“I just go with the flow and try to be positive, happy, and helpful to everyone who comes through the doors.”
Aubrey Pierce is the owner of Knits & Knots Tahoe, a local yarn shop located inside Wildwood Makers Market, where she carries a variety of products, hosts a weekly “Knit Night” for customers, and hand-dyes her own line of yarn.
Congratulations to this week’s 40 under 40 honoree, Aubrey Pierce!
Can you tell us a little about your responsibilities and accomplishments in your current position?
I opened Knits & Knots, a “mini yarn shop” in 2015 in a little corner inside of Wildwood Markers Market. Fast-forward to 2020 and we are a fully stocked yarn shop carrying everything from acrylic to alpaca yarns, knitting supplies, crochet supplies, teaching classes and hosting free weekly “Knit Nights” for our community crafters to gather, knit, crochet & socialize. I personally handle every aspect of the business including ordering inventory, scheduling classes and events, marketing, social media and more.
What has been your favorite professional moment in the last year?
Last year, in 2019, we collaborated with eleven other yarn shops in the area to host the first-ever Sierra Nevada Yarn Crawl (sierranevadayarncrawl.com). The event took months of hard work and planning, and brought hundreds of people to our area to stay, shop, eat and “crawl”. Knits & Knots alone had over 600+ people visit and shop during that 4-day event. The Yarn Crawl was a great way for knitters/crocheters to connect from all over the region while supporting small businesses and independent dyers. It was a great accomplishment for the knitting community and a huge success for our small businesses. We are looking forward to holding the event every year!
Do you have a professional/life mantra that you live by?
I would say, that in my personal life, I try to be present and self-reflective. In regards to business, I just go with the flow and try to be positive, happy, and helpful to everyone who comes through the doors.
Who is your role model?
In the business world, I really admire Stephen West (westknits.com). Stephen is an amazingly creative “not-your-grandma’s knitwear” designer and entrepreneur. His crazy-fun style and his carefree personality are so inspirational. I love to see people being themselves and wearing what makes them happy.
Why choose Tahoe to make your home and career?
I was born and raised in South Lake Tahoe. I love Tahoe, but I am thankful to have experienced living in other places as well. I moved to Reno in 2006 and then to Michigan in 2009. In 2014 I moved back home. My best friend, Lisa Utzig Schafer, was opening Wildwood Markers Market and was kind enough to offer me some space in her new shop to open a mini yarn store and we grew from there. We have wonderful, supportive, local customers and many second home owners and summer travelers that come through the doors and support our shop.
Are you active in any volunteer roles or community groups?
Aside from owning Knits & Knots I also homeschool my 10-year-old daughter, work a separate part-time job, and hand-dye my own line of yarn, Storyteller Yarn, that I sell in my shop and to other retailers. Our Knit Night is our only community group and I host that every week. Since COVID-19 our Knit Night has been held virtually until further notice.
What is your favorite thing to do outside of work?
Lately, I have been obsessed with plants. I also enjoy sewing and of course, knitting. Camping and road-tripping with my family is another favorite.
Where are your favorite South Shore stomping grounds?
I love to hike to Upper Angora Lake, Fallen Leaf Lake and visit all of the Tahoe beaches. I also love riding bikes to Camp Rich and kayaking the southwest shore.