If you walk into The Knitting Studio and ask Lee Youngman how she is, her response is an immediate "Great, thanks." Brigette Oesterle answers with a cheery, "Fabulous." And Leslie Roth gives a smile and says, "It's all good."
Each of these women feels that owning a yarn store is like taking an extended holiday, albeit a busy one. The Knitting Studio earned the moniker " Vermont's Friendliest Knitting Store" prior to the recent change of owners in August of 2008, but come in on any day and it becomes immediately apparent that customer service is not only a priority but also an exciting part of what happens in this store.
The Knitting Studio came into being in 2003 thanks to the creative vision of Scottie Harrison. Jean Kerner bought the store in 2005 and enjoyed three years at the helm. Lee, Brigette and Leslie purchased the business from Jean last year. "We all had a passion for this place and were associated with it for some time," says Lee. Each of the women has been knitting for years. In the recent past, Lee was a guru in the home mortgage field. Leslie was a graduate student and is mother to two young sons. Brigette is considered a "rock star" of the local fiber arts scene and has been knitting, spinning, dying and felting professionally for years. The store is a place where each finds that their love of fiber and craft is reflected in the way they run the business and in the successes of their customers.
In addition to the change in owners, 2008 saw a change in location of the store to 97 State Street. The new location offers a slightly larger retail space on the first floor of a beautiful, historic building close to the State Capitol buildings in lovely downtown Montpelier.
A mainstay of the business is teaching the art of knitting, felting and crochet. Classes are offered on a regular basis, and conducted by very skilled instructors. A list of offerings can be found on the website and at the store.