Ophir Yarn and Fiber

I LOVED Ophir, the service was spot-​on, she piped in to offer more information when I looked at something but it never felt like a sales pitch. They were knowledgeable, friendly and comfortable to be around, I could have stayed forever. The selection was amazing considering the size of the store but it didn’t feel cluttered or dusty as many fiber shops can. The lighting was great as well, overall a bright, busy and friendly atmosphere. I made a special trip to visit this store and was rewarded!

Was hopeful about this local yarn and craft store. Supply of yarn and notions is very small. Shop is a mess and unorganized. Staff was friendly though not particularly knowledgeable or helpful.

Let me begin by stating that I love local yarn shops. I seek them out and I like to buy yarn and supplies from them when I can, even though it is almost always cheaper to shop online. I believe it’s important to keep LYSs alive because they are stable places you can feel and see a wide range of yarns and where knitters and crocheters can find a community of fellow enthusiasts. After the closing of KnitARound, I was excited to see that another LYS had opened in Ann Arbor. Now, I’ve only visited once, but overall I was very disappointed. On the positive side, you can purchase Stonehedge Fiber Mill’s Shepherd’s Wool here. This is a lovely Michigan made yarn and Ophir has a decent selection, including their crazy yarn mill ends. On the negative side, the store is physically disorganized and shabby, the staff are uninvolved with customers, and the overall feeling is that one is intruding in a family apartment. The yarn selection is sparse and the needles and notions section is small and incomplete. When I was there, there were boxes and bags cluttering the store space and it didn’t look temporary. There is a kitchenette in the rear of the store, which makes the space smell like microwaved leftovers and feel like someone’s private apartment– upon which visitors are intruding. The staff just stared at me when I came in and never approached me to engage or offer help. Other crafts are for sale around the store, and while some are nice, they just looked like distracting clutter. Signs were badly done and posted in strange places: for example, a promotional sale was happening, but it was only advertised on the outside of the front door. It was not a place where I felt comfortable for more than a few minutes, and is certainly not a place where I would want to spend any time knitting or taking classes. I gave the store a few months to settle in before my visit and I still hope they can make strides in organization and cleanliness, in friendly customer service, and in stocking a complete inventory in an appealing way. Maybe I’ll give it another shot in a few months. I would hate to see a LYS fail, but I don’t see a recipe for success here now.

I came in looking for a craft item, four ladies were sitting at the back of the room crafting. I have no idea who works there, because nobody got up to help me. I had to go back to find them. I asked them for the item I was looking for, none l nobody even stood up or turned to face me. One lady shook her head, and that was the end of our interaction. I would not go back there if you paid me. Worst customer service ever.