Suzanne Bednarchik has known she wanted to start a sewing shop since 1990. “A friend made this beautiful quilt,” she says, “and I was hooked.”
Now, her store, The Quilting Bee, has served Lakewood since 2019 and has just reopened in a new location on Warren Road. Bednarchik says the main reason for the move is to accommodate growth and expansion, “but our customers will tell you it’s parking.”
Having grown up in Summit County, Ohio, Bednarchik moved to Lakewood 12 years ago for its proximity to her work and “everything I love doing.” At the time she was working in human resources for Ernst and Young. She decided to open her shop in town because of the lovely neighbors and walkability.
“I love the sense of community (in Lakewood). I love the diversity of the people who live here, and I love the social scene – there’s so much for everyone to do,” Bednarchik says.
Bednarchik learned to sew as a child with her mother and aunt, making clothing. Over 30 years ago, she discovered quilting and knew immediately that she wanted to open a sewing shop. After a career in Human Resources, Bednarchik retired in 2019 to open The Quilting Bee.
The name ‘The Quilting Bee’ is inspired by a 19th century tradition. Quilting bees were not just about the chore of sewing but also provided women with an opportunity to gather and learn from one another while making quilts together.
“It’s about empowerment, sense of community, and connecting to one another,” says Bednarchik.
Originally located at 15709 Detroit Avenue, The Quilting Bee opened on November 1, 2019. Lakewood Alive shared the opening with the community on social media, and the story was picked up by New Day Cleveland. The Quilting Bee was featured on air in early March 2020. At the start of the pandemic, the special aired repeatedly, which Bednarchik credits with helping customers discover her.
“We are here to inspire creativity and connection and community,” Bednarchik says in the video.
The new, expanded store is at 1456 Warren Road across from the Lakewood Post Office. Liberty Development Company purchased the building and the neighboring building in 2020 from the Lakewood Board of Education. Dru Siley, vice president of Development at Liberty Development Company, says “There’s a lot to love in Lakewood,” which is why the company chose to invest in this project.
After the purchase, the building was leased back to the Lakewood Board of Education for about a year. Siley says renovations began in early 2024 and were completed by August. Liberty Development Company invested about a million dollars in the building, which now holds 3 office tenants in addition to The Quilting Bee. Plans are still being finalized for the renovation of the neighboring building.
Speaking about The Quilting Bee, Siley compliments Bednarchik on her utilization and design of the new space.
“Her energy is amazing,” he says. “That’s what this space was meant to be.”
Kris Witt has worked at The Quilting Bee since the original store opened in 2019.
“We love being a part of the history here,” says Witt while explaining the building’s history.
The building was first constructed as the East Rockport School in 1879, and The Quilting Bee space is in an addition that was built onto the site 1907 as a blacksmith school. The entrance to The Quilting Bee stands where there once was a barn, and the store is in the original blacksmith forge and classroom. The space is open and bright thanks to the unique atrium-like architecture of the ceiling and the many windows overhead.
The Quilting Bee offers fabrics, notions, patterns and tools as well as sales and service of Bernina sewing machines. Services offered include long-arm quilting and binding services, and Bednarchik is setting up a new Bernina long-arm quilting machine in the shop for demonstrations. She is hoping to release a new class schedule soon.
Both experienced and new quilters and sewists make up The Quilting Bee’s customer base. The new store features a classroom space where The Quilting Bee will host classes starting in mid-June. Beginning sewing and quilting will be offered, as well as project-based classes and classes for experienced quilters.
The move is well timed following the closure of fabric, arts and crafts chain JOANN, and local shoppers are excited about the enhanced selections at The Quilting Bee, especially the expanded fabric, thread, and notions selections.
First-time customer Penny Bruce, a Lakewood resident and retired art teacher, says she knew about The Quilting Bee in its original location but hadn’t made it into the store yet. She says it has been a long time since she shopped at JOANN. “The fabric quality,” she says, shaking her head side to side disapprovingly. She also says the selection changed over time to include more cheap home décor items made overseas and less high-quality fabrics and notions.
“I prefer to support local business anyway,” says Bruce.
Long-time customer of The Quilting Bee and friend of Bednarchik, Lynn Gatti, says she hadn’t been shopping at JOANN much lately either and is excited to see the expanded fabric selection at The Quilting Bee’s new location.
“JOANN (used to be) our go to place, but the quality of fabric at an independent quilt shop – there is no comparison. I love Ruby Star, Northcott, Clothworks – they have designers that are phenomenal. You can’t get those kinds of designers at any box store!”
Diana Sidley has been shopping at The Quilting Bee’s for about a year and has already visited the new shop a couple of times for Bernina sewing parts. Sidley is a Lakewood resident and the owner of small business Mentionables, LTD, a bespoke costume and dress shop.
“JOANN was always a good go-to when I needed something in a pinch – mostly notions,” says Sidley, “I will miss the convenience for quick needs, but over the last couple of years I feel like it had gone quite downhill, and honestly I avoided it.”
What is she the most excited about at The Quilting Bee’s new location?
“The parking lot!”
Sidley hopes The Quilting Bee will stock more notions to appeal to more sewists, and it seems The Quilting Bee is already making changes.
The closure of JOANN is “leaving a huge void in the community,” notes Bednarchik. She shows me where they are installing another grid wall to house additional items. Some of the items they have already added to the new store include an expanded thread selection and pillow forms.
Staff at The Quilting Bee are also preparing for the All Ohio Shop Hop, an event that Bednarchik says brought around 2,500 guests to Lakewood over the last two years. The annual All Ohio Shop Hop runs from August 1 to September 30 each year and publishes a magazine that includes a prize passport, Ohio state and regional maps, sewing patterns, and other resources. The Quilting Bee will be featured in the publication this year for the third time. Visitors receive passport “stamps” or stickers at each location, and in previous years each shop also gave out free quilt block fabric squares. This year, Bednarchik says visitors will receive a unique quilt block pattern from each shop.
Find more information about The Quilting Bee and information on upcoming classes at www.thequiltingbeeonline.com.
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