Life & Work with Steven Berg

Today we’d like to introduce you to Steven Berg. Them and their team share their story with us below:

The infancy of my Fiber Studio was a small Yarn Shop in the suburb of Rosemont with the help of my sister Monika. This followed a 25-year career in the fashion industry and a midlife crisis! I opened a small shop with the idea of a retirement job where I could sit back in my Birkenstocks in my rocking chair and knit. That did not last long as I have a big personality and flamboyant goals! In 2009 I bought my current location in South Minneapolis a turn-of-the-century firehouse that renovated into its current populated personality!

For Steven Berg, success has been a constantly changing road. It’s a road that has an eye on the bottom line but is also driven by the connections, relationships, and inspiration of his family, his customers & friends, the neighborhood community, and the changing world.

When Steven started his first yarn and knitting store in the early 2000’s he had left behind a successful fashion design career in New York. The Yarn Garage was his first yarn store and his transition into a new career and a life near his family and some old friends.

As the business established a foothold and a loyal community of customers, teachers and friends, Steven decided to expand into the urban center where he could strategically bring a wide range of merchandise, workshops, and community events to a broader and more diverse audience. This is when and why SteveBe was born.

The new location was in the heart of the south Minneapolis Powderhorn neighborhood known for its diversity and growing arts and small business community. As an LGBTQIA+ small business owner, Steven wanted the store to appeal to male knitters, people of color, sexual orientation, and a broad socio-economic spectrum. The shop had to evolve from a classic yarn shop for knitters and crocheters into a full fledged fiber arts studio with inventory that spanned a wide spectrum of interests and price points.

During the rehab of the 1890’s firehouse that became the store, a weed-tangled space was cleared and transformed into an outdoor crafting garden space; the dingy, drab building was painted with an artistic zebra stripe; a local artist was commissioned to paint a mural on the front of the building; and colorful flowers and plants were planted along the boulevard and around the base of the building to add beauty and natural color to the block. Every decision was made to make the building feel inviting, accessible and an uplifting part of the community. The building was zoned as dual commercial and residential use and for many years, Steven lived upstairs while the shop occupied the main level. This was Steven’s neighborhood and he wanted to do his part to turn a shabby corner into something the neighbors would be proud of.

He built the StevenBe culture. Steven has always greeted his customers like they were old friends and he has instilled that same sentiment with his staff so that no matter who you are, what you believe in, what you look like, how much money you may or may not have, you are more than welcome at StevenBe. To extend that beyond the employees and staff, many special interest groups and workshops are supported or were started at the shop to bring people together such as: Men’s Group; Transgender Group; Roller Derby Crochet Group; Caffinated Knitters Group for daytime knitters; knit in public groups; already established groups who needed a home; and Weaving, Spinning, Felting groups to provide offerings to all types of crafters and makers.

Steven’s life experience has taught him that treating others as you would like to be treated is just the beginning of how building a business is not just about selling enough to keep the lights on but about how building a strong foundation of community can support a business.

Steven reminds all fiber enthusiasts: “The possibilities are endless. There are no mistakes, only variations.” Knitting or crochet is for everyone. There is a project and fiber for everyone and we’re here to help you find it.

Steven Berg started his career in the corporate realm of apparel design influencing brands such as Munsingwear, Perry Ellis, and Versace. Twenty-five years later, in 2003, he left the mainstream and opened a small yarn/knitting studio called the Yarn Garage in a Minneapolis, MN suburb.

A few years later he opened a second location in south Minneapolis inside an 1890’s firehouse and named it StevenBe. Both store locations operated simultaneously for a number of years until Steven decided that the Minneapolis location was where he wanted to focus and invest so he consolidated the stores and closed the Yarn Garage.

Over time Steven transformed StevenBe, the store, into StevenBe, the brand. The store space is an ever-changing, transformational, creative space meant to amaze and inspire. In the early years, Steven lived on the second floor of the building but eventually, StevenBe took over and now occupies the entire building.

The shop is one of the largest of its type in the country and offers an immense selection of merchandise. There is a strong tourist pull and people from all over the world make a special stop in Minneapolis to visit SteveBe and Steven Berg.

Steven and his staff have established one of the best customer service standards by engaging with customers as if welcoming an old friend and finding out what their passions might be and not just what they might be shopping for. Many times customers leave with new inspiration to try something new or add a splash of color they wouldn’t normally choose. Frequently these customers return to proudly show their creations and the inspiration is returned. StevenBe patrons are loyal, supportive and wonderful brand ambassadors that reach around the globe.

There have been awards and accolades: Voted Top 10 in the nation by knitty.com and published in USA Today; received two city grants for neighborhood renewal; voted Top Man in the industry by Stitches; featured in several Vogue Knitting magazine articles; and others.

Beyond official recognition, many more honors have been extended as invitations for Steven to tour across the country where he has taught in many states and also done extensive tours in South Africa, Australia, New Zealand and Iceland.

In 2009 a neighborhood child was struck by a stray bullet caused by local gun violence. This event inspired Steven to start the StevenBe Creative Community Foundation (SBCCF), a non-profit 501(c)(3). Through the foundation, Steven was able to help the little girl and her family as she recovered from her gunshot wound. The foundation continued to work to serve and support the community and its residents. Today StevenBe continues its charitable endevoures through its private charty arm.

Our charity formalized the commitment of SteveBe to support community aid, charitable knitting, therapeutic knitting and others in need. The StevenBe customer base has also been rallied to support the StevenBe efforts.

Our charity currently focuses on three major efforts:
– Serve as collection and distribution site for Hats for the Homeless which gives handmade items to people in need through the cold months in Minnesota.

– Serve as collection and distribution site for donated yarn, needles and other fiber arts materials which are given to beginning knitters, fiber art installations, groups in recovery, schools and churches.

– Annual cash donations given to non-profits that benefit the neighborhood and causes close to our heart.

StevenBe;s greatest asset: the staff. While StevenBe aims to be inclusive and diverse in hiring, the industry tends to attract a workforce primarily of white female knitters. As this creates a challenge to finding candidates, individuals are encouraged to apply who are going through sexual identity discovery or transition, people of color, all ages, ethnicity and interests. Steven, himself is flamboyant and shares his unique style which has drawn a niche of young, aspiring individuals wanting to gain experience in the workplace. StevenBe is a great place to learn a variety of skills as every staff member needs to wear multiple hats. Whether a customer, employee, teacher, or visitor, everyone is welcome at StevenBe with equality, respect, and inclusion.

Community and Industry Involvement & Support:
Annual sponsor of Minnesota State Fair Fiber Arts Awards
2017 StevenBe Person of the Year – Halos of Hope
Aliveness Project- clothing drives, financial support
Southside Community Health Services – financial support
2013 Chicago Ave Arts Project- Community Peacock Sculpture
2013 Rosemount Community Parade- float promoting fiber for everyone
Chemo Caps- Halos of Hope and Oncology Department at HCMC
Trans and Pride yarns development
Appreciation Weeks for Veterans, Front Line Workers, Nurses and Teachers
Designer Promotions- National Display of Work (incluing financial support and placement of samples in industry fashion shows; meet the designer events
Spin In gatherings
Geek Chic Movie and Potluck Nights; hosts of Geek Chic Pride Week
Pride Stitch and Bitch
Trans-tastic Craftarama gatherings
Mens’ Stitch and Bitch gatherings
Artful Recovery-  Gathering spot for Twin City people in recovery.
Charitable Days of Knitting

The SteveBe business strategy has evolved or the 18 years since the Yarn garage in Rosemount was opened. The business began as a somewhat classic yarn shop in a 700 square foot suburban retail space. The goal was for Steven to share his years of fiber creativity with a crafting community. His unique artistic approach soon separated the Yarn Garage from other similar businesses as he became nationally and, ultimately, internationally known.

Steven’s management style has evolved from his early days as a small business owner. He came to his new endeavor with a corporate management style from the fashion industry when he was the VP of Design, Merchandising and Marketing for Munsingwear and the Penguin Shirt Company. Looking back, he can see that his rigid and demanding management approach may have made him challenging to work for. Over the years, he’s come to accept and embrace a variety of working styles while still keeping his expectations and vision alive. He made inclusiveness an early and essential core goal after the move to the urban location. Fulfilling this goal has not always been easy and it is a continual learning experience which has allowed and forced Steven to become more humble, accepting, and mindful over the years.

After the move to it’s current location, the shop was rebranded as “StevenBe – a Fiber Art Studio” where Steven guided the business in the direction of his fiber interests: fashion and art & pop culture. The missions and goals were expanded, not only socio-economically or geographically, but also into creating a mecca for those that love crafting, knitting, crocheting, felting, weaving, spinning and much more. StevenBe takes pride in being the all encompassing FiberArts studio for materials and also personalities from all walks of life.

Steven and TeamBe take StevenBe on the road and travel nationally to trade shows and fiber events to showcase the shop and debut new and innovative products in the industry. They exhibit at all levels of fiber shows from the local neighborhood Powderhorn Art Fair, Shepard’s Harvest Festival, and the Minnesota State Fair to the Marriott Maquis in New York’s Times Square.

The reputation of StevenBe has developed into an influential and well-known brand in the industry. Using that influence, Steven has showcased new and upcoming artists including artists of marginalized demographics to help get their work in front of a new and larger audience. Similarly, the shop gives away free yarn, needles and hooks and other supplies to schools, retirement homes and neighborhood residents to encourage individuals who may not have access to these materials to try their hand at a new skill or craft.

Beyond the fiber world, Steven has also supported and partnered with local performing artists, painters, and sculptors. Keeping things interesting has been at the heart of StevenBe from the beginning. Steven, himself, is a flamboyant and inspirational instructor who challenges his students and customers to open themselves up to new possibilities, broader vision, and a hint of something beyond their normal inclinations. For example, to inspire creativity the store hosted a competition between two former Project Runway contestants that featured a public runway show where spectators where the judges. Expanding on that event, large charity fashion show was also organized in partnership with the Pillsbury House and Theatre on the adjacent corner from the shop which is a community theater with a mission to inspire enduring change towards a just society. No matter the day or the time of year, there is always something new or inspirational happening at StevenBe and that reputation has made the shop a stop on many traveller’s itineraries.

Steven has always encouraged all of his customers and staff to become their creative best and has found that StevenBe has been a perfect springboard for those looking to start then expand their careers. He strives to share what he has learned throughout the years and has been a mentor to many.

StevenBe is intentionally a warm and welcoming place. Steven and the staff have a very specialized and highly successful customer service program. They have made it a point to treat each customer as they would want to be treated; with kindness, understanding and a strong inclusive welcoming personalty. They give open arms and welcoming smiles for all. This is often lost in today’s world of online purchases and fast check-out lines. Each customer purchase is wrapped up with a kind thank you and a personal anecdote which often solicit additional conversation with customers and help to create a positive relationship. This personal touch is the foundation and an expectation inherent to their customer service.

For the deeply loyal customer base StevenBe began offering a Lifetime DIVA membership for $495 which offers benefits that include: permanent discounts on supplies & classes; private events and outings with Steven; personalized project curation; and other ongoing expanding perks. This insider group was created to offer an opportunity for customers who wanted to be closer to the brand and be a part of something new.

In recent years a bonus point program has been implemented for all customers to receive $20 discount coupons at various levels of purchasing. In addition we offer a Birthday discount and have thrown birthday parties for several of our members which always gathers the knitting community’s support.

Over the years it has been amazing to see fiber artists meet each other and gather together to celebrate their common interest. Many groups have formed at the store and hold regular gatherings to knit or crochet together. StevenBe has always been a place for crafters learn, be inspired, and meet others who share their passion. Many friendships have developed over the common thread of fiber interest.

One of the most recent programs in-store is to promote youth fiber love. Any youth coming into the store with a parent is given the opportunity to choose a free skein of fun yarn from our Mama Christa’s room. This room is set aside from the main store on the second floor in the “Fiber Loft” and is Steven’s collection of yarns he inherited when his mother’s yarn shop in Wisconsin closed in 2018. Mama Christa now lives in Minneapolis with Steven and visits his store often to lend advice and stories to anyone who visits StevenBe.

Mama Christa’s Room and the Fiber Loft has allowed Steven to offer lower priced merchandise for a more inclusive range of products that better serves the neighborhood. In addition, he is better able to donate yarn to various situations such as giving a gift of yarn to a new, young knitter to promote future generations of fiber artists or to give a basket of yarns and tools to support non-profits or fundraising efforts.

Beyond the store doors, StevenBe strategically connects with fiber artists in and around the community to showcase a variety of work, patterns, and products. For example, StevenBe partners with the Twin Cities based Textile Center which is a prolific non-profit fiber arts institution that supports, promotes, and spotlights amazing instructors and artists. Textile Center members receive a discount at StevenBe as a way to cross-promote this valuable resource that is rarely found in other cities around the country.

In recent years the Textile Center asked Steven to showcase his work in their gallery exhibition that garnered accolades from around the country and helped to spread the word of the amazing local fiber arts community.

Other strategies include a 2017 StevenBe collaboration with the neighborhood Wing Huie photography gallery that featured a gallery of knit examples and a live fiber installation where Steven knit with gigantic needles and let the audience tie on whatever yarn, fiber or material that they wanted. This experience rallied interest from many community residents and children in the neighborhood who had not previously had any experience with fiber or knitting who later visited the store to explore starting a new hobby.

Customer relations strategies for StevenBe includes making every customer feel like they matter but also in creating key partnerships with a variety of community organizations that may or may not be a related area of focus. The message that encompasses any effort is, “Fiber is for everyone.”

StevenBe and the StevenBe Creative Community Foundation’s commitment to the community encompasses many efforts and partnerships with organizations to work for change, not only in our neighborhood but in the state of Minnesota, our country, and the world.

Efforts include:
Community Aid
Provides financial assistance to the Central Minneapolis and Powderhorn neighborhoods.

Financial contributions are given regularly to organizations that focus on improving the lives of the BIPOC, LGBTQ2IA+ community; to local community groups and support networks, and staff is compensated for volunteering with organizations of their choosing.

Customers are encouraged to give and support various organizations that espouse the organization’s values via email communications and their website: https://www.stevenbe.com/giving.htm

Partnerships with neighboring businesses promote a strong and resilient community. Adjacent Pillsbury House has hosted fiber events such as runway shows and StevenBe has volunteered time and money for their fundraising efforts; the local Fire Arts Center was commissioned to create the garden enclosure and metal sculpture that highlights the store’s small, urban outdoor space.

Hosting community gatherings at StevenBe for indoor and garden community knitting events where free yarn, patterns and needles are given to those who are interested in learning a new skill.

Participated in the annual Powderhorn Art Fair demonstrating the many fiber art techniques including knitting, crocheting, felting, weaving, and spinning. These demos were intended to show the many crafting possibilities to those who live in the neighborhood.

Hiring and showcasing local talent within the store walls from a variety of local artists including: Mistress Ginger, Fire Arts Center, many local fiber artists.

Support for police who are investigating local crime reports and give access to security footage to promote neighborhood safety.

Charitable Knitting
The knitting community is called on to produce hand-knitted items for those in need, such as hats and mittens for Hats for the Homeless, caps for patients in chemotherapy and for premature infants, and prayer shawls and blankets. Some years more than 3,000 hats have been donated to nearby churches, schools, and homeless shelters.

Representatives from some of the local shelters have been invited to talk to various knitting groups about their work and how others can get involved.

Currently StevenBe is very involved with the neighborhood Head Start Program by donating cash, handmade hats, other knit items and polar fleece blankets for those in need. Sometimes by putting baskets of these items on Head Start school buses.

Therapeutic Knitting
Provides a lifestyle alternative through the therapeutic process of knitting. Recruitment of volunteers to teach knitting and crocheting skills to at-risk youth and at-risk adults, especially those in recovery.

We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
Choosing our location in South Minneapolis with its urban setting has been the most challenging. StevenBe has been successful in working with the community to overcome and hurdles with esthetics, crime and traffic.

At first, many of the Yarn Garage customers had to learn the beauty 0f the city before they were comfortable with our Urban Setting. We had challenges during the COVID epidemic and the murder of George Floydd as we are only a few blocks from this site of the murder and memorial. I feel we have supported and blended well with the communiuty with both of these challenges.

Have you learned any interesting or important lessons due to the Covid-19 Crisis?
We have learned to improve and increase our online business. This has transitiioned from a small portion of our bussiness pre-Covid and now accounts for nearly 1/2 our business. A huge success for us.

Contact Info:

• Email: info@stevenbe.com
• Website: StevenBe.com
• Instagram: stevenbestudios
• Facebook: StevenBe