Once upon a time, a Blackpool haberdasher had an online presence that was just sew-sew (sorry)…
Knitting is cool. It’s also creative, fun and, in a world where ‘social’ increasingly means staring at a screen, knitting is standing up for the true meaning of social: doing something you love with likeminded friends and having a good old natter while you’re doing it.
If you’re in any doubt as to the clout of crochet or the need for needlework, can we suggest you take a wander round Mrs Johnson’s Emporium? The store, housed in a beautiful 19th century former bank, has been a stalwart of Blackpool South Shore village for more than 30 years. And when we invite you to take a wander round the store, we mean just that.
You see, Susanne Johnson, owner and daughter of the store’s founder isn’t relying on the emporium’s history for success. She’s been working with Happy to bring her store, her passion and her love for making knitting a shared, communal experience, to a wider audience.
At the heart of the project is a new ecommerce site, built on a Magento platform that enables you to zoom into products (so you can see even the smallest buttons in the most intricate detail) and makes buying ultra-fast thanks to a one-click check out.
A stunning Google walkthrough feature lets you stroll around the store (we weren’t kidding about suggesting you take a wander), so visitors to Blackpool can do more than find the emporium on Google Maps, they can check the inside out too.
And then there’s the social side, because Mrs Johnson’s Emporium is more than a store, it’s a focal point for all things knit-based in Blackpool. From yarn bombing and al fresco stitching to the regular Stitch and Bitch and get-togethers of the Happy Hookers(!), there are loads of ways to get involved – and thanks to the new site, more people can.
If you’re in Blackpool and feel inspired to get stitching, call into Mrs Johnson’s Bond Street store in person. And if you’re not local, you can still visit the shop here.
