Bernina sewing store in Naperville alters business during pandemic

Gayle Schliemann, co-owner of the new Bernina sewing store in Naperville learned to sew while she was studying theater performance at Virginia Commonwealth University in Richmond.

"The school's curriculum required that you learn to sew, build sets, learn special effects and makeup, and I never got it out of my system," she said.

Schliemann says she knew from news reports about the pandemic that she would have to restructure her business model, and fast.

"Not only are we a new business that opened just in time for the busy holiday selling season on Nov. 1, 2019, but the current crisis has forced us to close our doors."

With little preparation, the Naperville store launched a twitch.tv channel, made a video that now has in excess of 7,000 views on YouTube, and has boosted its online sales and entry-level sewing machine sales.

"We are doing 'Sewcialverted' live classes on our Twitch, editing those videos and making more for our YouTube channel, while promoting our online business, drive-up service, curbside pickup, telephone and FaceTime sewing machine help and sales."

"There is a light at the end of the tunnel," she said. "People are sewing masks. They are dusting off the old sewing machine in the closet and using it. They are coming to us for service, advice on threading and in some cases buying their first sewing machine."

• Do you know of a suburban small business with a compelling story to tell about working through the pandemic? Send photo director Jeff Knox a detailed email with LIFE'S WORK in the subject line at jknox@dailyherald.com, and we'll consider it.