After spending seven years in the accounting industry and three years managing her brothers’ businesses, Amy Hamberlin had the desire and motivation to begin her own business. In February 2006, she opened The Quilt Shoppe in Rigby, Idaho. 

After working with the Idaho Falls Small Business Development Center, Hamberlin relocated the shop to a majestic old house built in 1911. She converted the main floor to retail space and the second floor into the Hamberlin home. The move has given the shop a unique ambiance, a combination of fabric and antique displays that draws patrons.

 

The Quilt Shoppe’s popularity has grown primarily through word-of-mouth. It has developed a loyal local clientele and patrons have come from all over the country and outside its borders to visit the shop. Hamberlin has tapped into that growing market through a recently completed Web site. She also uses a blog to connect with patrons, increasing traffic flow to both the Web site and storefront.

 

Hamberlin is currently starting her own line of fabrics, called Kati Cupcake, and is leading the company toward her own line of quilting patterns.

 

For the third straight year, sales have increased in spite of the recessionary economy.

Small Business Development Centers are a program supported by the U.S. Small Business Administration and extended to the public on a non-discriminatory basis. SBA cannot endorse any products, opinions or services of any external parties or activities.