Knit & Spin has never been just a place to buy yarn. From its earliest days to its next chapter, the Montague shop has been shaped by something deeper. It is about connection, creativity, and the people who gather there.
That purpose is becoming even more visible as the business prepares for its next step. Knit & Spin will move just down the street to 8793 Water Street, with a new location opening May 5. The move is not simply about a change of address. It reflects how much the shop has grown and where it is headed next.
A shop rooted in creativity and resilience
Knit & Spin first opened in 2018 under founder Leanne VanOverbeke in Shelby before relocating to Montague in 2020. Through the uncertainty of the pandemic, the shop did more than survive. It became a destination along the lakeshore, drawing in both local crafters and summer visitors looking for something creative and personal.
In 2025, the shop entered a new chapter when Floyd Peplinski took ownership.
For Floyd, the decision was not just business. It was personal.
He learned to crochet as a child from his aunt, spending time with her and building a connection that stayed with him long after. Taking over Knit & Spin became a way to honor that memory while building something meaningful in the present. After a career as a financial advisor and service in the U.S. Army, he stepped into a very different kind of work, one centered on hands on creativity and community.
Growing the shop and its reach
Since taking ownership, Floyd has expanded both the inventory and the vision for what Knit & Spin can be.
The shop now carries a wide range of fibers, tools, and supplies for knitters, crocheters, weavers, and spinners. The selection is intentionally broad, designed to serve beginners just starting out as well as experienced fiber artists looking for high quality materials. From premium yarns to spinning wheels and looms, the goal has been simple. Make sure people can find what they need and feel supported while they learn.
That support goes beyond what is on the shelves.
Knit & Spin has built a network of experienced crafters, known in the shop as the Executive Yarn Council. These are people who know the craft deeply and are often willing to help others, whether that means answering a quick question or offering more in depth guidance. The shop also hosts classes and workshops throughout the year, including regular beginner sessions that open the door for new makers.
At the same time, the business has become a platform for others. Local artisans sell their work through the shop, from hand dyed yarns to handmade tools and finished pieces. Partnerships with nearby organizations and groups continue to expand that reach.
A space built around community
What sets Knit & Spin apart is not just what it sells, but how it feels.
At any given time, people can walk in, sit down, and work on their projects. There is no need to wait for a scheduled open crafting session. If the shop is open, the tables are available. That simple approach has helped create something more than a retail space. It has created a gathering place.
That sense of community is not abstract. It is immediate.
During a recent visit, that atmosphere was clear the moment the conversation started. Trish Clark, a partner whose business, Fiber Love Diary, is part of the shop’s creative ecosystem, was there alongside Ann Woolman, who has been part of Knit & Spin since before Floyd took ownership. Together, they helped create a space that felt less like walking into a store and more like being welcomed into something already in motion.
At one point, a regular stopped in briefly on her way to an appointment, not to shop, but simply to drop off homemade maple syrup. It was a small moment, but one that said everything about the relationships built inside the shop.
Conversations flowed easily. Projects were shared. Questions were met with encouragement instead of hesitation. Even as a visitor, it was easy to feel included.
That experience reflects what Knit & Spin has become. It is a place where people do not just come to buy supplies. They come to spend time, to learn, and to feel like they belong.
Making room for what comes next
The new location on Water Street will give Knit & Spin more space to build on what it already does well.
There will be more room for inventory, allowing the shop to continue expanding its selection. More importantly, there will be additional space for seating, classes, and gatherings. The goal is to make it even easier for people to spend time there, not just shop and leave.
That matters because the heart of Knit & Spin is not the product. It is the experience of creating something by hand while being surrounded by others doing the same.
The move also positions the shop to grow its role in the wider fiber arts community, from hosting more classes to continuing participation in regional shop hops that bring crafters together from across West Michigan.
More than a shop
Knit & Spin is, in many ways, a reflection of the people behind it and the people who walk through its doors.
It carries the story of its founder, who built something that could endure through change. It carries Floyd’s story, rooted in family, memory, and a desire to create something lasting. And it carries the stories of the many people who gather there, project by project, conversation by conversation.
As the shop prepares to open its new doors in May, the direction is clear.
This is not just about growing a business. It is about strengthening a place where creativity and community meet, and where people can slow down long enough to make something meaningful together.
Plan Your Visit
Knit & Spin is currently located in Montague and preparing to move just across the street and a few doors down to 8793 Water Street, with the new location opening May 5.
Stay connected and learn more:
Whether you are picking up your first project or looking to spend time with others who share the same passion, Knit & Spin offers a place to create, connect, and feel at home.
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