‘Never find another place like this’: Calla Lilly Sewing Corner to close end of May

A local sewing store that offered a place for community and friendship will be closing at the end of May.

Calla Lilly Sewing Corner has been in business for the past 13 years. Owner Carolyn Meddaugh said that with the cost of goods going up and competition from online sales, it became harder to retain a retail storefront. She said it’s a sad time for the business because the one thing it strives for is good service.

“Our service was important to our customers as a part of our machine repairs and storefront,” Meddaugh said. “One thing we strive for is service, which you can’t do online.”

Calla Lilly Sewing Corner offers sewing machine repair services, sewing supplies and different machine brands. The business also holds sewing classes throughout the week.

The business will not be taking any new sewing machine repair appointments.

Calla Lilly Sewing Corner will remain open until May 31. The business is located at 3980 Pine Grove Ave. in Fort Gratiot.

Besides offering an array of sewing supplies and machine repair, Calla Lilly Sewing Corner also was a place of community. The classes at the business were taught by local people. Meddaugh said the people who taught and came to the classes were a prominent part of the business.

“A lot of talented ladies that would come out here just to have fun,” she said. “They just wanted to get together and you’d see a lot of networking from it.”

A few women came into the store on April 11 for a morning class. Port Huron resident Nancy Bankson said the Calla Lilly Sewing Corner wasn’t just a sewing store to her and the other women. It was a place for friends to meet and share their hobbies.

Bankson said the closing of Calla Lilly Sewing Corner will have a big effect on the community.

“This is so much more than a store to us,” she said. “We could always come here knowing we’d leave happier than when we came in. Even if we were already in a good mood.”

Clyde Township resident Kathy Marsh said the business was a one stop store. She said once the business closes, she’s going to miss the wonderful people associated with it. She said that above all, the people at Calla Lilly Sewing Corner were very kind.

“You’ll never find another place like this again,” Marsh said. “It will be well missed.”

Meddaugh said she will miss the customers the most. She said she appreciates the people that came into Calla Lilly Sewing Corner.

Contact McKenna Golat at mgolat@gannett.com or (810) 292-0122.