meet the owner
Cadence Kidwell
Cadence Kidwell
“I am delighted to help you launch your next yarn adventure. Fuzzy Goat is the type of yarn shop that I wanted to spend time in: whimsical, diverse, ethical & with great music!”
Before I opened the shop I was at Florida State University – I really like school myself & also helping people learn new things that delight them. I went back to school when my three children were little & after a decade in the mental health field. While earning a Ph.D. in Creative Writing I experienced the power of creativity in the midst of chaos. My literature focus was Latina Literature & African-American Women’s Folklore. I designed a certificate program for students to develop cultural competencies. University life also instills a strong core of service to people seeking to improve their lives. One of my favorite pieces in the shop is our battered SERVICE sign over the counter, announcing we are here to serve. You will hear me say that I was happy at my job at FSU before dreaming of my own little shop & being a part of the Main Street life in Downtown Thomasville. I decided that I could either steady-on into my last decade of university life or I could join the makers’ life – make a business from a rough-worn building & fill it with beautiful yarns made by strong women. We’re truly an independent business with over 90% of our merchandise created by other independent women makers.
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I wanted to knit around me the community that I fancied being a part of, putting these yarns into hands that love them as much as I do and all of us growing together as southern makers. Our location in Downtown Thomasville also provides us the ability to slow down, wander & find unexpected pleasures in the Creative South.
Something I learned at FSU was the value of conversation among those that see the world differently than me – something that used to happen at, say, bowling leagues, and is disappearing in our lives. I believe that knitting, and our shop, creates that space where conversation across generations and life experiences is valued and sought after. That 3rd space that my friend Annie, owner of The Bookshelf, talks about – the space that isn’t work or home but enriches you. Being a part of energizing West Jackson Street & the new Creative District is extra icing on my cupcake.
It has delighted me to find a way to bring my service background to doing good in our community and to set our mission to promote diversity, inclusion, equity and anti-racism.
We don’t just sell yarn or even just teach classes at Fuzzy Goat; we’re a quirky, vibrant movement!
I want to tell you how much I love you for supporting our little shop. If we haven’t yet met, I can’t wait to meet you & introduce you to your next handcrafted adventure!