by Julie Gowel ·
Friday, April 11, 2025
One of Harvard’s oldest operating storefronts is closing its door on April 30, after serving the community for a half-century. Citing the retirement of two longtime employees, The Fiber Loft, located at 9 Massachusetts Ave., will use the month of April to sell all stock at a discount, leaving many of its patrons “devastated.”
Reba Maisel opened The Weavers Loft in 1974. The store boasted equipment and supplies for spinning and weaving, including wheels, spindles, and fiber, and was located in the upstairs loft of the property at 9 Mass. Ave. In 2001, Maisel expanded her business, occupying half the downstairs section of the building; incorporating the sale of yarn from around the world, including locally sourced fiber; and changing its name to The Fiber Loft.
Buttons on sale for $5 a tube is just one of the many bargains to be found at The Fiber Loft as it clears out its inventory. (Photos by Lisa Aciukewicz)
In 2013, the business was purchased by Carrie Brown, and since then has operated under the tutelage of store manager Suzanne Kelly. Kelly recently decided that, at 73 years of age, it was time to stop “reporting for duty” and retire to her horse farm in New Hampshire. While rumors of a potential sale of the business circulate in the community, Brown has not responded to requests by the Press for an interview. The store will close at the end of the month, much to the disappointment of its clientele.
“Reba always said that working in a yarn store is a service industry,” said Kelly. “Because people come in and desperately need help, and sometimes just someone to talk to. We’re going out with a lot of sadness because it’s a big loss for the community. There just aren’t many spinning and weaving shops left.”
Kelly is not the only employee affected by the shop’s closing. Anne Murphy, who has been working at The Fiber Loft for 18 years, said her connection to the shop extends far beyond a typical job. She recalled walking into the store after having become disabled, unsure of what she could do or how she would move forward. Murphy said Maisel didn’t just offer her assistance, she provided a sense of belonging.
“Once I got back on my feet, Reba would ask me to weave blankets for different things,” said Murphy. “I would do that. It didn’t feel like work, it felt like being part of something. It felt like home.”
From left: Wendy Ascher, Karen Johnson of The Fiber Loft, and Susan Carr check out Ascher’s progress on a complex cable-knit sweater.
The Fiber Loft is home to knitting groups, spinning and weaving classes, and retail services. Members of the Friday Knitting Group that meets in the store shared their feelings on the closing.
“We’re devastated,” said Melissa Solomon, while knitting a rainbow baby blanket for Emerson Hospital. “There actually aren’t that many places like this left.” The rainbow blanket will be given to a new mom who has previously suffered a miscarriage, celebrating the birth of what is commonly referred to as a “rainbow baby.”
“If this group had to end, that would have certainly been the biggest loss,” said Susan Carr, while knitting a cardigan sweater. “It is a community. It’s sort of like a knowledge-sharing hub; it’s not just about buying yarn; it’s about asking each other, ‘Which do you like better, these two together or those two?’” The group made arrangements to continue to meet at the Congregational Church in Harvard.
The Council on Aging knitting group meets every Thursday afternoon to knit and socialize. Clockwise from bottom left: Connie Larrabee, Barbara Meyer, Rama Putcha, Barbara Kemp, Sheila Cregar, Kathy Hewett, Pam Essary, and Janet Oxborrow.
Thursday knitters at the Harvard Senior Center also had thoughts to share with the Press on the closing of The Fiber Loft.
Kathy Hewett is a self-described novice knitter who found both community and learning at the shop. “It’s impossible not to buy things. You see the samples and think, ‘I could probably make that,’ which is never true. I’m known by my friends as someone who buys interesting yarn I can never do anything with.”
“So many people have found confidence there,” said Barbara Meyer, a 40-year resident of Harvard. “Whether asking questions, buying yarn, or getting patterns, it was a place that made you feel supported.” Meyer shared a memory of telling her mother, four decades earlier, she was moving to Harvard.
“She said, ‘If you’re going to move to a town with only one store, at least let it be a yarn store.’”
The Fiber Loft’s imminent closure marks the end of a long-running business in Harvard. From novice knitters to seasoned weavers, customers expressed finding more than just yarn on the shelves; they found a sense of purpose, belonging, and friendship through the community the store fostered.