"I am so grateful to every single person who walks in our door, whether they are here to shop or consign! I find the hardest thing is to say no. We are a small store so we can’t accept everything that comes in, but we never want to offend anyone. We wish we could take it all!"

"The Makehouse is not just a shop. It's a place where magic and learning happens. We don't just sell sewing supplies, we are mentors that can help with whatever stage you're at on your sewing journey. Some people come in just for ideas, others need more hand-holding to plan their first project. We are also sewing cheerleaders. In case you don't think you can do it — we know you can!"

"I have always been a lover of art. My late mother was an artist and through her I met many wonderful artists and was raised to appreciate the arts in general. I minored in Art History and I have an astute appreciation for how important art is in our culture. I intend to continue to represent artists in my store. I think it adds something very special to the environment and helps the artists themselves."

"I would say running your shop is twice as much work as you would ever expect. You have to think of so many things that you wouldn't imagine. Like who cleans the bathroom? Making sure you always have tape — it’s the little things! But owning a shop is hard work and takes a lot of time and commitment, so be prepared to give up a lot of personal time for the business. In the end, if you love it, it can be worth it, but it's a tougher go with so much online ... and now with Covid, it can really be challenging."

"More than ever before, running a business is a moving target so be willing to change. Things aren’t always going to look and feel the way you wish they would and that’s ok. If you stay flexible and adjust your expectations then you’ll see that there are still a lot of wonderful things happening in these dark times. Now more than ever before, we need to come together as a community and support each other, so reach out — we're here for you!"

It's been a crazy few months since we originally chatted with some shop owners — and in that time, they've been through the emotional roller coaster of frantic shop closures, hustling online, and slowly reopening with all its rules and challenges. We're taking a breath to check in with two quick questions to see how they've been doing. (Part 1)

"We have many unique pieces in the shop, but we also have a lot of basics that would pair well with anything. I do try to take a little of everything, even if it’s not my particular style. I wanted to create a space where individual styles are celebrated and people feel like they can come to us to find whatever is missing in their closet."