Farewells are painful, no matter how you slice it. Even when we know they’re going forth to live their best life, it’s hard to see a friend departing from our immediate circle. A couple of weeks ago we sent Kaylin off with all our best wishes, and now we want to take a minute to reflect back and celebrate all that she brought to our shop and our community for the last six years.
A farewell note from Kaylin…
Dear Sow Community,
The time has come for me to step down from my role as yarn manager. I’ve tried writing this short letter a few times, and I’m finding it hard to fully express the impact this store has had on my life over the past 6 years.
About a month after I finished graduate school I took a job as a barista and part-time yarnie. Fast forward a few years, and January 2020 I made the decision to come to the Sow full-time. Then the pandemic hit and I really had my work cut out for me with making sure our little store survived. Our customers really came through for us during the pandemic. I’m eternally grateful to everyone who shopped, posted on social media, and hyped us up to others; you all were the reason we are still here today.
Over the past almost 3 years I’ve been able to run the yarn department and I’ve had the absolute time of my life. With the help of my staff, we took the store to the next level in terms of inventory, classes, and events. I still get the warm fuzzies every time someone comments on how nice the store looks, how much they enjoy coming in time and time again, and how we were able to help them get started in the crafting community.
There’s no doubt that the Sow is a special place. To all my customers: thank you for letting me teach you, and in turn teaching me. To my coworkers: y’all are the best and I’m going to miss you so so much. Take care of this gem.
Knit on & be kind,
Kaylin Hokanson-Fasig
Remember the old days…
…before the Sow’s Ear had a strong online presence? As we approach four years since the pandemic changed the whole game, especially for locally owned small businesses, it’s a good moment to reflect back on the distance we’ve come and the effort put in to get here. That the Sow’s Ear would survive 2020 let alone come out swinging and stronger than ever was not a given. The lengths we went to carry on providing not only needles and notions and yarn but to keep our community going were pretty epic.
Kaylin spearheaded the push to get the Sow’s Ear online storefront up and running, from figuring out the software to managing inventory to coordinating contactless pickups and putting parcels in the mail. It was such a huge undertaking but it paid huge dividends as we were able to stay open, our staff able to keep working, and our customers able to get the supplies they needed to carry on crafting through some pretty dark days.
So grateful…
…for everything Kaylin has done for the Sow over the years. Some of you have attended the gatherings that she and Brian led at the Adamah Retreat Center, which have been such wonderful events for our community, a legacy we hope to carry on into the future.
Not goodbye, but see you soon…
Kaylin, we’re sending you off with all our best wishes. You’ll always be a part of our Sow Community, and we hope to see you around the shop in the future!
With love,
~your Sow family
