“St. Louis is kind of a mecca for needlepoint,” stated Megan Holmes. “There is a huge sense of community when stitchers gather to work on their projects together."
As the owner of The Needlepoint Clubhouse, Megan is passionate about growing the stitching community in St. Louis and across the country. Together with her friend Melissa MacLeod, Megan hosts a visual podcast on YouTube called Pointing it Out. “It’s the only podcast that we know of in our industry,” stated Megan. “We connect with stitchers all over the country.” Last October, The Needlepoint Clubhouse hosted a weekend retreat that welcomed 30 stitchers from places as far away as New Jersey, Connecticut, and Canada to St. Louis. The crafters were treated to Imo's, Pretzel Boys, Ted Drewes and toasted ravioli. Megan noted, “It was a really cool commerce event for Kirkwood and St. Louis.”
Megan has pioneered ways to continually engage and encourage crafters interested in the hobby. The Needlepoint Clubhouse offers all levels of classes and special events. When in-person activities were halted during the pandemic, Megan turned to Instagram to create a community. “I would go live with canvas designers from all over the county to give a behind-the-scenes look at their design inspiration.” With almost 10,000 followers at @stlneedlepoint, Megan and her team showcase the creative, colorful, and often comical community of stitchers.
Megan recounted how she discovered needlepointing. “I started seeing needlepoint belts around St. Louis. I’ve always been crafty, so I took my first lesson at the original Needlepoint Clubhouse eight years ago.” Megan spent most of her free time stitching at the shop. “I overheard the owners saying they needed employees. I said, ‘I would love to work here.’” Megan became a part-time employee and then, she became the unexpected owner. Megan explained, “In 2017, the owners were going to close the store and retire. I didn’t want the store to close, so I said, ‘I’ll buy your store.'”
Everyone told Megan she was crazy. “I had two little kids and a husband who reminded me of all the benefits that came with my full-time job. It was a giant risk, but I knew it was something I had to do,” she said. She also knew she had to move the business to Kirkwood. “Kirkwood is the perfect place for us. I am so grateful for this location, and for having a landlord that believes in me and what we bring to the community.”
Megan’s best business advice? “Follow your gut. Buying this business was scary and risky, but I just knew it was going to work. Take the risk. You only live once. And find good people to help you. I’ve collected some really cool people.”
The Needlepoint Clubhouse, 11208 Manchester Road, 314.432.2555, NeedlepointClubhouse.com
