What’s In Store…
Overseas Fabrics – Online Shop Now Open
As a follow-up to my previous “What’s In Store” Post, on this Blog, and amidst the mayhem of the COVID-19 coronavirus, I wanted to share that Overseas Fabrics Online Store is now up and running.
The Overseas Fabrics Team was still working on it, when the closure of stores started… but as any good business does in a crisis, they were able to pivot, and offer their products online, with proper social distancing and safety protocols that keep their customers happy, and their staff and customers all safe!
At a time when folks are rushing to start sewing fabric, washable, non-medical, anti-projection masks, the Team at Overseas Fabrics has rushed to facilitate rolling out their less expensive cotton fabrics, and dug through their stockpiles to find the much needed elastics and thread to help their community, with these, and many other projects to help pass the time.
(Click on the screen cap above, to go to their online store.)
In their hurry to help as many customers as possible, and having started with one of the largest selections of fabrics in BC… the task before them to list ALL their products, will take time.
In the meantime, the folks at Overseas Fabrics are working long days, to try to help support the folks in their community, who are rightfully scared of the Virus, and looking for ways to get the fabrics and sewing products they need, safely and efficiently.
In the images below, you can see the precautions they have taken, to organize contact-free delivery of their online purchases.
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Kudos to the family-run business for their hard work in getting this running, and for continuing to just… BE AWESOME!
Overseas Fabrics store is located at 32853 Ventura Ave., Abbotsford, BC, V2S 6A3
Their online store is OverseasFabrics.com
Please check them out!
* I have said it before, but it bears repeating: The endorsement of this business was not bought. Nor was it paid for, by credits, free goods, discounted products or anything else. Any outside businesses, which are endorsed on the “What’s In Store” category of this Blog, are endorsed, because they are good businesses, that I frequent (or have frequented) and believe they are worthy of mention.
I do not accept payment or remuneration of any kind, for any of my Posts.
Overseas Fabrics
It has been a REALLY long time, since I have encountered a business that made me want to write about them. That changed last weekend, and was confirmed today, when we visited Overseas Fabrics, a fabric store in Abbotsford.
Yes, I’m going to let you think about that for a minute…
Bob is writing about the fantastic retail experience he had at… “A Fabric Store.“
Think about EVERY experience, or just the expectations you’ve had while shopping for fabric. It probably goes something like this:
You wander aimlessly through a maze of seemingly endless circular tables, which are often sorted by pattern-based themes or colours, rather than by fabric type… until you finally find some appropriate fabric, at which time you take the fabric to the cutting table, and then start searching anew, only this time, looking for an employee… any employee… to cut the fabric. You finally find someone, who, amid heavy sighs, begrudgingly cuts your fabric. You pay, and leave, grateful that the ordeal is over.
Overseas Fabrics is a COMPLETELY different experience.
They do check all the boxes you would expect…
• A huge store, full of beautiful fabrics, notions and accessories.
• Well organized, so that you can shop easily.
Nothing really unusual, or blog-worthy, there.
Where Overseas Fabrics separates itself, and pulls away from its competition…
• Great prices, every day.
• Their people – who give a warm greeting when you arrive, and offer service with friendly enthusiasm.
Overseas Fabrics is a family-owned and run business, and you feel that, from the owners and staff alike, in the quality of service they provide, and care that they take in ensuring their customers leave happy, having bought quality products, at great prices. They have been in business for 26 years, and they are now working on a web store to help those folks who can’t make the drive out to Abbotsford, but still want quality fabrics, at great prices!
Their website says they have over 90,000 fabrics in stock in their store, and that they are the largest fabric store of its kind, in Western Canada. I believe it!
When we arrived at Overseas Fabrics for the first time, we were enthusiastically greeted by the gentleman at the front, like we were long lost friends. We got similar greetings from all the other staff, as we moved throughout the store. Several times we were approached, and asked if we needed help.
Shortly after we arrived, we were asked if we had shopped there before, as Overseas Fabrics have a different approach. They don’t play the “wheel of discounts” game… they buy in volume and pass it along, every day… No inflated prices with bogus discounts. On every roll of fabric, there are two prices and a quantity. That’s it. (For example: $7 for buying one metre, and $5 for buying over a metre.)
The reason we found Overseas Fabrics, Lorie needed some brightly-coloured material for a project, and thought Sari fabrics would be perfect. She searched the web, and on a sunny Saturday, we headed for Abbotsford.
I drove her out there, and when we got there, I wasn’t treated like a husband and ignored, I was treated as if I might be the customer. (Stranger things could happen!)
All in all, I cannot recommend Overseas Fabrics more highly. If you are looking for fabrics or sewing supplies for a project, check them out!
Their store is located at 32853 Ventura Avenue in Abbotsford, and is open Monday to Saturday from 10 am to 6 pm. Closed Sunday.
Their website is OverseasFabrics.com
Edited April 2020: Their Online Store is now up and running… and fantastic!
You can find them on Instagram, and Facebook (where they have amazing reviews!)
Here are a few photos, to try to give you a sense of the immense variety of products they carry… (Click on any image to open a pop-up window)
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* I have said it before, but it bears repeating: The endorsement of this business was not bought. Nor was it paid for, by credits, free goods, discounted products or anything else. Any outside businesses, which are endorsed on the “What’s In Store” category of this Blog, are endorsed, because they are good businesses, that I frequent (or have frequented) and believe they are worthy of mention.
I do not accept payment or remuneration of any kind, for any of my Posts.
TeamDepotCA
A while back, I dove back into the world of retail, after a hiatus of a few years. I took a job, working hard, having fun, and creating sawdust, at the Home Depot store in Port Coquitlam.
It feels good to be ‘back in the aisles”, helping folks with their projects, and giving them a hand with finding the items they want, and need.
The other day, along with about a dozen Home Depot associate volunteers, we went to Coquitlam, to do outreach, with our store’s next #TeamDepotCA project.
TeamDepotCA, is the project where Home Depot Associates go out in their communities, and volunteer time, energy, supplies, and elbow grease… and work on something that a worthy local organization needs a hand with.
On this occasion, the group getting a hand, was the RainCity Housing Shelter, at 3030 Gordon, in Coquitlam.
You can read more about The Shelter, and the great work they do, on their website.
Our team showed up with trimmers, shovels, rakes, plants, garden accessories, and a lawn mower… and over the next few hours, we cut the front boulevard. Added shrubs and winter pansies at the entranceway. Cut the back yard, and installed edging in the garden to make future maintenance easier. We pulled out a few plants that had died, and replaced them with bulbs that will be nice surprise for the residents, when next Spring comes around.
And in the process of giving back, we had a ton of fun… and are looking forward to our next Project!
Home Depot’s Orange Door Program (part of the Home Depot Canada Foundation) has a focus on ending Youth Homelessness. You can find out more, by going to the website.
Here are a few pictures, from the day’s activity.
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A fun time was had by all… (Click on any photo, |
West Coast Flying Trapeze
At a Social Media Meetup, in 2016, we met the folks from West Coast Flying Trapeze, a new business, located in Pitt Meadows.
They are a business that offers training in various circus-related skills:
- Aerial Silks
- Aerial Hoop
- Juggling
- Hand Balancing
- Trampoline
- Tumbling
- Flying and Static Trapeze
- (And they are adding more services, all the time!)
Their facility is housed in an expansive 8000 square foot hanger, located near the Pitt Meadows Airport.
Check out their video below, for an overview of the fun!
Because I’ve had a few incidents with whiplash, I wasn’t surprised to hear that the Manager suggested that I *NOT* try the trapeze… which was my first indication that it was a top-down, safety-first facility.
The staff was all professional, and their incremental method of teaching the students, seemed to be designed specifically to maximize the opportunity for the students to succeed, as much as they could.
From the West Coast Flying Trapeze brochure:
“Circus does not require a ton of strength, a high degree of flexibility, or a certain body type. All you need to do is show up. Our Coaches will guide you through the rest. At West Coast Flying Trapeze, it’s not about what your body looks like, it’s about what your body can do!”
If you are looking for a fun activity for just about anybody, I would suggest checking out West Coast Flying Trapeze… they are a Circus School for everyone!
They are located at Unit 105 – 19055 Airport Way, Pitt Meadows, BC. (At the intersection of Airport Way and Baynes Road)
You can find more information about their services and their prices, on their website: WestCoastFlyingTrapeze.com
It is a fun venue, for both the participants, as well as observers… not only from the Circus training, but also from the perspective of the highly-entertaining four-legged friends: Russell and Tally — two very different dogs, who (seemingly) love to cuddle and entertain “audience” members! (Video below)
* I have said it before, but it bears repeating: The endorsement of this business was not bought. Nor was it paid for, by credits, free classes or anything else. Any outside businesses, which are endorsed on the “What’s In Store” category of the Blog, are endorsed, because they are good businesses, that I frequent (or have frequented) and believe they are worthy of mention. I do not accept remuneration of any kind, for my Blog Posts.
Garden Fairy Doors
Recently, Lorie and I started crafting and selling small doors for magical creatures… and so, whether you need a home for your Gnomes, Hobbits, Pixies, Elves or Fairies… we have a door that is just right for your needs!
Some are fanciful… others quite rustic… some are colorful… and others understated. Something for every taste. Each is one-of-a-kind, and hand-crafted. (Honestly, I would post pictures, but they change ALL. THE. TIME.)
Lorie has also made some fun and funky whimsical accessories… banners, flags, wind chimes and more…
You can find the full assortment of what is currently available, in our Etsy Shop: https://www.etsy.com/ca/shop/GardenFairyDoors/
For fun, we also created TreeMax – a “Fairy Tale Realty Company”: https://treemax.ca/
And, if you want the full story on how we got started making Fairy Doors, you can find the details here: https://gardenfairies.ca/
Haute Note – Personalized Note Cards And Stationery
As some of you may know… on October 1st, Lorie and I bought an online card business… Haute Note!
A company that produces custom cards, personalized notes and stationery.
We have a variety of note styles, as well as designs for every reason and every season.
We feel that in this day and age, when pretty much everyone on the planet has embraced the technology for sending emails, texts, PINS and communicating through any number of Social Networks — there are still occasions when it is “special” to get a card. A keepsake, or reminder of a moment in time.
Whether a photo Holiday card, personalized Christmas cards, birthday invitations, wedding or baby announcements, save-the-date cards, or something else completely… we can customize and personalize any of the hundreds of designs of cards.
A set of 8 Signature cards makes a lovely hostess gift, a thank you gift, something nice for Aunt Sadie or the perfect something for the hard-to-buy-for person who has everything!
Below are a few examples, chosen at random from hundreds of styles and themes.
You can find more examples at HauteNote.com
(Click on any image below to open the images up in a Gallery Viewer)
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(Click on any image above to see the cards in a Gallery Viewer)
Should you need a personal or corporate Christmas card… a card to announce a birth, or a birthday party… a wedding announcement or a BBQ invite… we have all these, and many more! Check us out at HauteNote.com
You can also find us on Twitter, Facebook and Pinterest!