Theres a worn spot on the wooden floor where Cara Birkelands grandfather Olaf stood to feed fleece into a carding machine that combs downy bits into sheets of wool batt.
But the two-tonne, belt-driven machine of rollers that came to Canada from Norway in 1939 will be moved from its place at the back of Birkeland Bros. on Main Street when the 73-year-old business closes at the beginning of March.
Its sad, said Birkeland, while she struggled to juggle the incessant phone calls and deluge of customers who have flocked to the shop since she announced its closure two weeks ago. It was a really tough decision for me to do.
Birkeland, whos 46 and also works as a gerontology nurse, says shes closing for health reasons, not for a lack of business. A thyroid condition is hurting her heart. Its very sad, said Bonnie Merriman who visited the shop Monday from Burnaby. I finally came down and purchased a spinning wheel and then Im watching the news and then its like, Oh no. Now what am I going to do.
Birkeland says shes negotiating with a few people to have the carding machine, built in England in the 1880s, carry on in a new home. She couldnt disclose whether the machine, which has carded wool for Queen Elizabeth II, the fashion runways of New York City and First Nations wall hangings at the Vancouver airport, would remain in Vancouver.
Olaf and his brother Michael opened the wool shop in 1939. Birkelands father Norman began working under Olaf in the 1950s and eventually took over the business with his brother Gordon.
Flo Nelson, who visits Birkeland Bros. regularly from West Vancouver and continues to visit Norm, whos at the end stages of Alzheimers, has frequented the shop since 1973. She would walk up the street from Heritage Hall at Main and 15th when she worked for the RCMP there.
Nelson didnt have money to buy wool back then, but Norm gave her bundles for free. She would watch him run the carding machine in the back and he gave her scraps to spin. She spins wool into yarn left handed, so he ordered her a special machine from Denmark. She would also watch the shop while her sister and Norm went for ice cream.
Cara Birkeland, the first woman to run the family business, made a few changes when she took over 15 years ago. She erected a sign on the blank storefront, moved the office from the front to the back, doubling the size of the shop to better accommodate classes, and multiplied the stock.
Birkeland started renting the front windows to emerging fibre artists six or seven years ago. Artists earn every penny from items sold and Birkeland benefits from their eye-catching displays. Its important to support a community and local artists who are trying to start up, she said. Thats always been my philosophy.
Birkeland will continue to own the building at 3573 Main St., which is set to become a clothing shop.
She doesnt know whats next for her. But she may continue carding after March 1. It all depends on how I feel, and when this old girl needs to leave the building, she said, with a nod to the rollers and sprockets of the carding machine.
crossi@vancourier.com
Twitter: @Cheryl_Rossi
