Minky supply store opening in new Idaho Falls location
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IDAHO FALLS – Scott and Tiffani Duff own a business with a clientele that extends across the globe. If there’s one thing they’ve learned in the last two years, it’s this — there’s still room to grow and not even a global pandemic can stop them.
The Minky Supply Company is opening in the old Tuesday Morning building inside Teton Village at 2131 East 17th Street in Idaho Falls. The doors open Wednesday at 10 a.m.
Tiffani tells EastIdahoNews.com the 7,000-square-foot space more than doubles their old location in Ucon and will allow them to continue to offer a wide selection of Minky products to customers.
“We were in a 3,500-square-foot building before and our showroom was really small. That was the biggest thing we wanted to expand. We’ve never really capitalized on a lot of the local market, as far as selling blankets and selling fabric,” Tiffani says. “Most of us are from Idaho Falls and the more we grew out (in Ucon) and the more fabric lines got expanded, it just made sense (to move).”
The Duffs worked with Randy Waters at SVN High Desert Commercial and Century 21 High Desert in leasing the space. Tiffani didn’t like the location at first because it’s right in the center of town, and she prefers a place that’s quiet and cozy.
“Randy is good at knowing what is available. He said they helped move Real Deals on Home Decor next door and they (have really taken off). ‘Why don’t you come over here and try it? I guarantee you’re going to increase your sales. Just trust me on this,'” Waters said, according to Tiffani. “I can already tell it’s going to go great.”
Several fabric stores are in close proximity, which Tiffani says makes it easy to get supplies. She’s confident her business will share many of the same customers as Real Deals and vice versa.
In addition to doing more in-person sales, Tiffani is excited to be able to offer blankets with a new fabric style. It’s called Shar Pei.
“They call it Shar Pei because of the wrinkly puppy. We actually sew it so there’s a ruching built into it to keep its elasticity,” Tiffani explains. “It’s just like sleeping on a cloud (because it’s so soft).” See what it’s like in the video player above.
Over the last year, Tiffani says she and her team have made about 4,000 face masks for customers. It started out as a project for employees and their families, but word got out and they ended up supplying several businesses, including nursing homes, with masks. It became a huge moneymaker at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic.
“It was super cool to see (family members of employees) volunteer to sew masks,” says Tiffani. “Even my husband got into it. He would go into the fabric store and pick out fabric.”
There was a shortage of fabric and other supplies during this time and Tiffani says this helped bolster their business and get them through a turbulent year.
“It’s a little stressful to ensure 15 employees’ paychecks. I think I had taken it for granted in the past, but when COVID hit and you have all these families depending on you, it’s a whole different ball game,” she says. “Karma is a big thing and when you put it out in the world, it comes back.”
Tiffani is excited for customers to see the new location. The previous tenant left behind a ton of shopping carts and she decided to use it in her grand opening by giving away a shopping cart full of Minky blankets.
“It’s probably worth about $2,000,” says Tiffani. “Anybody who comes in and makes a purchase during the first week, all their names are going into a drawing and we’re giving it away on Sept. 7.”
The Minky Supply Company will now be open seven days a week from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Vist the Facebook page or download the app for iPhone or Android for more information.