Unique business in Dalston is supporting fingers across Canada

My friend, Pat Booth, loves to do needlepoint. In the 28 years we’ve known each other, Pat has produced some beautiful works of art… cross stitch, embroidery, needlepoint, hooking… Pat’s ability with colour and design is remarkable. And I’ve been the lucky recipient of several great gifts.

People like Pat all over North America are producing their works of art on specialized wooden frames that are built right in Dalston by Gus and Sandra Pike. Their business, Crafters Choice Frames, produces frames for needlepoint, cross stitch and rug hooking for stores like Lewiscraft, Michaels, Zellers, and all the Mary Maxim catalogue sales.

Gus tells me their company, now seven years old, at one point employed seven people all cutting, drilling, and preparing for assembly a wide variety of frames. From their shop, which is 2400 square feet, the Pikes ship out 3,000 scroll and lap frames a year, plus rug frames and other specialized designs. The designs are ones developed by the Pikes and their business is one which needs an owner with time and energy to push sales, develop new markets and capitalize on the excellent business relationships already established by Crafters Choice.

Since 1993 Gus and Sandra have been walking across the driveway from their home to their shop to design, produce and ship products across the country.

And now it’s time to step down.

Ready for retirement, Gus and Sandra called this week to explain that she is suffering from a debilitating form of arthritis and their energies are needed in a new direction.

“This is a business we’ve built with love,” said Gus as we talked. “I hope we can find someone who wants to take it over.”

The Pikes are ready to sell either the business on its own, or their 2.5 acre home and shop, which would make it a walk-in / take-over opportunity.

How many times have you driven up Highway 93 and probably right past this beehive of activity and not known that most of the country’s crafters are working on frames built right here?

Amazing!

Thanks, Gus! Thanks, Sandra!