- September 21, 2024
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Tiffany Steinmann has something in common with her friend, B.J. Hersey, who helps her at her new resale shop, Tiffany’s Treasures. They enjoy helping customers find new life for used things, but there’s more. They both are cancer survivors, and the experience is a big part of what they do at the little shop in Palm Plaza at 600 S. Yonge St., Suite 1A.
Part of the proceeds go toward breast cancer-related charities, and they share their stories.
“We want give people hope,” Steinmann said. “We want to glorify God. He really did a miracle for me.”
Steinmann operated Forever Friends, a nearby consignment store, until two years ago when she was diagnosed with stage four of breast cancer. At the Mayo clinic in Jacksonville, she was given the message to “get her things in order.”
But after 18 months of treatments including two surgeries, chemotherapy and radiation, she was found cancer-free last September.
“I had the grace of God,” she said. “It’s a miracle I’m still here.”
Steinmann says to not take things for granted, because you don’t know how much time you have left
Through the illness, she was able to keep Cheap Storage, three area storage facilities in the area, and this enabled her to open the new business, which she calls her “passion.”
“I enjoy interacting with customers,” she said.
Hersey, a retired hospice nurse, recently celebrated five years in being free of breast cancer.
“I tell people everyday to not sweat the small stuff,” she said. “And it’s all small stuff.”
She met Steinmann on a church mission trip several years ago.
Her cancer was discovered in a mammogram, and she encourages others to get the test.
Both give a lot of credit to the Live Strong program that is available free at the Port Orange YMCA, saying it helped them physically recover from the treatments and became a support group.
New business has many good yarns
Helen Falkenberg said she used to be the only person happy to be waiting in the child-pickup line at school.
“I could sit and knit,” she said.
Now she helps others enjoy knitting and crocheting with her new business, She Sells Yarn and More, 600 S. Yonge St., Suite 16A, in Palm Plaza.
The boutique features yarn not found in chain stores, which tend to be acrylic.
“Nothing else feels like this,” she said, holding out a skein of yarn that was very soft to the touch.
“Every yarn here has a story,” she said, pointing around to the wide variety of colors and materials. They are made with a variety of blends to achieve certain colors, texture, weight, etc.
In addition to wool and alpaca, there’s also llama, yak and even a milk-based yarn.
Working with Falkenberg is her sister, Kathleen Lewis, who owned a shop called She Sells Yarn on Beach Street until closing it 10 years ago for family reasons.
The store is a family affair with their mother, Elizabeth Hall, teaching classes. Classes range for beginner to advanced.
Lewis said she enjoys making good use of time, such as making a hat while watching television.
“It’s like having a super power,” she said with a laugh. “We make things with string.”
After learning the basic techniques, there are endless possibilities in making socks, shawls, scarves, sweaters, hats, ties, etc.
In the front of the shop is a living room set inviting people to knit or crochet and socialize. Falkenburg enjoys the community aspect. They have monthly parties where they show what they made to others, classes and get-away weekends.
There’s no certain age group. Recently, a woman in her 20s was sitting beside a woman in her 80s in a class.
The “and more” part of the business refers to work by local artisans that is displayed in the store.
They also help out the Pregnancy Crisis Center, with customers donating yard, or making things for babies. They help out the military by making hats that go under helmets.
Visit shesellsyarn.com.