Over 750 people responded to our community survey just through a sign on the door and a couple of posts online. That's so amazing!
As a designer I learned that that you cannot make useful things for people without finding out their actual needs. This shop is for us! It's for my neighbors in Crown and Prospect Heights. So I asked a few questions about who you are, what you already make, what you wish you could learn, and how you want to show up for a local shop. The response was much more generous than I expected.
There is still a long road between the idea of the shop and making fulfill people's actual needs. But people are rooting for Acorn's success and that's something I do not take lightly. So if you filled out the survey, or mentioned how excited you were, thank you! I'm especially excited to open our doors and meet all of you.
Here's what you told us:
Survey Results
Who's In Our Neighborhood:
52% Artists/creative practitioners
35% Parents
14% Both
86% Local residents
We've got painters, knitters, ceramicists, artist-teachers, artist-parents, and the vast majority of you live within walking distance! And many of you are wildly talented!! We honestly can't wait to host craft nights and see what a fun mix of makers emerge.
What You Want:
65% Fiber arts (yarn, knitting, crochet)(!!!)
55% General craft supplies
50% Paper crafts
48% Drawing & Painting supplies
I (Christina) was SO excited to see how many of our neighbors wanted yarn. We will have a good mix of acrylic blends for beginners and premium natural fibers; we're going to have to grow into a full-service yarn shop, but please stop by and tell us what you want more of. People also said they're tired of waiting for shipping on a glue stick. We're stocking a lot of the basics and make sure they're affordable.
What You Want to Do:
66% Community craft nights
51% Knitting/crochet classes
50% Craft parties
43% Drawing & Painting workshops
One neighbor wrote:
"I think a lot of people crave community and third spaces. Having a weekly recurring craft club where people can see familiar faces and have a dedicated time/place to work on projects together would be enjoyed by many and help build community."
This was echoed by so many of you. Part of what is so exciting about the store is the possibility of it being a communal space. We're 100% hosting donation-based community craft nights where we can just sit at a table and be together, and we'll work to adapt our event planning to cater to our neighbor's needs.
Why You'll Shop Local:
89% Supporting local business
80% Convenient location
77% In-store events/workshops
Our neighbors just want us, and other locally owned business, to succeed! But many people also mentioned that competitive pricing is very important. We'll do our best to offer volume brands at competitive prices, and curated premium brands for when you're ready to invest in high quality stuff.