The Economic Bleed Continues.

It gets to be kind of a drag to have to report  former creative playgrounds  that have closed  over and over.  I still remember the first time I discovered Karen's Creative Stamping in a strip mall in Davison, Michigan and was so delighted I called my daughter to meet me after work. We both took classes here and spent a lot of  pretty greenbacks, too.

Karen's moved into a scrapbook shoppe that had closed due to bad management and was then loads bigger than the previous stamp store, and she inherited all the store stock thus becoming I think,  more scrap store than stamp store.  I think that was her downfall and she became less of a destination on Friday afternoons for me.  Both daughter and I had issues with the way some employees were treated by the owner and felt we could not return and feel good about it.  It took me months to get over not heading out for a stamp fix and then to the gym.

I have known about this closing "unofficially" for several months, altho I knew it was coming probably for several years. I even hinted at it in 2009 in a blog post and many times since. Tonight, Karen sent out an email confirming what actually happened in late December.  I wish her well. At least she has a regular  job as a school teacher and her husband fixes computers.  Her employees will not fair so well.

I know a couple of special people who worked at Karen's that I would love to give a shout out to. Pat Farlin (lost your email but hope you are looking forward to golf!) and Joan Stier (I have your package ready, I just need a ride to the PO and a Valium for dealing with the employees there ;P  ). Both these ladies are so terrifically talented in the paper arts!

There isn't much left open these days in my stomping grounds but always check the side bar for the latest. Sadly, I have been deleting names on the closed list after 3 years, so that list is much much longer that you know.  I am  hoping to add some happy news to the list someday.