I'll probably get in trouble for posting this:
Caldwell County quilting firm goes viral
[David Mifsed, Sarah Galbraith, Natalie Earnheart and Alan Doan came to the aid of their mother when she couldn't work at her quilt shop.]
Eric Keith/St. Joseph News-Press
David Mifsed, Sarah Galbraith, Natalie Earnheart and Alan Doan came to the aid of their mother when she couldn't work at her quilt shop.
HAMILTON, Mo. — Caldwell County’s love for quilting has fanned out across the globe.
A fledgling Hamilton business continues to grow and lure customers interested in the hobby of making quilts. Missouri Star Quilt Co. had its birth in late 2008, when Alan Doan and family members decided to start the business for the future financial security of parents Ron and Jenny Doan. The company serves as a one-stop shop for quilting fabric, quilting supplies, mail-in machine quilting, quilt patterns and fabrics.
More than two years later, Missouri Star Quilt is marketing its wares to customers in other states, the United Kingdom, Saudi Arabia, and elsewhere around the world. In fact, the craze has online fans conversing in numerous dialects, such as Tagalog — one of the Philippines’ major languages.
“It’s really paid off for us,” Mr. Doan said. “We started out with $2,000 to buy fabric.
“People come from all over” to take quilting lessons from his mother, he added.
Mrs. Doan loves the work she crafts at the shop. “Whoever thought that somebody would become a quilting star?” she quipped.
Admittedly, only a few customers sought Mrs. Doan’s assistance with their projects at first — usually in a search for certain types of fabric. It became clear that Missouri Star Quilt would need outside income to pay for the new venture.
“We needed to find a way to bring an influx in,” Mr. Doan said.
Social media launched the enterprise into Internet orbit. On a Thursday Facebook page view, more than 4,000 people expressed their preference for the firm’s services.
An online feature known as the Quilter’s Daily Deal allows customers to shop for patterns, kits, needles and the like. It was a never-before-attempted innovation, according to Mr. Doan.
“It was slow at the beginning,” he said, “but we knew we had a good idea. Our entire focus has been on making quilting fun and easy.”
Free computer-based tutorials by Mrs. Doan, an active weblog and local workshops help reach that goal. Supplies are available for purchase at the shop as well.
“We’re really trying to make it easy for people to learn,” Mr. Doan said. “We’re the largest quilting channel on YouTube.”
Missouri Star Quilt operates Tuesday through Saturday with nine employees. The entire family forfeited paychecks for the first year to achieve success. The level of business has skyrocketed to a level of 300 to 400 quilt packages produced by the shop daily. Hamilton’s post office has even received a jolt from customers mailing in their Missouri Star Quilt orders.
Benefits to the Doan family have extended to the community at large, with tourism and retail business flourishing in Hamilton.
Quilting’s popularity makes it resistant to the economy, since the blankets offer a practical use for all families.
“It’s a hobby that’s very justifiable,” Mr. Doan said.
“It becomes an heirloom,” Mrs. Doan added of quilts. “It lasts for generations.”
Missouri Star Quilt is located at 100 N. Ardinger St. The phone number is (816) 583-7722 and the website is www.missouriquiltco.com.
Caldwell County quilting firm goes viral
[David Mifsed, Sarah Galbraith, Natalie Earnheart and Alan Doan came to the aid of their mother when she couldn't work at her quilt shop.]
Eric Keith/St. Joseph News-Press
David Mifsed, Sarah Galbraith, Natalie Earnheart and Alan Doan came to the aid of their mother when she couldn't work at her quilt shop.
HAMILTON, Mo. — Caldwell County’s love for quilting has fanned out across the globe.
A fledgling Hamilton business continues to grow and lure customers interested in the hobby of making quilts. Missouri Star Quilt Co. had its birth in late 2008, when Alan Doan and family members decided to start the business for the future financial security of parents Ron and Jenny Doan. The company serves as a one-stop shop for quilting fabric, quilting supplies, mail-in machine quilting, quilt patterns and fabrics.
More than two years later, Missouri Star Quilt is marketing its wares to customers in other states, the United Kingdom, Saudi Arabia, and elsewhere around the world. In fact, the craze has online fans conversing in numerous dialects, such as Tagalog — one of the Philippines’ major languages.
“It’s really paid off for us,” Mr. Doan said. “We started out with $2,000 to buy fabric.
“People come from all over” to take quilting lessons from his mother, he added.
Mrs. Doan loves the work she crafts at the shop. “Whoever thought that somebody would become a quilting star?” she quipped.
Admittedly, only a few customers sought Mrs. Doan’s assistance with their projects at first — usually in a search for certain types of fabric. It became clear that Missouri Star Quilt would need outside income to pay for the new venture.
“We needed to find a way to bring an influx in,” Mr. Doan said.
Social media launched the enterprise into Internet orbit. On a Thursday Facebook page view, more than 4,000 people expressed their preference for the firm’s services.
An online feature known as the Quilter’s Daily Deal allows customers to shop for patterns, kits, needles and the like. It was a never-before-attempted innovation, according to Mr. Doan.
“It was slow at the beginning,” he said, “but we knew we had a good idea. Our entire focus has been on making quilting fun and easy.”
Free computer-based tutorials by Mrs. Doan, an active weblog and local workshops help reach that goal. Supplies are available for purchase at the shop as well.
“We’re really trying to make it easy for people to learn,” Mr. Doan said. “We’re the largest quilting channel on YouTube.”
Missouri Star Quilt operates Tuesday through Saturday with nine employees. The entire family forfeited paychecks for the first year to achieve success. The level of business has skyrocketed to a level of 300 to 400 quilt packages produced by the shop daily. Hamilton’s post office has even received a jolt from customers mailing in their Missouri Star Quilt orders.
Benefits to the Doan family have extended to the community at large, with tourism and retail business flourishing in Hamilton.
Quilting’s popularity makes it resistant to the economy, since the blankets offer a practical use for all families.
“It’s a hobby that’s very justifiable,” Mr. Doan said.
“It becomes an heirloom,” Mrs. Doan added of quilts. “It lasts for generations.”
Missouri Star Quilt is located at 100 N. Ardinger St. The phone number is (816) 583-7722 and the website is www.missouriquiltco.com.
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