Once upon a time, there were several local businesses serving Wilton’s artistic community. Artists and crafters had a place to purchase yarn for fiber projects, beads for jewelry making and art supplies for painting without driving long distances to restock. Shops selling these materials were minutes from their homes. However, these businesses gradually closed as owners aged and the impact of COVID-19 took its toll.
Wilton native Carbon McIsaac grew up surrounded by creative shops serving her artistic
family. As she developed her own crocheting and illustrative talents, she noticed the absence of local resources for artists. After spending her early working years gaining carpentry experience at a local business, she decided to follow her heart and open her
own shop to fill this void.
The name “The Sun Spot” reflects Carbon’s optimistic goal of bringing arts and crafts materials, along with nature-inspired gifts, to Wilton. The store caters to everyone from
beginners to skilled artisans, crafters and hobbyists.
Carbon primarily relied on online promotion and posters at the Wilton Library to
advertise the new business. She related to me that the grand opening in July attracted
visitors “from all over the state and Massachusetts.” The shop now features three rooms
primarily dedicated to crocheting, knitting, weaving, beading, sculpting and other crafts,
with a small selection of materials for illustrators and painters. A fourth room is reserved
for classes, where Carbon currently offers crochet lessons to eager students.
The shop also carries nature-themed gift items made by independent artisans
personally sourced by Carbon, including her own whimsical stickers and crocheted
creations. Customers frequently visit to purchase stickers. The shop’s logo, also
featured on a sticker, showcases her illustrative style.
As both an illustrator and crocheter, Carbon is confident the supplies she stocks are of
the same high quality she uses in her own work. But she is not reluctant to seek advice
from others when choosing materials with which she is less familiar. Her mother, a bead
artist, whose works are on display in the room dedicated to beading, selected the bead
supplies, while a painter chose the basic water-based oils and other painting materials
she stocks. There is a space on one wall dedicated to customer suggestions, and
Carbon keeps room in the shop for merchandise requested by customers. She said, “I’m
learning as I go along.
One vibrant area of the shop is stocked with soft cotton, plush, and wool yarns, along
with all the essentials for fiber projects. Carbon is proud to offer the same yarns she
uses in her own work. The only item she doesn’t have room to carry is fabric for quilting
and sewing. The shop also stocks high-end brands of polymer clays, gel and Micron pens, and markers for illustrators, as well as beginner-friendly supplies that are easy to
use and clean.
When I asked what gave this enthusiastic young entrepreneur the courage to open a
new business, Carbon shared, “I’ve always been an artistic person. I grew up in Wilton
and was home-schooled for most of my life. My mother, being an artist and my greatest
inspiration, always supported my artwork. Later, I spent my junior and senior years at
WLC (Wilton Lyndeborough Cooperative High School), where I took every art class I
could fit into my schedule. One of the things that gave me courage to start this business
is that as a child I was encouraged to role-play, as were my brothers and sisters. This
experience helped me gain knowledge about how to run a business and especially how
to deal with customers.”
She continued, “It took me about seven months to get my business plan in place, then I
looked for loans to help me start. Small business loans were my salvation. I worked with
my family to set up the shop and the carpentry skills I gained at my former job came in
handy when I added shelving.”
“I try to keep my prices competitive. They are often cheaper than those charged at the
large box stores, usually including the items I special-order. The Sun Spot exists to help
Wilton’s artist community get what it wants.”
From my observations, Carbon is on the right path toward supporting and revitalizing
this community.
The Sun Spot is located at 10 Main St. The phone number is 516-570-8819, but Carbon says it is easier to reach her at sunspotartmarket@gmail.com.