Do-it-yourself buffs and crafters love to sew, but buying fabric can be expensive.
Local 4's Paula Tutman set out to find a place that had the best deals and came across a hidden gem in Warren.
The fabrics at the store on Hoover Avenue aren't factory leftovers. It's the same stuff big-box and specialty stores purchase. What's different about the warehouse? It's buying principles.
"We buy up from the mills what's called the overrun," explained owner Leah Foltyn. "When they have too much inventory, they call us and they say, ‘We have 5,000 yards of upholstery fabrics that's sitting on our shelves. We wove too much; we can't sell it all. Are you interested in buying it up?'"
The warehouse is run as a family business that is woven in the tradition of fine fabrics.
There are only five price points: $3.99, $4.99, $8.99, $9.99 and $11.99.
"The most expensive? Velvet. Velvet upholstery sells for close to $80 a yard anywhere else. That's $11.99 [here] a yard," Foltyn said. "That's the most expensive fabric we carry here."
They don't carry traditional bridal fabrics because there's rarely an overstock at the mills on those. They do have beautiful fabrics for bridesmaid and prom dresses.
They also have krypton, a fabric with an anti-stain coating. It's nearly indestructible.
Fabric Warehouse
24401 Hoover Road
Warren, Mi, 48089
586-756-2117