As February shifts into March the colours of each day transform with it; the moody blues and greys of winter make way for the harmonious pinks and oranges of spring. Cherry blossoms bloom and greenery sprouts everywhere in BC, chased quickly by the twittering of birds and new life. It’s a reminder of the beautiful changes our super natural province goes through, and how hearty and vibrant it remains throughout the seasons. 

March is marked as a month of change, and that is no different for Fabricana as we open our Richmond fabric store for the last time on March 17th, 2024. It’s bittersweet to be saying goodbye to a legacy such as this with 53 years behind us, and an optimistic unknown on the horizon. 

Many of us can still remember walking into the store to start our first ever sewing project and being greeted by a vast sea of fabrics. It can be intimidating to some, but it’s a wonderland for most as the vibrant yellows, reds, and turquoises hit your eyes. One step in and you’re welcomed by calming tans and muted blues, transfixed by plush and warm prints, and invigorated by the potential every bolt holds. 

There is simply something for everyone, and it’s impossible not to make memories with the bright colours and peaceful atmosphere impressing on our senses. Intimidated or not, there was always a staff member there to greet you and lend a hand with whatever project you were tackling. Whether it was for quilting, fashion, or home decorating. 

Fabricana was not always so big though, and some of our very first customers probably remember our tiny shop across the road from Richmond Centre that was established by Richard Megrian in 1970. After moving to BC with his family, Richard and his wife Karen opened Fabricana to serve the sewing community. They built great connections, and were able to expand to a larger location on Alderbridge Way as the next generation (their sons Mike and Greg) took over. With each passing year Fabricana grew more and more until it is what you see today. 

Having started as just a home-sewing fashion shop, the store has expanded to include quilt cottons, home decor goods and hardware, European imports, bridal laces, sewing notions, and more. With over 8,000 different pieces to choose from, it’s impossible to leave empty handed. 

All of this beauty adds to the wonder of Fabricana, and many who have set foot in our store have decided to make it a landing place. 

Myles, our lead purchaser, still remembers his first day at Fabricana fondly and how starting as a sales-floor employee has impacted his life so tremendously. “My first day was in February of 1995. The weather forecast for that morning was predicting lots of snow. I didn’t want to be late for my first day on the job, so I set an early alarm to give myself plenty of time to travel to Richmond.” Myles recalls getting to the store early, and waiting outside with a couple of customers. Due to the snow, the floor manager didn’t arrive until 10:10 am, and was shocked to see Myles there. All the staff had received a call to let them know the store wouldn’t be opening on time because of the weather, but somehow Myles’ call was missed. 

Like the great customer service person he is, though, Myles hopped right to work, and helped out the customers that were visiting from Victoria. He helped them grab what they needed, and then he spent the rest of the day learning the ins-and-outs of the store. “Due to the snow, the rest of the day was fairly slow which gave me a chance to receive some [formal] training, but I’ll never forget those first few minutes that I worked for Fabricana.”  

As an avid sewer himself, Myles has extensive dressmaking training from both his education in design and over 35 years of practical sewing knowledge! You’ve probably seen Myles’ brilliant smile in our informative videos on Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube. Myles’ joy of sewing and expertise has kept him working hard and cheerfully at Fabricana for almost 30 years! 

Of course, we’ve touched many other people’s lives throughout the decades. We’ve received some wonderful stories from Richmond customers, including this one from a long time customer, Cathy (@ohsewcathy) “I have shopped here since your first store in Richmond. High school sewing projects and bridesmaid dresses in the 70s, [and] all through the years to [bring] my granddaughter to pick out fabric.” Hearing about the new sewing generation is always rewarding, and we love to see how we’ve influenced creativity in all those eager to sew.

Morgan (@sewn.from.the.heart), an avid sewer in Vancouver, is a frequent shopper at our Richmond location. She explains that she always feels inspired at Fabricana, and leaves with that creative lightbulb over her head whenever she visits. “What I’ll remember most about the Richmond store is just how friendly the staff were, and how the fabric they had, left me feeling more inspired than when I came into the store.”

It warms our hearts to hear how we’ve impacted people’s lives, and how we’ve helped them celebrate, commemorate, and create for so many years. 

“When I first started working at Fabricana I always looked forward to the evening shift,” Bailey, a long time staff member both on the sales floor in Richmond and in the office, says. “We would have some awesome designers come in at night and bring the wildest ideas. It was always so much fun puzzling out how to replicate or create whatever it was they were making. Sometimes they’d stay up to 4 hours! But they always left happy and satisfied with the fabrics they had purchased.” She explains that she started working at Fabricana at 17 as a sales associate before going to college. She returned at 26 to work in the office and has loved her experience with the team over the last 6 years.

Long time staff members still fondly remember moving into our Garden City location in 2003 and unpacking gleefully to fill the shelves with goods. 

Many people have asked us “What will I do without a sewing store in Richmond?” and “Where will I shop now?” While it saddens us greatly to be saying goodbye to our Richmond store, we are excited to continue serving the sewing community through our Coquitlam location and online store.

We know that the closure of the store is laborious to many and there will be a Fabricana shaped hole in the Richmond community once we close our doors for good. With every change though, growth soon follows. As winter makes way for spring, and spring to summer, the cycle never ends and we can see that same graceful fortitude in the sewing community. Our goal is to continue serving home-sewers with their creations the same as they have provided us with 53 years of community, patronage, and love. 

We invite everyone to visit us in Coquitlam, especially if you’ve never been before! We promise the sewing community here is friendly, vibrant, and welcoming. To everyone, sew true and be you. We’ll see you in the future, and look forward to making new memories with the next generation of home-sewers.