Even if you are totally uninterested in knitting you have to find the story of Jimmy Beans Wool in Reno an interesting one. The company was founded in 2002 by Laura and Doug Zander. Laura focused on the store and the yarn and Doug developed the web site.
Last Saturday I stopped at Jimmy Beans Wool to look at a knitting pattern that I had found from their web site. There were two cash registers open and a line waiting to check out. Jimmy Beans is Reno's best knitting store. A yarn distributor I know told me that Jimmy Beans doesn't buy from distributors because they sell so much yarn that the yarn companies want to sell to them directly. Business sure seems to be good.
According to an article about them in Fortune Small Business article in July of 2007 the on-line business at that time accounted for 70% of their business. They recently expanded their back room into the store front next door. Often when I am in the store I can hear people on the phone with customers taking orders.
The shopping experience on their website is wonderful. Browsing the web site just makes me want to buy yarn and knit. Right now they have cashmere sock yarn in delicious colors on the front page. They have hooked me on the possibilities. I am probably going to buy some.
Perhaps because I am a computer programmer at heart I find it inspiring that this website is their own, developed by them. I've always
thought that it would be fascinating to develop a web site and sell on line. But what a lot of
work. When you look at the complexities of the Jimmy Bean website and
store and yet how well it is designed for ease of use you really have
to admire the fact that the web site was created from scratch.
Bottom line is that Jimmy Beans Wool is a real Reno success story. If you want to create your own business, work really hard, be a bit lucky and I am sure put a lot of money and sweat equity into your effort Jimmy Beans is proof that it is really possible to succeed.
I forwarded Chris' comment to Laura at Jimmy Beans and she replied immediately "I’m sure you know that we would never keep someone’s money even if we are out of something. We’ll get right on it."
Marion
Posted by: Marion | March 09, 2010 at 10:09 AM
Geesh, terrible business practices...
the jimmy beans website said the needles are in stock, so we ordered, along with a few other things..... Next day we get an email so sorry, our system is wrong, we don't have those in stock, but it sucks to be you, no you can't cancel your order, we can't tell you when (or if) we'll get them in, and we are keeping your money...... our mistake, your money, but we're keeping it......
We will never ever do business with them again.
...nice....
Posted by: chris | February 08, 2010 at 09:09 PM
I live in Cincinnati and also have the highest praise for the online shopping
experience that you offer. I had a question about yarn that I wanted -- but found
it at first "unavailable." Your helpful staff was able to provide me with what
I wanted to purchase right away, and I received it in the mail promptly.
Thank you!
Judy in Cincinnati
Posted by: Judy | December 04, 2009 at 07:53 AM
I'm a knitter who lives in Reno, NV. I know several people who really don't care to go into Jimmy Beans. Like so many places in Reno, there is a snooty pretentiousness about the place.
One of the best kept little secrets of knit/yarn shops in Reno is Deluxe Yarns. The owner, a lady named Florie, is so nice, and she has some of the best yarns I've seen. She has moved twice since I've been in Reno (since 2003), and seems to prefer the "artsy" part of town. Her shop, which is a converted house facing Wells Ave., across the street from St. Ives Florist. (not far from Vassar St.), is a cozy place for a yarn shop. The snooty crowd say they don't want to "go to that part of town", but Vassar St., where she had her previous little shop (old house), was the spot for all kinds of little bohemian but high-end boutiques. The area is labeled a "district".
She may not be aggressively marketing her shop or be in the yuppie part of Reno, but the destination is well worth the trip.
Posted by: Jan | December 02, 2009 at 01:06 PM
Marion it was so nice to have you in the shop yesterday and this kind blog is making me blush! Like I said it's our customers that are what makes the shop so much fun! Thanks!!! Jeanne
Posted by: [email protected] | November 13, 2009 at 11:05 AM
Marion,
Thank you soooo much for the wonderful blog posting - wow!! I cannot tell you how much we appreciate the kind words and your visit to the shop :)
Laura (Jimmy)
Posted by: laura | November 13, 2009 at 10:56 AM