Quantcast

The DNAinfo archives brought to you by WNYC.
Read the press release here.

The Quilter's Trunk Wins Online Small-Business Contest By A Landslide

 Lisa Wilberding (from left) and Katie Nathwani rallied online voters to cast ballots for the Quilter's Trunk in Beverly. The store sells fabric, thread and sewing machines.
Lisa Wilberding (from left) and Katie Nathwani rallied online voters to cast ballots for the Quilter's Trunk in Beverly. The store sells fabric, thread and sewing machines.
View Full Caption
DNAinfo/Howard A. Ludwig

BEVERLY — The Quilter's Trunk in Beverly won an online contest "in a landslide," earning $2,500 as well as a one-minute television commercial, said store owner Katie Nathwani.

"We are really excited, and we appreciate everyone's support in getting us there," Nathwani said Tuesday morning.

The store at 10352 S. Western Ave. in Beverly sells sells fabric, thread, sewing machines and other items for quilting enthusiasts. The Quilter's Trunk opened Sept. 25.

Nathwani and store manager Lisa Wilberding were unaware of who nominated them for The Hartford's Small Business Boost competition. Voting began on NBC Chicago's Facebook page July 11 and ran through Sunday.

The contest featured four Chicago small businesses and was a joint effort between the television station and The Hartford, a Connecticut-based insurance provider.

The Quilter's Trunk was the only contestant from the South Side.

Finalists were judged by their ability to hire locally, source locally and give back to the community. Nathwani said all seven of the store's employees are from the area and whenever possible, the store works with local vendors.

As for community involvement, Wilberding pointed to the shop's longtime support for A New Direction, a crisis counseling center for victims of domestic abuse in Beverly, as well as a recent push to collect handmade pillowcases and quilts for Operation Help a Hero, a veterans' assistance group.

Nathwani said television crews will be coming out in the next two weeks to film the commercial. She said such exposure could help bring the quietly thriving hobby of quilting to a new audience.

Indeed, the Quilter's Trunk has received tremendous support from the neighborhood and from industry heavyweights such as the quilting "sew-lebrity" Mary Fons, who encouraged her fans to vote for the store.

"I actually got an email from her [Fons] saying she was going to post the results on her site," Nathwani said. "I am humbled and grateful."

For more neighborhood news, listen to DNAinfo Radio here: