Popular craft store reopens
Working away from home was too much of a strain
Walter Strong
Northern News Services
Published Wednesday, April 9, 2014
SOMBA K'E/YELLOWKNIFE
A popular artisan has returned to the Yellowknife business scene with a new location after she was forced to close her previous shop.
Pauline Williah has re-opened Northern Crafts in the YK Centre mall across from the Gourmet Cup. Here she's wearing one of her own creations, a Melton cloth wool jacket with wolverine trim and custom bead work. - Walter Strong/nnsl photo |
Pauline Williah's Northern Crafts has reopened in Yellowknife's downtown YK Centre after having been closed for almost three years.
"I hope to get the word out that I'm back," she said.
The Behchoko-raised artisan carries a unique range of coloured beads and hand made jackets and accessories.
With a sweep of her hand Williah surveyed the colourful array of beads on display.
"This is what people come to me for," she said. "You can't find these colours anyplace else."
Williah's left the Centre Square Mall when her lease there expired in June, 2011 and a new arrangement with mall management could not be reached.
After closing her popular location, she gave mining camp work a go, but found the strain of being separated from her kids for long-stretches of time to be too demanding.
"I tried to find other work in town to be with my family, but there wasn't much available," Williah said.
So she reopened Northern Crafts last week, easily doubling her previous stores floor space, and she's been busy.
"I like the new space," Williah said of her new location, "I like my neighbours and the people in the mall are great."
Williah's inventory includes northern crafted beads, as well as beads in hard-too-find colours from outside the North
Northern Crafts is open from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., Monday through Saturday. The store is located across from the Gourmet Cup in the YK Centre's lower level.
