A factory outlet trim store opened in October to fill an area need, right in the Phoenix Trims building, 2211 Reach Road.
Joe Leavens, Phoenix Trims president, knew right away he wanted Marty Jordan, store manager, to run the Trims & More outlet.
"(Jordan) and I talked and it took a heartbeat to know she was the right person," Leavens said. "She got the whole thing set up with the presentation you see. It looks really nice."
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ALYSSA MURPHY/Sun-Gazette
Trims & More manager Marty Jordan stands next to a rack of brightly colored cording, fringe and pom-poms.
While the fringe, factory fibers and ribbons can used to complete home decorations like pillows, Jordan uses the supplies to create craft projects. Around the store, she has angels she made for her Christmas tree out of tassels, hair clips and purses.
Phoenix Trims opened in October 2000 and 11 years later, Trims & More followed.
Leavens said since Trimtex closed, there was a high demand for a factory outlet trim store.
Fact Box
Trims & More
326-1270
Hours: Wed. to Sat. -
10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Jordan said the outlet store had a slow starting because they are battling the Christmas season, which is why she started doing the craft projects to show what people could do with the items.
"A lot of traffic is curiosity," she said. "Unless you have something specific in mind, you don't come in just to buy."
She said so far she received a lot of positive responses because people say the prices are terrific and they like that everything is made in the U.S.
"It's all made right here," Jordan said. "Next door. The quality and prices are great."
Some of the popular projects are designing fabrics for curtains, decorating furniture and embellishing couches and chairs for pillows.
Before the outlet trim store opened, the room used to keep 8 yards of every fabric the factory had to show what designs were available.
"For how fast we have to be, it was too cumbersome," Leavens said. "You can be in here all day. We accumulated all of this stuff."
For the people with the ideas and not the skills, Jordan sits down to teach people how to do what they want.
"I sit here and teach people how to crochet," she said. "I show people how to make items. I enjoy it very much. Honest to goodness, you have (the skill) or you don't. I can't turn on a movie on in my DVD player. I don't want to learn."
Trims & More is open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Wednesday through Saturday, which Jordan works by herself.
She said a woman from Philadelphia visiting family in the area for Thanksgiving came in five minutes before they closed. Jordan said she spent almost $300 to make her own tassles out of salt and pepper shakers.
"I have no doubt she will be back," Jordan said.
