Save Fabric Town USA
Donation protected
Places like this just don’t exist anymore. But they do. Nestled in an old part of Main street in Ventura, California since 1973 is a family owned business near and dear to my heart: FABRIC TOWN USA.
My mom, a seamstress, has been shopping there since we moved to Ventura in 1989. I worked there for years during college. I learned to count back change here when I was first hired, and it has stuck ever since. People don’t learn that anymore.
I learned how to quilt here, from a woman named Jane, who used to sew prom dresses for girls who couldn’t afford a new dress. I learned to knit here from a woman named Arlene, who used to tell me stories of growing up during recession, having her mom make dresses out of flour sacs. I learned applique piecing from a woman named Lorene, who tirelessly finished all her quilts by hand and loved civil war era prints. I learned French seams and compared couture techniques from a woman named Emily, whose husband used to be in entertainment showbiz during the golden era. I talked dye techniques and avant garde theater costumes with a woman named Janna. I used to throw my two cents in on fabric colorways during ordering, thanks to the manager Tracy. I watched her daughter come in as a child and help her mother on weekends, and grow into one of their newest employees, working while she’s in college.
I am now a mother of 2. I am teaching my daughter to sew, to quilt and make dolls clothes. We frequently shop and visit with everyone when we do, like family, like old friends…
My daughter asked me the other day if she would have a fabric store to go to when she got older. And I didn’t know what to tell her, besides “ I sure hope so.”
Since the epidemic hit, I have been watching this small family owned business, navigate the things thrown at them with utmost grace. They employ a mix of older woman and I know the cut hours were a significant impact on each one of their employees, whom have worked there for years. Then the curbside pickups were shut down; Shut down when this little fabric store, the only fabric store in Ventura, was delivering cottons to the Ventura Fire Dept, CMH, etc. to get masks cut, sewn and delivered to the front lines during medical emergencies and supply shortages from Covid 19.
They have been working on redesigning their website, to allow online orders during this complete shutdown, but it’s slow going. Their daily income has plummeted, there are thousands of yards of fabric that could be utilized to help during this time, and it’s going to take some real coming together from the community to save this gem of a place.
This store works to supply fabric, yarn and notions for so many people who make things to earn their living on etsy, in local shops lining main street, etc. It holds sewing and quilting classes monthly, which not only teach new generations of sewers but build confidence and community by providing a constant display of quilts to inspire. The customer service is personal and the women who work here often go out of their way to determine the best type and quantity of materials for the project that comes to the cutting table. This is specialized service.
I cant even begin to scratch the surface on how much the store, it's employees and family mean to this community and what a loss it would be if the economic impact of the temporary closure for the last month forces them to shut doors before their 50th year.
Today I am asking you to please donate to help recoup loss of sales that FABRIC TOWN USA has seen since this event shook our community. I ask you to share among those who sew: share with your mother, your grandmother, your daughter, your sons. Share with those who understand the importance of having such expertise housed together in this lovely shop in Ventura. Share with those who have been making face masks, sewing yards and yards of elastic, those who have made quilts to help the homeless; Share with those who have knitted for charity, share with those who learned to sew their buttons back on, and will forever have that skill in their pocket.
Share if you’ve ever had a desire to create and needed a helping hand to lead you along the way. We need to save this shop. It is a town treasure.
My mom, a seamstress, has been shopping there since we moved to Ventura in 1989. I worked there for years during college. I learned to count back change here when I was first hired, and it has stuck ever since. People don’t learn that anymore.
I learned how to quilt here, from a woman named Jane, who used to sew prom dresses for girls who couldn’t afford a new dress. I learned to knit here from a woman named Arlene, who used to tell me stories of growing up during recession, having her mom make dresses out of flour sacs. I learned applique piecing from a woman named Lorene, who tirelessly finished all her quilts by hand and loved civil war era prints. I learned French seams and compared couture techniques from a woman named Emily, whose husband used to be in entertainment showbiz during the golden era. I talked dye techniques and avant garde theater costumes with a woman named Janna. I used to throw my two cents in on fabric colorways during ordering, thanks to the manager Tracy. I watched her daughter come in as a child and help her mother on weekends, and grow into one of their newest employees, working while she’s in college.
I am now a mother of 2. I am teaching my daughter to sew, to quilt and make dolls clothes. We frequently shop and visit with everyone when we do, like family, like old friends…
My daughter asked me the other day if she would have a fabric store to go to when she got older. And I didn’t know what to tell her, besides “ I sure hope so.”
Since the epidemic hit, I have been watching this small family owned business, navigate the things thrown at them with utmost grace. They employ a mix of older woman and I know the cut hours were a significant impact on each one of their employees, whom have worked there for years. Then the curbside pickups were shut down; Shut down when this little fabric store, the only fabric store in Ventura, was delivering cottons to the Ventura Fire Dept, CMH, etc. to get masks cut, sewn and delivered to the front lines during medical emergencies and supply shortages from Covid 19.
They have been working on redesigning their website, to allow online orders during this complete shutdown, but it’s slow going. Their daily income has plummeted, there are thousands of yards of fabric that could be utilized to help during this time, and it’s going to take some real coming together from the community to save this gem of a place.
This store works to supply fabric, yarn and notions for so many people who make things to earn their living on etsy, in local shops lining main street, etc. It holds sewing and quilting classes monthly, which not only teach new generations of sewers but build confidence and community by providing a constant display of quilts to inspire. The customer service is personal and the women who work here often go out of their way to determine the best type and quantity of materials for the project that comes to the cutting table. This is specialized service.
I cant even begin to scratch the surface on how much the store, it's employees and family mean to this community and what a loss it would be if the economic impact of the temporary closure for the last month forces them to shut doors before their 50th year.
Today I am asking you to please donate to help recoup loss of sales that FABRIC TOWN USA has seen since this event shook our community. I ask you to share among those who sew: share with your mother, your grandmother, your daughter, your sons. Share with those who understand the importance of having such expertise housed together in this lovely shop in Ventura. Share with those who have been making face masks, sewing yards and yards of elastic, those who have made quilts to help the homeless; Share with those who have knitted for charity, share with those who learned to sew their buttons back on, and will forever have that skill in their pocket.
Share if you’ve ever had a desire to create and needed a helping hand to lead you along the way. We need to save this shop. It is a town treasure.
Organizer and beneficiary
Weshoyot Alvitre
Organizer
Ventura, CA
Sally Hicks
Beneficiary