Ringgold’s Sew Bee It
Offers Quilting Necessities, Classes
Chattanooga Times and Free Press
October 31st 2005
By Matthew S.L. Cate - Staff Writer
RINGGOLD, Ga. — It’s not just the yards of select fabrics and other quilting material that Pamela Ruiz said makes her shop here different from other hobby stores. She’s building a community, she said of her network of hundreds of customers and several dozen regulars. "We really get involved, and we stay with them throughout their project," she said. In
it's fourth year, her Sew Bee It quilter’s shop just off Interstate 75 has attracted a large customer base and has been ranked one of the top 10 shops in the nation by Better Homes and Gardens.
Ms. Ruiz set up shop soon after her mother-in-law led her to quilting. She knew she wanted to open her own business and had considered a coffee shop or other gathering place. "But when (she) introduced me to quilting, I saw something in that," Ms. Ruiz said. And when her mother-in-law moved to the area several years ago, Ms. Ruiz knew she’d miss her quilting buddies and wanted to keep pursuing her own new hobby. "I still can’t estimate fabric real well," Ms. Ruiz said of her relatively recent arrival to the quilting scene. "But I have three staff members that are wizards." And those knowledgeable staffers, prime materials selection, husband’s corner with TV and the companionship of other quilters keep many customers coming back. "They’re going to start charging me rent," said Calhoun, Ga., resident Jayne Henson. Her once-a-week visits usually last for hours, she said.
When Gloria Black, of Ringgold, drove back home from New York several months after visiting with her son following the Sept. 11, 2001, terror attacks, she saw what was then the newest quilting store around. "I was so excited. I think I signed up for everything," she said. Other than regular quilting gear and necessities, Sew Bee It offers several quilting classes and gatherings at the store. Sticking around for those and perusing the shop is how Ms. Black said she cleanses her mind. "When you quilt, that’s all you think about," she said. "It’s therapeutic."
Sew Bee It, on state Highway 151, is open Monday-Wednesday and Friday-Saturday from 9:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Thursday’s hours are extended to 8 p.m.
THE BOTTOM LINE
Name: Sew Bee It , A Quilter’s Garden
Specialty: Quilting supplies and fabric
Employees: Two full time, two part time
Contact: (706) 937-9142
