Lula Faye Fiber

After spending 20 years in the tech industry, Nathalie Smith was ready for her next life adventure. “I was just sitting in front of my computer one day and realized that I couldn’t do this for another day. I decided right then and there that this was the year that I was going to figure out what I really wanted to do in life”.  

After numerous brainstorming sessions while hiking with her close friend, Nathalie narrowed down the path of where her next journey would take her. She wished for a  business that encapsulated her love for creating art within her tight-knit Boulder community - and lucky for all of us her wish came true in the form of a yarn shop. “I have always knitted - I can’t even remember a time when I didn’t,” she laughs, “I must have picked it up in a previous life”. One day, her best friend called her up and said, “Just go and DO IT!’”. That friendly push of encouragement was all Nathalie needed, and that same day, she began researching spaces to kick-start her next life chapter. And just like that…or at least after just a few short months…in February 2022, her dream would manifest in Lula Faye Fiber. 

A Boulder resident since 1994, Nathalie knew exactly where Lula Faye needed to be located.“I had never worked downtown, but I always wanted to. I decided that if I was going to fully commit to my new business, it had to be in downtown Boulder.” The shop resides “off the bricks” at 2017 17th Street and was a previously-owned craft shop. Luckily, the space was move-in ready with the exception of some personal touches. 

An inviting space on Pearl’s East End, the interior radiates with natural light and a vibrant glow so colorful that it gives the feeling as if you had just walked into a rainbow. The space exudes  friendly and warm feelings that it hits you before you even reach the door. Nathalie’s goal is to have everyone feel welcome and safe with the confidence to express themselves freely. Growing up as a technical student, Nathalie used knitting as her creative outlet throughout her academic career, especially during her graduate school days at CU Boulder. Today, Nathalie says that many of the regulars who fill the shop’s craft lounge, also have backgrounds in technical and analytical jobs including scientists, engineers, physicists and STEM graduate students.  

A strong sense of community remains a prevalent theme within Lula Faye Fiber’s mission. “I feel so much community here, and feel a lot of connection with the other downtown business owners.” The store itself prioritizes community gatherings and regularly hosts craft lounge events, beginner’s knitting, embroidery and crochet classes and trunk showcases that highlight local yarn dyers and fibers. Their use of natural materials including cottons, linens, wool, vegan silks and yarns, as opposed to harmful acrylics and plastic materials, are an extra way to give back. “It’s all about having something that can go back to the Earth, when you are done with it.” 

As you find yourself weaving through your day-to-day routine, Nathalie, and her trusty business partner, Jen, invite you to step into a world of new discoveries and possibilities. Lula Faye Fiber encourages the art of learning something new, creating something you are proud of and most of all, finding a supportive community. This is a place where dreams start and where creativity is limitless. Next time you are on the East End, sign up for a class, check out a trunk show or just stop by to say ‘hi’!