The culture in downtown Prince George among small business owners has always been about solidarity.
They support one another, commiserate with one another and lift one another up – even if, believe it or not, they sell similar items.
Willow Basket Quilting Shoppe started in Natalie Spence’s basement in 2018, relocated to Westwood for a time, then moved downtown in 2020.
Now there are three more partners in the Willow Basket along with Spence, including Susan Wolf and Theresa Smedley, who are all longtime quilters, and Byron Geates, who is on the machine side as a technician.
Willow Basket Quilting Shoppe is part of a trio of downtown Prince George fabric shops that includes PG Sewing Centre and Sunflower Fabrics who are all located on Fifth Avenue, two across the street from each other and the other on the next block.
There is intention to their location.
“Being downtown has allowed us to collaborate with the other two shops,” Smedley said.
The trio wants to offer convenience and variety to customers.
“We’re all trying to work together,” Spence said. “And each of us offers something different. The only things you’ll find the same are some notions. We all deal with different fabrics so we all talk to our sales reps because they come to all three of us. So we’ll ask if the others purchased this line – if the answer is no then we’ll take it.”
They each carry a different line of equipment, too. Willow Basket Quilting Shoppe carries Brother, Sunflower Fabrics carries Singer and PG Sewing Centre carries Janome.
“That’s the way it should be, we shouldn’t be in competition,” Wolf said.
In the highly competitive retail market they took a different approach to sales.
“We want to impress upon people that you can share a client base, offering people different supplies,” Smedley said. “We always thought it was important. We’ve also been very fortunate that each of the other stores are with us on this.”
Taking it one step further the trio created the Triangle Collaboration Quilt.
“We have a pattern that has a panel and we have parts of it between the three shops and you come and pick up all the parts to make up the quilt,” Smedley explained. “That way everyone can offer something different.”
A major setback took place on April 9 when an unhoused person lit a fire up against the back wall of The Niche Clothing & Trading Co. right next door to the Willow Basket. Niche owner Kellie Young chose to close the store permanently but Willow Basket Quilting Shoppe made the decision to open again and because of the smoke damage had to start fresh. The store recently had its official reopening, welcoming clients back.
The Willow Basket Quilting Shoppe offers its clients opportunities to share space with other customers who are welcome to come for a tea and a chat, check out demonstrations on the long-arm sewing machine or attend workshops to learn new techniques to incorporate into different projects. They can grab a Mystery Quilt in a brown bag and come to start-to-finish workshops to create specific items like the Colby Sling Pack on Oct. 8.
The girls even did an alternative to Mystery Quilts.
“We did the Brown Bag Surprises and it was a table runner and it was something quick that they could do pre-Christmas,” Smedley said. “It was something different to do than a traditional Christmas present. It was quick and easy. They could give it away or keep it and so many people came back to say they loved it so much they were making the runners for gifts and they came back for more fabric. Those Brown Bag Surprises are something we’ve always done since we started in Natalie’s basement.”
The ladies will troubleshoot problems, offer solutions and alternatives to what’s not working and celebrate their clients-turned-friends' victories as they humble-brag about their latest projects.
“It’s all about sharing what quilting is all about,” Smedley said.
“And it’s about supporting our habit,” Spence laughed.
“It’s like men collecting tools, we collect fabric,” Wolf laughed extra hard.
