In 2014, after taking Renaissance Entrepreneurship Center’s Business Planning Class taught by Paul Terry and a team of teachers, Andrine Smith opened The Re-Crafting Co, a crafter’s resource for quality recycled crafting materials supplies and tools in Alameda.
We celebrated Andrine’s business in this earlier blog post featuring Renaissance graduates who launched small businesses in 2014. Now, 8 years later, we are returning to those small business owners to ask them about their businesses, how they’ve been managing through the pandemic and what insights they’d like to share about small business ownership.
An interview with…
Andrine Smith, Owner
The Recrafting Co.
2449 Santa Clara Ave, Alameda, CA
What inspired you to start your business? After practicing law in San Francisco for over 20 years, I wanted to start my own small business that would more closely align with my personal interests and values. After casting about for two years, I came up the idea of a consignment shop for recycled crafting supplies for knitting, sewing, paper crafts, needlework, beading, jewelry making, etc., which was the idea I brought to Renaissance in 2013.
Tell me about the first few years of getting your business off the ground. Since no one else that I could find had ever started a crafting supplies consignment shop, I had to figure out a lot on my own. Over time, I determined what products sold the best, what products made the most money, how to best use the space I had, and how to merchandise the products I accepted. That took some time, and although I had other sources of income, the first couple of years were lean. But at the same time other things happened. I surprised myself by the attractive and colorful shop I created, that customers consistently compliment me on and where I find myself enjoying my days. There also came overwhelming support from the community for the recycling aspect of the business.
Did the pandemic lead to operational changes for your business? During the shut-down, selling online with pick-up or delivery was not economically viable for a small resale business like mine. But once I was able to re-open after the shut-down, there were no major operational changes. People were looking for new crafting pastimes or expanding existing crafting while sheltering in place, and my in-store business actually increased! I knew from my business planning research that the reduced resale prices for crafting supplies would help make my business recession resistant but I never imagined it would turn out to be pandemic resistant.
Are there specific marketing or management strategies that work well for you? Social media is effective. Also, pre-pandemic, opening the shop on Wednesday evenings for an “Open Craft Night’ was popular and productive.
On a personal level, how have you been managing through these challenging times? My most effective coping mechanisms have been regular exercise and yoga, my own crafting projects and my own customers and craft community. Post pandemic shutdown, my little shop became not just a place to find great yarn, quilting fabric, etc. at low prices, but also a sort of drop in group therapy clinic where people could share and commiserate and find support and humor.
How is your business doing now? My business is doing well I believe. I find most of my consignors are as happy to find a way of recycling their stashes to other eager crafters as they are to receive some compensation for what they consign. I get thanked daily “for being here”, which is very gratifying. I discovered a community of extremely talented makers, inspired crafters, and generally fun people, who have become my friends, as well as, my customers. All of this has made my small shop possibly the most successful and rewarding of my several varied careers. Also, my shop is making money.
What does the future hold for your business? My experience indicates there is definitely a demand for this type business and there is no real competition that I am aware of. I have learned what it would take to make this venture truly financially successful but it would require, among other things, a larger space and hiring employees. At this stage in my life and with retirement coming soon, I do not have the ambition to take that on. I plan to enjoy my shop for another year or two while I look for someone younger who can take what I created to the next level.
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