SPOTLIGHT ON ... STORE
September 2008

Our featured bead store this month is Alaska Bead Company

Alaska Bead Company got its start in 1993 when owners, Mark and Jonisue Minor moved from the California Bay Area to Eagle River, Alaska for a more serene lifestyle. Once in Alaska, they stumbled upon a small Anchorage findings and bead store going out of business that they quickly purchased. Mark and Jonisue learned the business in the first year and then expanded into a 2000 square foot store in early 1995 at which time they hired their Store Manager, Linda Myers, who is still managing the store today and teaching a repertoire of over 50 beading and wire work classes.

In 2002, ABC doubled their size to over 4000 square feet and implemented a Point-of-Sale computer system to control their bar-coded inventory. ABC prides itself in being “The Beader’s Bead Store”. We carry a full selection of beading and wirework items at all times so that our customers don’t have to go to several stores to find everything they need for one project. We specialize in Japanese and Czech Seed Beads, Delicas, Swarovski Crystals, Czech Pressed and Fire-Polished Beads, Semi-Precious Gemstones, Wire, and Wire Working Tools!

Each trimester, ABC offers over 70 classes that cover basic beading, bead embroidery, off-loom bead weaving, wirework, polymer clay, bead crochet, loomwork, PMC, fiber arts, and more. Our classes are taught by Linda, over 20 talented local guest teachers, and up to five celebrity guest teachers we bring up from the Lower 48 each year. To keep our customers stimulated, we put out new beads every Sunday, host bead challenges, and feature trunk shows.

ABC accomplished a milestone on April 15th of this year and launched their shopping cart on their website. While product content is still being loaded, beaders from all over the world can currently buy Swarovski Rivolis, the new 15/0 Delicas, Fossilized Ivory Beads, Alaska Themed Charms, Japanese Seed Beads, needles, thread and soon, Soft Flex Wire!! But even with all this, ABC wouldn’t be the store it is today without the 22 talented and friendly staff members who truly make Alaska Bead Company, “The Beader’s Bead Store”!