that was the problem, speculates Esther Heitler, who teaches knitting locally: “The discount places, I’m sure, cut into her business—places like Jo-Ann’s [Fabrics]. She had yarn that was accessible, like [the brand] Encore. I sent my students there, because for beginners you want to have yarn that’s not too expensive for a first project.”

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As noted last month, Dream On Futon on Ashley was scheduled to close at the end of April. Now Dragon’s Lair has announced it will leave its building on Liberty near Stadium at the end of May.

Sandy Cadotte-Keys and Robert Keys started out in Kerrytown in 1984, and they claim theirs is the oldest futon store in the United States. They did well enough for a while to buy their own building, the former Leslie Office Supply on West Liberty. But, says Sandy, “we haven’t made a profit since 9/11. Since then it’s been more debt, more debt, more debt.”