zozee

In the wee hours of Monday morning (two days ago) a drunk driver plowed through the front door and wall of one of my favorite local quilt shops.

It's called the Hoppin Bobbin and is in Aberdeen, MD.

The driver must've been going crazy fast because it wasn't like he just had to deal with an easy, level-with-the parking-lot building. On the contrary, the shop is kind of tucked into a corner near RR tracks on the main drag through town. You have to climb 2 or 3 concrete steps to get to the front door AFTER you've maneuvered the curbs to get into the lot. In other words, lining one's car up with the front door when SOBER takes skill !

The damage is extensive. He took out the front desk, displays, longarm area, and batiks room. This accounts for a good 1/3 of the square footage, I'd estimate.

Kelly, the owner, says she can deal with the damage, but would've been devastated had one of her girls been behind the front desk. Since it happened very early Monday morning, the shop was closed and no one was injured. I'm not sure about the driver--wonder if he was taken away to be "sewn up"?

Kelly was planning to be closed only Tuesday for clean-up, but posted today that it was wishful thinking. She says it'll take another day, so they'll be closed today as well. Honestly, I thought they'd have to close a week, seeing the photos. But she says her plan is to open tomorrow definitely be ready for business by Friday for Shop Hop. She's received tremendous support in hands-on help from her staff, her insurance adjustor is the best, her brother is building a new front desk and cutting center, and a local cleaning company is doing a phenomenal job getting every surface squeaky-clean. Kelly has had moral support left and right. And it's no surprise because she takes good care of people--staff and customers alike. This was the shop where I took my first quilting class in 2011, from her mom.

If you're planning to be in the Aberdeen, Maryland area this week to visit Hoppin Bobbin during your Shop Hop or otherwise, please check their Facebook page or call first to make sure they're open. I'm looking forward to seeing the "new and improved" version to this wonderful little shop. I'll be showing my support by going in for some fabric!! Maybe some extra yardage for extra love during a rough patch.