Retail Roundup

Catherine Eberhard

Finding a hobby that you can actively pursue or rediscovering a former

passion from your childhood is a wonderful way to enjoy some leisure

time.

My Friend and Eye, a needlepoint store, has been providing fun

projects and teaching the skills of creating a fine stitch for the past

17 years. Located on the corner of Warner Avenueand Goldenwest Street, My

Friend and Eye is a large 3,800 square-foot store that features a variety

of hand-painted needlepoint canvases, needlepoint supplies, accessories

and every shade of thread imaginable.

“We consider ourselves artists, not crafters,” owner Sally London

explained. “The pieces we create are heirlooms and people usually never

sell them. They keep them in their homes for generations as artwork.”

London has a wall in her store dedicated to before-and-after, where

you can compare an empty painted canvas to the beautifully embellished

finished product. It is truly amazing to see the detail and complicated

stitches that contribute to one of these framed works of art.

“I turned a hobby into a career,” London reported. The sole proprietor

of My Friend and Eye, she actively works on her own needlepoint projects

at home.In light of the recent terrorism attacks on America, patriotic

canvases have become very popular. My Friend and Eye has several flags

and other red, white and blue needlepoint canvases on display.

Whimsical characters, cute animals and baby prints are big sellers

right now and so are canvases that are taken from Thomas Kinkade

paintings or Mary Engelbreit designs.

Christmas stockings and other Christmas-themed needlepoint canvases

are everywhere and My Friend and Eye can have your finished needlepoint

made into a beautiful stocking or pillow to decorate your home over the

holidays. Rich velvet fabrics, ribbons and cords, can be used to trim the

stockings or ornaments that you stitch yourself. One customer even made

her own Gingerbread House that looks good enough to eat.

My Friend and Eye offers group and private needlepoint classes

frequently. There is ample space in its back rooms and up to four classes

can be taught simultaneously. The instructors assist the students in

“bringing their canvas to life” by giving advice on thread colors, thread

type and ideas for elaborate details. London reported that some students

have been regulars in the classes for the past 15 years. Several of the

students have entered their finished work in local fairs and national

competitions and won prizes. All needlepoint classes are two and a half

hours long and the cost is $12-$15 per class. Class schedules are

available by calling My Friend and Eye at (714) 846-8182.

You can personally view the large selection of needlepoint designs and

accessories by visiting My Friend and Eye at 6901 Warner Ave. in Huntington Beach.

Another hobby that has turned into a true passion for some people is

model train building.

Morgan’s Big Trains Emporium, at 7390 Center Ave., has everything you

could ever desire to create your own customized railroad.

Vincent Morgan has owned and run Morgan’s Big Trains for the past 14

years. He is a “hands-on” owner and is usually in the store assisting

customers every day.

Morgan’s Big Trains specializes in G-Gauge and LGB brand name trains

and accessories. The store has a large selection of Thomas the Tank

Engine trains and Playmobil for kids. This large store features a

well-stocked “kids’ room” filled with trains that are made to withstand

daily wear and tear.

Kids aren’t the only ones who love trains, and plenty of adults have

been regular customers at Morgan’s Big Trains. Many adults collect

limited edition train cars from brands like Lionel and Brio.

“We have several regular customers that we know well. They’ve been

coming here for the past 14 years, ever since we’ve been open,” said

Helen Emery, General Manager at Morgan’s.

Emery told me that the store is well-known throughout the world and he

frequently receives phone calls from as far away as Australia, Germany

and Switzerland requesting rare trains.

Outdoor weather-proof train sets are a popular item at Morgan’s and

customers can use them to set up intricate garden scenes. Small

buildings, tiny people, animals and automobiles (all made to scale)

enhance the train scene and make it look realistic. Electrical lighting

and assembling different towns around the track are ways in which you can

explore your creative side with model trains.

Emery likes to see a father and son come in the store together and

enjoy some quality time engaged in the world of trains. “It can be a real

family project to build a railroad,” she told me.

Trains around the Christmas tree are always popular and customers can

make their Christmas train as detailed as they want, with snow-covered

villages and specialized Santa Claus cars. Christmas is the busiest time

of year for Morgan’s Big Trains and it already has a large selection of

holiday merchandise for sale.

If you’d like to get involved in the world of model railroad building,

you can visit Morgan’s Big Trains Emporium at 7390 Center Ave., at the

corner of Gothard Street and Center Avenue, or call (714) 892-3688.

* CATHERINE EBERHARD is a Huntington Beach resident and her column

focuses on local businesses. If you have items for Retail Roundup, e-mail

them to RetailRoundup@aol.com or fax to (714) 965-7174.