Twenty-five Years on East Johnson Street
Gloria Welniak, co-owner of the Weaving Workshop
Twenty-five years ago, Ann Wolfe and Bill Winfield pulled their van up in
front of 817 East Johnson Street (then the Whole Earth Food Co-op) and opened
their doors for business. Ann was a weaver and Bill a wood-worker who built
looms. With a small stock of yarns and looms, the couple tapped into a small
but growing Madison market of weavers and knitters. In a few months, the
business grew to become the Weaving Workshop and rented space above Whole
Earth. Quickly the business expanded to offer classes in weaving, basketry,
spinning and knitting and to sell a wide variety fo yarns, basketry supplies
and weaving tools and equipment.
The need for more space prompted a move down the street to 920 East Johnson
Street in 1987, its present location. More classroom and retail space and
a large storefront made the store more visible to the public. Today the
Weaving Workshop offers classes year round in weaving, knitting, basketry,
spinning, jewelry, braiding, lace-making and many other fiber-related areas.
Diversification has enabled the store to survive although the owners (five
women) have remained true to the original mission of providing a unique
center for weaving and the fiber arts.
The economic climate in Madison today, as in the rest of the country, is
very uncertain for small business. The failure of 3 co-ops in Madison in
1995 and the closing of a small independent yarn retailer this year is not
encouraging. Large chain stores and discount stores cut into the profits
of small businesses and threaten their survival. The Weaving Workshop, like
many other small independently-owned businesses in our neighborhood, struggles
to maintain its integrity by offering perosnalized services unavailable
in chain store. Customers have grown to expect inidvidual help in planning
projects and solving problems. If a customer needs one skein of yarn to
complete a project, the professionals at the Weaving Workshop will scour
the country for the right dye lot, order it, call them when it comes, or
ship it out promptly. Try asking for that kind of service at your local
chain outlet.
The Weaving Workshop has always beeen community-oriented, participating
in East Johnson Street Business Association, adverising in all the local
neighborhood association newsletters, and conducting free tours and demonstrations
for day care centers and school groups. Charitable contributions to support
local parent-teacher groups, and other community projects are routine. The
owners are proud to be a part of this fine neighborhood and invite everyone
to stop by to chat, check out our "cat gallery" and see what else
we have to offer. And if you can't make it this summer, be sure to attend
our Twenty-fifth Annual Holiday Open House in December.
Thanks to all of you for making us a welcome neighbor for the past 25
years!
Return to Table of Contents
Gates of Heaven Celebration
Transportation and Planning
The Good, Bad, and Ugly
President's Report
Weaving 25 Years
"In Alder Words. . ."
Eye on the Hood
The New Isthmus Garden Club
Assembly Report
Alder's Addendum - Flooding
Neighborhood Safety TIPS
Focus on Flood Fashions
Public Service Announcements