Simply Special Crafts – Important Announcement About Our Future

Simply Special Crafts – Important Announcement About Our Future

Dear customers, suppliers, and business partners,

After hours of deep reflection, we want to share a difficult decision with you. Simply Special Crafts will be closing in late 2026. This decision comes with a mixture of sadness, gratitude, and deep appreciation for the community that has supported us for 24 years.

Because we are a small team, we will be approaching this as a soft, gradual closure rather than a fast, high‑pressure selloff. This allows us to honor our commitments to you while also caring for the well‑being of our staff.

Four key factors guided our decision to take this approach:

The health and well‑being of our employees: With such a small team, we must prioritize reasonable workdays, personal responsibilities, and the needs of our families. A massive, sudden clearance event would create overwhelming stress and unsustainable workloads.
Maintaining the level of service, you expect from us: A steep, immediate discount across the entire store would create a flood of orders and lengthy delays. We want to continue offering the attentive, reliable service you have always known us for.
Allowing our valued customers to prepare in advance: We know that you depend on essential products and preferred brands. A gradual closure ensures you have time to buy the essentials and wish‑list items you will want for future crafting.
We do not face move‑out date. This gives us the ability to close thoughtfully.

Why is Simply Special Crafts closing? The landscape for small retail businesses has changed dramatically:

Mega‑retailers can sell below retail, making it unlikely for small businesses to compete effectively on price.

Shipping costs—both inbound and outbound—continue to rise, and unlike large corporations, we cannot negotiate deeply discounted special rates. The USPS is adding another 8% fuel surcharge as of April 26.
Tariffs can be both unpredictable and challenging to navigate. China manufactures a significant percentage of the World’s craft supplies. And tariffs against China range from an average of 46.5% up to 130%. Additionally, calculating the total tariff burden is complex due to cumulative rates. For instance, a recent $300 overseas order incurred tariff charges exceeding $450.

The administrative load of managing sales tax compliance across fifty states is burdensome and expensive. Obviously accounting and record keeping in a retail business is also costly and time consuming.
And finally, Bryce will be retiring in June. We plan to use 2026 to wind down the business gently while focusing on our health and preparing for a move to Washington in 2027 and enjoying travel in 2027 and beyond.

This decision was not made lightly. Simply Special Crafts has been my joy and my family’s focus for 24 years. Many of our loyal customers have been with us since our early days in business and your loyalty has meant the world to us.

When will you close?

We do not have a firm end date. Our best estimate is late 2026 depending on how quickly inventory sells and how long we can keep our employees productively occupied.

Will you be having sales?

Yes, just not all at once. We will continue offering discounts in stages so we can serve you properly. A site‑wide clearance will come later in the process. We encourage you to shop for essentials and favorites now, as we will not be restocking.

Will you bring in new products?

After April 15, we are no longer ordering latest items or restocking existing ones.

Will you still accept returns?

Defective items are always eligible for return or replacement. After April 30, all sales are final unless defective.

What about store credits or gift certificates?

You may continue to use them for as long as we are open. We strongly encourage you to redeem them soon, as they will expire once the business closes.

Will the free shipping offer on U.S. orders over $39 continue? As of April 26, we will institute $8.95 flat rate shipping with Free shipping over $80. As we continually decrease the cost of merchandise, we will need to ensure that we are charging enough to cover costs.

Why not sell Simply Special Crafts to someone else?

While we are not ruling out the possibility entirely, it is not our current plan. The business model is no longer as workable as it once was, and we do not feel right encouraging someone else to take on the challenges in this business climate. Our plan includes gradually selling off inventory and donating unsellable items to local schools and charities. This will allow us to retire gracefully.

What will happen with clubs and on-line groups? For the foreseeable future, we intend to continue on-site and on-line groups. After final orders arrive, we will discontinue or refocus What’s New Wednesday.

If you have questions, please reach out to us at info@simplyspecialcrafts.com or call (971) 645‑9038. We will do our best to help.

Thank you—for your trust, your kindness, your enthusiasm, and your friendship.

With love and gratitude,

Debbie, Bryce, and the Simply Special Crafts Team