The Fabric Garden in Madison
Kala Murphy has been working at the same place for over forty years. She still hasn’t lost the excitement for her small business in Madison.
For my 30th visit on this journey to every town in the state of Maine, I headed to The Fabric Garden in Somerset County to learn Kala’s keys to success. I walked away with an invaluable list of practical tips to share with you. Even if your hobbies and interests don’t involve a fabric store and quilt shop, you’ll likely find these lessons applicable to your particular passion.
Kala Murphy, owner of The Fabric Garden
1. Determine To Make It Work
Kala’s love of sewing began early. It was fostered by a line of family members who enjoyed creating with fabric: her mother, grandmother, aunts — all had a hand in encouraging this young girl to follow their craft. It was not surprising when Kala chose to enter this industry in her late teen years. She grew in her skill and acquired knowledge and experience with retail.
Like many others, summer for Kayla and her family included a vacation in Maine. One day, her Aunt Marie approached Kala and her sister Beth about moving to vacationland, purchasing a building, and opening their own fabric store. They located a property in Madison and launched The Fabric Garden in 1978.
There were challenges from the beginning.
For one, life in Madison was a whole new world from what Kala grew up with in Long Island (New York, not Maine).
In addition to that adjustment, 1978 was a year for the memory books with a recession and an infamous blizzard.
Kala, Beth, and their aunt were not to be deterred. “We were determined to make it work,” Kala said as she reflected on those early days. This mindset was a common thread throughout the entire history she shared with me. Whether dealing with changes in the industry, new types of competition, or COVID-19, Kala’s strategy has been consistent:
Find what works. Accept what doesn’t. Keep adjusting.
This willingness to remain flexible resulted in The Fabric Garden being early to some developments over the years, particularly related to technology. Kala’s late sister Beth foresaw the importance of the internet early on and developed a website for the business in the late 1990s. Initially it was an informational site, but eight years ago the company opened an online store to give their customers additional access to their products.
2. Build a Good Reputation
Throughout the many changes over the past four decades, Kala and her team have remained focused on serving their customers. In the process, they earned a reputation for treating people well and with fairness. Some of their present-day customers are the children and grandchildren of those who first frequented the store back in the 1970s.
Folks are willing to travel to browse the 10,000+ bolts of fabric and the myriad of other items the store has in stock. Kala estimates that 80% of their customers drive more than 45 minutes to shop at The Fabric Garden.
As interests and circumstances shifted over the years, The Fabric Garden incorporated new ways to meet the needs of those who walked through its doors.
In 1984, the business expanded beyond fabric and notions by offering sewing machines. The Fabric Garden became an authorized dealer and service provider for the Janome and Necchi brands. Today, this fabric store — tucked away in Madison, Maine — is in the top 25 (out of 700) Janome dealers in the USA.
Janome Sewing Machine
3. Empower Others
Kala has vivid memories of the sense of accomplishment she gained from sewing in her early years. It’s her joy to pass that on to others by teaching sewing classes. Sometimes new students can be overwhelmed or nervous as they begin learning this skill, but Kala works to instill confidence in them so they can have the same enjoyment she has discovered through this craft.
4. Love Your Team
While most business owners frequently refer to their “employees,” Kala struggles to use that term in association with the seven women who are on staff at The Fabric Garden. She prefers “the ladies who work with me.” Without hesitation, she adamantly stated, “I wouldn’t be here without my ladies” and went on to speak glowingly of their outstanding loyalty and skills.
5. Give Back
Kala values the industry in which she works. She looks for ways to donated to causes that support it. In the early days of the current pandemic, this involved contributing fabric for the Sewing Masks for Maine project.
Though The Fabric Garden is an independent store, Kala enjoys participating in collaborations, such as the annual State of Maine Quilt Shop Hop. In 2020, two dozen stores around Maine are donating prizes and serving as stamp locations for the “Hoppers” passports. You can learn more at their website.
The unique line of fabrics designed for the State of Maine Quilt Shop Hop
The question I had to ask…
When someone says they have been in the same business for 42 years, one feels compelled to bring up the topic of retirement. I asked Kala if she anticipated another 42 years on the job. She laughed and stated that she has no plans to stop working anytime soon. She added, “I love the many aspects of retail and still find the work exciting.”
If she ever decides to shift gears, I’m certain a business school could benefit by including her as a guest speaker.
Kala Murphy has learned what works.
I’m on a mission to visit every town in Maine. Check here to see if I’ve featured yours yet: All The Visits. To learn more about this adventure, see the about page.
Here is a map to help you find The Fabric Garden…
