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Many of you remember the first Poppy Fabric in Berkeley. Many of you were born after 1971 and cannot remember a time when there was no Poppy Fabric. It was an exciting and rewarding 36 years of operation in four different locations, first on Telegraph Avenue, then Solano Avenue, on Addison in downtown Berkeley, and finally here at 51st Street in Oakland since 1987.
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Our building has been sold. When we were first notified that the building was up for sale and that our lease would not be renewed, we looked at potential new locations all over the East Bay, and even San Francisco. As the prices of homes have escalated, so too have retail rents, especially in prime locations that are accessible and with parking. Poppy Fabric would need a lot of expensive space.
Sourcing fabrics has become more difficult as many of our suppliers have either gone out of business, or are producing fabrics that are no longer distinctive.
Although we have many loyal customers, fewer people have time to sew. Many people find it more convenient, and often less expensive, to buy ready-made items rather than take the time to sew an outfit. A new couch can often be bought for less than the cost of reupholstering an old one.
After adding up the costs of relocating, the rent in a smaller and less desirable location, and difficulty in finding suppliers of the quality and distinctiveness of the past, I decided to close down Poppy Fabric.
To all of you who have supported the store over those many years, and to the many people who have worked here, thank you.
Paul Eisenberg
Please Note: Poppy Design Services will be continuing under the ownership of Patti Popovich, the current director of our Poppy Fabric Design Services program. She will continue to provide the same level of excellent service as she has at the store for the past 10 years. Patti can be reached at the same Design Services telephone number, 510-655-8420 and web page.