You may not have known you were missing a yarn-and-book café in your life — but trust me, you were.
Skein & Scribe Yarn and Book Cafe is a cozy third space for knitters, readers, makers, and anyone who likes their creativity stirred with a shot of caffeine. The woman-owned shop, tucked into a growing pocket of Salem, is reviving two analog joys — printed books and needlecrafts.
The idea came from co-owner Tristin Krei, who spent 17 years in corporate retail and optics.
“I’m a dual-certified optician, and I’ve mastered the trade, essentially,” she said. “But being in corporate America that long...it’s daunting. So I asked myself — what can I do that would be fun, exciting, and new?”
Enter her business partner, Ann Woods, the creative behind A Skeiner Darkly, a Portland-based small-batch, hand-dyed yarn company. Tristin brings the love of books and accessories. Ann brings the hand-dyed yarn. Together, they stitched the idea to life.
“I know the books, she knows the yarn,” Tristin said.
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Carlee Wright
Skein & Scribe
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Carlee Wright
Skein & Scribe
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Carlee Wright
Skein & Scribe
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Carlee Wright
Skein & Scribe
But shelves alone weren’t the vision.
“I really envision this as being the spot,” Tristin said. “A place to hang out more than anything. Yes, we want to make money, but I wanted people to knit, read, play board games, meet up — not just buy something and go. I have to be here, so I wanted it to be a cool place to hang out.”
Plans include knitting classes, book clubs, craft circles, and partnerships with local authors, dyers, and makers, with a focus on both local yarn and books.
And although books and fiber are the foundation, coffee has become a surprise headliner.
“I never anticipated the coffee side being the thing,” Tristin said. “I thought it was like, ‘oh cool, you have coffee.’ But every day someone walks in asking about it.”
Until the espresso plumbing goes in, she’s offering cold drinks and teaming up with Origin Story Coffee Co., whose cart will pop up in the shop on select days.
That go-with-it energy extends to the launch itself. Instead of a soft or grand opening, Tristin rolled out what she calls the “mediocre opening.”
“It wasn’t going to be perfect from the start,” she said. “You always hear ‘soft opening’ and everyone’s so cute about it. I was like: nope — it’s mediocre. It sets expectations low. There’s no pressure. I tell people, ‘I’m not there yet. I’ll get there. Please come back.’”
The grand opening will come, eventually. Until then, Skein & Scribe is a work in progress that needs community support. Consider this your invitation.
Skein & Scribe
3989 Commercial St SE
https://www.instagram.com/skeinandscribe/
Special Event
On October 12, best-selling author and knitwear designer Marie Greene will be signing copies of her sixth book, “Knit in One!: 30 Clever One-Skein Patterns for Gorgeous Beanies, Socks, Shawls & More” at the shop from 1 to 3 p.m. Plus, there will be a mini trunk show with A Skeiner Darkly, so you can meet the dyer and learn more about her yarn, from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. And of course, Origin Story Coffee Co. will be there serving up your soon-to-be-favorite coffee drinks.