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Shop Spotlight: Balzac & Company of Ocean Grove, NJ



Your Local Seaside Yarn Shop


Located in the quaint town of Ocean Grove, NJ, Balzac & Company is a feast for the senses and a reboot for the spirit.  The shop is a fairly new kid on the block, having just opened its doors in October 2018.  Since, it has built a vibrant stitching community of knitters and crocheters who are lured in by the wonderful products, the calm, inviting interior, the exciting shop events and of course, by the charm of its very hospitable host, Russell Brent.


"The Ocean Grove community is so diverse—we value that," says Russell.  "There are members who live here all year, a portion who call Ocean Grove home outside of winter and of course the famous tenters (a vacation tent colony in Ocean Grove dating back to 1870), who arrive around Memorial Day and depart after Labor Day. The unifying theme is that of community, neighbors socialize, kids grow up together and keep in touch through the decades, and everyone bands together to celebrate successes and offer support during challenges."  The shop has been so well-received that they found themselves moving to a larger space less than six months after opening.

For the Love of Yarn and Craft


The shop carries a wide selection of yarns from a diverse range of producers. While they do have the workhorse yarns that are perfect for that baby blanket, the majority of the collection is for that beautiful shawl or sweater made as a gift to yourself or loved one.  You can find both Crystal Palace Bamboo and Ann Noring patterns stocked here as well.


The Balzac staff has a broad range of skills and abilities, including knitting, crocheting, spinning and weaving. They each have their own specific interests, from socks to sweaters to lace. Their unifying interest is to challenge themselves in learning new techniques in order to bring a broader range of projects to their customers.

Come Visit & Join in the Fun


The shop regularly offers classes for beginning to advanced techniques, taught by both in-house staff and by visiting teachers and artists. They also offer other events, from designer trunk shows to weaving demonstrations. "We’re learning more from our the community about what they want and this allows us to evolve and build out our calendar."

 

One event of particular note is the very popular "Knit in the Pit".  Typically held at the Asbury Hotel in neighboring Asbury Park, the event will be hosted on the second Friday of the month this June, July and August at Balzac & Co.

 

"Come visit - long-time yarners or otherwise! We enjoy getting to know the community and maybe we can convince you to cast on or just share some local news."

 

If you can't make it to the shop, be sure to visit their online shop at balzacfibers.com.

 

Balzac & Company

48 Main Avenue
Ocean Grove, NJ 07756
(732) 898-6898
balzacfibers.com