Jimmy Beans founder, Laura Zander, with Madelinetosh yarn.
Jimmy Beans, a market-leading retailer of yarn and accessories for knitters and makers, announced today that they have reached a deal to acquire Madelinetosh, the largest hand-dyed yarn producer in the USA. Currently, Madelinetosh yarn is sold in countless independently owned yarn and craft stores around the world.
This is their largest acquisition, and with Madelinetosh, Jimmy Beans will be adding a major yarn brand to their roster of notable companies, having recently purchased two popular bag and accessories companies, Namaste in 2018 and della Q in 2019.
Says Laura Zander, Co-Founder of Jimmy Beans, “Yarn is such an important part of Jimmy Beans’ DNA and with the addition of Madelinetosh, it feels like a match made in yarn heaven. We’ve been carrying Madelinetosh for years and to see what Amy and John have created is remarkable. Their eye for color and ability to take dyeing from their kitchen to becoming the largest hand-dyer in the country is just incredible. We hope that we can continue their legacy, while adding our customer service and marketing touch to the brand!”
For now, Madelinetosh headquarters and team will remain in Fort Worth, TX with additional operational and sales support coming from Jimmy Beans headquarters in Reno, NV. Madelinetosh will continue to hand-dye luxury yarns in a variety of fibers and weights, available in over 100 colorways, ranging from their signature speckles and tonals to variegated and stunning brights. Jimmy Beans will continue to sell Madelinetosh yarn along with their extensive lineup of yarns through their website, retail store and at consumer trade shows throughout the country.
Jimmy Beans will be selling the latest Madelinetosh yarns, patterns and kits at STITCHES SoCal, November 14-17, 2019 and VK Live NY, January 17-19, 2020. Madelinetosh will continue to be sold at select yarn and retail craft stores all over the world and at www.JimmyBeansWool.com and www.Madelinetosh.com
About Jimmy Beans Wool:
At the downturn of the dotcom boom, former Silicon Valley engineers Laura and Doug Zander moved to the mountains and opened up a tiny yarn shop in Truckee, California. Jimmy, as Laura is lovingly known, sold coffee alongside the wool (hence the Beans in the name) and Jimmy Beans Wool was born. In 2004, the company settled down in Reno, Nevada where they currently reside today.
They occupy an expansive 20,000 sq. ft. warehouse, are considered one of the country’s leading destination yarn shops, employs 35 team members, and have built a loyal following and impressive online presence. Along with yarn, Jimmy Beans also provides consumers the most innovative crafting products and accessories. recently acquiring Namaste and della Q, two beloved companies amongst knitters, crocheters, and makers. Both companies sell popular designer handbags, project totes, organizers, accessories, and more. Jimmy Beans will continue to develop products under their patent-pending Jimmy’s SmartStix, plus hooks, needles, and notions.
When will you consider doing some kind of wholesale set up for brick and mortar yarn shops. You are taking away from the customer the ability to have the tactile feel of the yarn before buying. This is just one more nail in our coffin. I am not happy about this. Feels like AT&T of the fiber world.
Very curious about this too. Still want to be able to purchase wholesale for my LYS. Agrre with Beverly. Have sold Tosh for several yarns. Mu customers purchase their yarn through my LYS because they want to see, touch and feel — the whole experience, not just a shade on a website.
Thanks for listening…
Hey Beverly and Kathy! My name is Alexandra and I’m on the Marketing team at Jimmy Beans. Thank you so much for your comments and your feedback! We’d actually love to hear more about what you’re thinking. As we begin Madelinetosh anew, it’s a great time for us to start reevaluating our stockist’s needs and wants! Do you mind shooting us a direct message (alex@jimmybeanswool.com)?? Please note that things are about as crazy as they’ll ever be at the moment so we may not respond immediately but I promise to share your message with Laura (Jimmy!) and get back to you personally!
I also agree with the previous comments. I work at a LYS that stopped selling MadTosh because the lead time for orders was unbelievable (4 months) and because they began selling online through their own store. We began to notice customers coming in to touch and feel, then coming back for us to wind that yarn that they purchased through that online store.
We decided to take a different path and focus our efforts on what our customers cannot get online – personal (face to face) customer service through help sessions & classes and garment finishing and repairs. Yes, we are a Yarn Shop that is not focused on yarn, but the magic you can make with it.
As a customer in LYS I have always loved to use the Madtosh yarns .. they are fantastic but.. I do like to pick them up and actually look at it and the color as well. It would be sad if you don’t figure out how to have the LYS sell Mad tosh yarns again.
Hey Jane! Alex from Team Beans here again 🙂 One of our biggest focuses in 2020 for Tosh is our LYS partnerships! We’re creating an LYS only collection and giving them the ability to special order ANY color from our past catalog (while we’ll be featuring just the Core 150 colors from past years). Tosh won’t be going anywhere. In fact, we hope you’ll see MORE of it in your yarn shops 🙂 If you have any other questions about this, feel free to reach out!