Do people usually come here with a specific problem they are trying to solve – like a broken zipper?
Nadeau: Absolutely. When we hire staff, the first thing they learn is, don’t ask the customer what they are looking for, ask them what they are trying to do, and then show them what we have. I get people who come in and say, I feel like doing something, I need to de-stress, or I need to lose weight. People are coming here to lose weight?! How does that work? Green: If your hands are busy, how do you eat? Nadeau: Quitting smoking, that’s another one. People come in and say, ‘I need to quit smoking. Give me something to do with my hands.’ So I throw a bag of beads at them and some thread and away they go. So doing crafts can help people with their New Year’s resolutions? Green: If your hands are busy, you’re not going to reach for that bag of chips or that cigarette. It’s a win-win situation. You’re working with your hands, it is meditative, repetitive, it builds ego, and it is a substitute for doing things which aren’t so healthy. So what items are most in demand these days? Nadeau: Our
