After over two decades of service to the community it is with sadness that M & K Fabrics will be closing their doors.
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The last trading day will be March 30 when the door closes for the last time.
Keith and Marlene Ryan started M & K Fabrics over 24 years ago. Their aim was to sell dress making fabrics and haberdashery at the best prices.
It was not long before they moved into quilting fabrics with special prices for the elderly and pensioners. They started with two shops opposite each other but later moved into the one where they are today in Market Place.
M & K Patchwork had one of the first mobile fabric runs, where they took quilting fabrics to quilting groups all over country NSW, Victoria and ACT at a very low price.
They would only go to quilting groups who invited them and were very conscious of local trade and tried not to encroach on these.
This became very popular. Keith and Marlene kept the prices affordable.
Keith lost his wife over 10 years ago but that did not stop him looking after his customers, keeping the shop and fabric run alive.
M & K can boast customers from all over Australia who still frequent the shop on their visits to Merimbula or order on line.
Keith never thought about earning money but always his customers. It was his mission to take care of pensioners and low income earners as well as the rest of his customers who benefited by low prices.
Unfortunately, Keith broke his hips and has been unable to attend the shop for nearly three years and his friend has run the shop with no pay. Each time closing was mentioned Keith became very upset as did any talk of putting up prices.
He said that his elderly and pensioners would not be able to afford quilting so those who have worked there did free of charge to keep his dream alive.
“We would like to thank our local Merimbula customers for their patronage for without them the shop would have closed. Please leave phone numbers and email addresses and we will endeavour to still supply our charity groups and help when we can,” said Heather Hobart.