Beyond the Fleece expands in Williamston

Less than a year after moving into Williamston's Keller's Plaza, the family-owned specialty yarn shop Beyond the Fleece has already expanded into a new location. 

 

"We had great interest in store in Keller's Plaza, but we had many customers that were not able to climb the stairs," says owner Jill Blain. "I had also run out of room."

 

The shop's new, 2,000 square foot home on Grand River more than quadruples Blain's former location. The additional space allows Blain to do all of her fiber dying in the store, as well as provides a larger classroom area. 

 

Beyond the Fleece is an outgrowth from the Blain family farm, Frosty Acres where Blain and her husband Brandon raise fiber animals, including lamas, alpaca, angora goats, Shetland sheep and angora rabbits to make handspun and dyed yarns. 

 

"We support local artists and are a natural fiber store," says Blain. "We love to encourage the use of natural fiber and support local farmers."

 

The new Beyond the Fleece location opened on March 5. The store has grown in several ways over the past year, including carrying spinning wheels, looms, drum carders, and other yarn crafting accessories. The store also offers a variety of classes, workshops and lessons, and sells products from local artists in their in-store Michigan Fiber Artist Shoppe within the store.