I would drive by Beads at Brooksie's for months before actually going in. I figured that nothing would be as good as the shop that I used to go to before moving to Arizona. Well, I'm sad that I missed out on such a treasure for such a long time!
Beads at Brooksie's is a really small store... I've actually seen walk in closets about the same size. But they have such a selection of beads that it's difficult to imagine that such a small shop can have so much! :-) Well, beads are pretty small, so I guess they go hand in hand. :-)
Probably my favorite part of the shop was the big bowl of beads that they have in the middle... you can dig through the bowl, pick out your favorites to fill up a little baggy. I wish I could remember how much the filled baggy was, but I had so much fun I just handed over the credit card without much thought (which can be very dangerous at this shop!). :-)
The employees are all very friendly and helpful, but I was a bit sad when no one there knew how to knit or crochet with beads. I had a question about knitting with beads and had to go to another shop to find the answer. :-( Every shop that I had gone to before I moved to AZ (and I went to a lot!) had someone that was very familiar with these techniques because it brought in a new customer base. Maybe it was just them, but I think Brooksies should consider the same. Since it's been a while since I've been there, I hope that the next time I go into the shop, that I can have all of my questions answered - including the knitting or crocheting with beads questions. :-) And yes, the reason I've stayed away is because I know that I can't get the help I need at the shop - but that is just a personal thing... I'm in no way trying to say that you shouldn't visit the shop - it really is worth going to! :-)
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