We had the good fortune of connecting with Kim Clark and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Kim, can you talk to us a bit about the social impact of your business?
While our yarn store offers products, our primary focus is on service and community. Our heart is filled every week with all of our community groups. We have a collective of fiber enthusiasts who come together and craft four out of the five days we are open. We provide a welcoming and comfy space with our makeshift living room and classroom spaces. We actively encourage our customers to stay, bring their project, and hang out with us.

One of our main products is our hand-dyed yarn. It is our highest-grossing product, and we can’t dye it fast enough to keep it in stock. We have brought together communities in various ways through our dyed yarn. We had a Town of Davidson collection that was based on our anchor stores in our cute town. We created a mental health collection that supported a local non-profit, Davidson Lifeline (now NABI), that promoted and supported suicide awareness and prevention.

We partner with the Town of Davidson Parks and Recreation to provide summer camps that teach knitting and crochet to kids aged 8 through 15 years old. We also have a unique partnership with our local Ben & Jerry’s, offering a consistently sold-out summer camp where kids travel throughout town to different businesses, learning and experiencing various things. With us, they dye yarn and create pom-poms. Everyone loves to make a pom pom!

Our goal is to create a space where more makers can take various classes to inspire more creativity. We envision our local candle or soap makers coming and teaching classes. Or a place where a weaver, painter, or mixed media artist can have a space to teach their craft, fostering experiences over products.

Can you give our readers an introduction to your business? Maybe you can share a bit about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
I am an accidental yarn store owner – it was my daughter’s fault. I grew up with my single mom supporting herself by owning a barber shop. I married an entrepreneur whom I have helped start several businesses, but owning my own business wasn’t something I desired until the local yarn store in our area closed. 

I love all things crafty, and knitting was one of my passions. When the yarn store in our town closed after over 40 years in business, I saw a hole in the heart of our community and realized the need for something new. Hearts on Fiber started with little more than an idea (late nights dyeing yarn out of our kitchen until we were kicked out because of the smell, then the laundry room where we permanently stained our folding table, and finally ended up on the third floor) and a passionate mission to be so much more for our town.

Running a retail business in today’s market is extremely challenging. You can buy everything in our store online for a price that’s cheaper than a boutique store can ever offer and stay in business. We started our business six months before the pandemic and have had to make constant adjustments. We saw other yarn stores and small retail companies begin and end. We see trends come and go, and I have to fight the urge not to jump on the bandwagon. 

The most crucial factor behind our brand’s success is consistency. We have a strong mission statement that we can go back to when we are in doubt. We strive to create an open and welcoming environment by creating an inviting space, honoring each person’s creativity, and sharing in the joys of others’ successes.

I am happiest when I have empowered people to create, learn, and grow. When I was younger, this type of motivation would lead to being energetically drained and taken advantage of. I recognized later in my life that helping others brought me great joy and happiness. Whether it was volunteering at my kids’ school or teaching at a camp, I noticed how happy I felt when I was serving others.

Thankfully, my shop offers this opportunity every day. From people needing help with a project to our kids learning how to knit and crochet. I’m so blessed to be able to do what makes me happy every day!

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
Charlotte is a large city, and the Lake Norman area offers a distinct experience. Most people who live up this way don’t love going to Charlotte. Have you been on 77 lately? No thanks!

There are many things to do in the city that I would recommend to a friend. NODA, Optimist Hall, and Camp North End are great places to visit for the day. But I would spend most of the time here in our town.

Davidson has been compared to Mayberry from the Andy Griffith Show, but my favorite comparison is to Stars Hollow from the Gilmore Girls. The town has so much charm. I would take my friend to Main Street. We would have lunch at Pickled Peach and grab a coffee at Summit (the OG one). Shop at the Bungalow Market, Main Street Books, Davidson Provisions, and the Village Store. We would go to a nice dinner at Kindred. 

On another day, if it’s a Saturday, we can visit the Davidson Farmers Market, then get ice cream at Ben and Jerry’s, and then again at Whits because I can’t choose. We can also stroll the Davidson College Campus, and if we’re lucky, there will be a concert on the Green in front of the Library to enjoy.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
The key to my success is my family. I started this yarn store at the instance of my middle daughter. All of my kids worked here for the first year of our existence to help develop and standardize our processes. Those mainly included us muddling through and making many mistakes. 
My husband not only helps financially but has also been my biggest cheerleader. He is encouraging and listens to all of my complaints. He constantly tells me that I have created something so special and says he’s in awe of all we do.

Website: https://www.heartsonfiber.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/heartsonfiber/#

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/heartsonfiber

Image Credits
kim clark

Nominate Someone: ShoutoutNorthCarolina is built on recommendations and shoutouts from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you or someone you know deserves recognition please let us know here.