Pop-up craft store opens in downtown Raleigh

Craft Habit, a new pop-up craft store, has opened in downtown Raleigh, offering craft supplies and classes.

The store is the work of Sarah Ferguson, a former preschool teacher and sewing instructor, and Taylor Lee, a fellow fiber craft enthusiast. Ferguson approached Lee a year ago about an idea they had talked about in passing: opening a craft business. When Ornamentea, the Raleigh jewelry supply store, closed, the pair saw an opportunity to expand their original concept beyond a sewing store.

The pair soon were connected with Bill King, a senior director with the Downtown Raleigh Alliance. The property, 17 E. Martin St., is owned by LM Restaurants, a Raleigh restaurant group that owns Carolina Ale House and Taverna Agora. Eventually, King said the company plans to open restaurants in the building but has to wait until the building’s upstairs tenants’ leases expire. King said LM Restaurants management were open to the first-floor space being used for retail and art installations in the meantime; Flight retail shop opened in the space last holiday season and artist Lincoln Hancock’s rainbow-colored light installation was there this summer.

“They’ve been very supportive of helping to incubate retail,” King explained.

Ferguson appreciates the location as they try to build their business: “I love being downtown and getting lots of visibility.”

Ferguson said Craft Habit will be open at the pop-up location until early January and then will move to a permanent location near downtown Raleigh.

The store sells fabrics and fibers as well as jewelry making and paper craft supplies. They offer evening classes and daily specials where customers can pay $10-$15 to make a craft in 20 to 30 minutes. The store is also available for booking private events.

Here’s a few of the upcoming classes:

▪ Russian Snake Bracelet Beadweaving Class from 6:30-9 p.m. Nov. 15, $45.

▪ Pom Pom Wreath Class from 6:30-8:30 p.m. Nov. 17, $30.

▪ Introduction to Kiln Enameling, 1-4 p.m. Nov. 19 or 6:30-9:30 p.m. Dec. 6, $45.

▪ Introduction to Needle Felting, 1-3 p.m. Nov. 26 or 6:30-8:30 p.m. Nov. 30, $30.

▪ Rubber Stamped Soldered Earrings, 6:30-8 p.m. Nov. 26, $40.

This story was originally published November 10, 2016 at 10:48 AM with the headline "Pop-up craft store opens in downtown Raleigh."