Selling off your own yarn stash and accidentally launching a full-blown retail business isn’t exactly the startup story you hear every day, but that’s precisely how the yarnmönger came to be. What began in 2020 as one Phoenix crafter clearing out her own closet of fiber has grown into a genuine gathering spot for knitters and crocheters across the Valley, with a proper storefront that opened its doors in February 2024.
Set on East Washington Street just south of downtown Phoenix, the yarnmönger has quickly become the kind of place regulars talk about by name, largely because the person behind the counter, owner Mickey, treats every visit like a conversation between friends rather than a transaction. Whether you’re a lifelong knitter chasing a specific fiber or someone who’s never held a crochet hook, this is a shop built around genuine enthusiasm for the craft.
What Makes The Shelves Worth Browsing
The selection here leans hard into small-batch and locally dyed yarns you won’t stumble across at a big-box craft chain. Names like hot magenta yarn company, lavender fiber company, storyteller stitchery, robin’s nest fiber arts, and ali rose artisans fill the shelves alongside more familiar, dependable lines like Cascade, Juniper Moon Farm, Araucania, and Lion Brand.
That mix matters because it means the shop works equally well for a knitter hunting a splurge-worthy skein for a special project and someone just restocking basics for a weeknight blanket. Tools get the same thoughtful treatment: you’ll find Chiaogoo and Lykke needles alongside Furls and Prym crochet hooks, all solid, well-regarded brands among fiber crafters rather than generic filler.
Gift certificates are available too, which makes the shop a fairly easy answer for anyone stuck shopping for the knitter or crocheter in their life. And because the inventory rotates with smaller-batch dye lots, there’s a real incentive to swing by more than once. What’s on the shelf in a given month isn’t guaranteed to be there the next.
Atmosphere & Décor
This is a compact, storefront-style shop rather than a sprawling warehouse, and that scale is part of the charm. Walking in feels less like shopping and more like stepping into someone’s carefully curated personal collection, with color-blocked walls of yarn creating the kind of visual payoff that fiber lovers can’t help but photograph.
The central Phoenix setting keeps things easy to reach whether you’re coming from downtown, the surrounding neighborhoods, or further out in the Valley. Inside, the mood is unhurried and conversational; people tend to linger, ask questions, and end up chatting about current projects rather than making a quick in-and-out stop.
Other Considerations
What are the hours like? The schedule takes a little planning: the shop is open Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday and Sunday from 10am to 4pm, closed on Wednesdays, and open later on Fridays from noon to 7pm for anyone who can’t make it during a typical workday.
Is it accessible if I have mobility needs? Yes, the store is wheelchair accessible with accessible parking available near the entrance.
Will I actually find something different here? That’s really the draw. Between the small-batch, locally dyed lines and the harder-to-find brands mixed in with everyday staples, the inventory feels curated rather than mass-stocked, so it’s worth checking in periodically rather than assuming you’ve seen everything on offer.
Good for beginners, or more of an expert spot? Both. The range runs from budget-friendly everyday yarns to premium small-batch skeins and higher-end needle sets, so newcomers and seasoned crafters both have plenty to dig through.
the yarnmönger
📍 828 E Washington St, Phoenix, AZ 85034
Website: https://theyarnmonger.com/
