Saratoga News

Photograph by Robert Scheer

Lyn Dougherty, owner of the Exclamation Point!, stands in the new 500 square-foot addition to her store.

Needlepoint store makes room for all the colors of the rainbow

By Michelle Alaimo

Exclamation Point!, a needlepoint store in the Saratoga Plaza at 14510 Big Basin Way, has recently expanded by 500 square feet to make room for more threads and classes. Store owner Lyn Dougherty has been in business for 20 years, the last 12 in Saratoga.

Dougherty said the expansion was needed because she simply ran out of room for the handpainted canvases and more than 6,000 different choices of colors she carries. The extra space will also allow her to have more room for classes.

Exclamation Point! offers a variety of services to customers, local and worldwide. Dougherty has a Web site where stitchers can print order forms and order specific colors they need. Customers can also call the store and place their orders. Dougherty said she has regular customers in places such as Italy and London, and began the Web site two years ago after reading an article that suggested businesses start Web sites with mail-order capabilities instead of expanding.

But three part-time employees and Dougherty do more than simply sell supplies. Stitchers can send in lists of what colors they need to complete their projects, and for $10 an hour, her staff will pull all the colors and have them ready for the customers when they come in. For $40 an hour, stitchers can have an individual stitch guide made for handpainted canvases they have purchased.

"The majority of our customers are repeat customers, or they were referred by someone," Dougherty said.

"It's a constant process to keep one step ahead of the rest of the business," Teri Pharis, a needlepoint instructor for Exclamation Point!, said.

Dougherty said her store is different from other needlepoint stores because she organizes threads by color, not manufacturers. By displaying threads in this way, it allows stitchers to see all the variations in threads, such as metallics and rayons, enabling them to make the best choices.

Exclamation Point! is in the perfect location, Dougherty said, stressing that even though the store is off the street, her customers know where she is. Dougherty added that just being in the Saratoga Village attracts customers because of the antique stores and restaurants.

Exclamation Point! is open Mon.-Sat., 10 a.m.-5 p.m. For information on supplies or classes, call 867-7550.

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