English
Chinese (Simplified)
French
German
Hindi
Russian
SpanishIntroducing Yarn Dragon
Pike Place Market is excited to welcome Yarn Dragon to our Mezzanine Level. The colorful shop across from Northwest Tastings and the Miniature Car Dealer in Pike Place Market’s Lower Levels had their grand opening on July 13, quickly becoming a must-stop destination for yarn enthusiasts. However, owner Jonathan Berner is no stranger to Pike Place Market.
For the last six years, Jonathan and his business MJ Yarns had been an almost daily fixture in Pike Place Market’s Handmade Craft Market. Then the COVID-19 pandemic struck, shaking up his business and perspective and sparking a new dream. To one day open up a permanent shop in Pike Place Market.
Keep reading to learn about Yarn Dragon and Jonathan’s journey from passionate hobbyist to Pike Place Market craftsperson to shop owner.
Find Yarn Dragon on Level 5 (map it). They’re open daily 9am – 5pm.
The Journey from Pike Place Market Craftsperson to Shop Owner
Jonathan Berner, the owner of Yarn Dragon, began his knitting journey in 2008, intending to create his own clothing to contribute to environmental sustainability. Jonathan soon discovered a profound appreciation for the historical, engineering, and artistic aspects of working with yarn. This passion led him to explore spinning, weaving, and wool processing, further immersing himself in the intricate world of yarn.
In 2013, encouraged by friends within the yarn community, Jonathan took a bold step and turned his passion into a profession. He began dyeing yarn, making his first sale in January 2014 to Shuttles, Spindles, and Skeins in Boulder, Colorado. By June of that year, he left his conventional job to fully commit to his burgeoning yarn business.
In 2018, Jonathan returned to his hometown of Seattle and began showcasing his unique, hand-dyed wool and alpaca yarn in Pike Place Market as a craftsperson. Under the name MJ Yarns, he quickly became a beloved part of the Market’s Handmade Craft Market.
Surviving the Pandemic and Thriving
The COVID-19 pandemic posed significant challenges for small businesses; Jonathan’s was no exception. In the fall of 2020, Jonathan applied for a grant from the Pike Place Market Foundation’s Small Business Recovery Fund. With support from The Market Commons staff, he invested in knitting machine equipment, a decision that proved to be a game-changer.
“The grant really was a perfect situation for me to experiment without having to risk my business or my livelihood,” Jonathan told the Market Foundation. The new equipment significantly boosted production capacity. Jonathan could now make scarves, knit hats, shawls, gloves, and socks from his hand-dyed wool and alpaca yarn.
This sparked a new dream of a shop where he could sell his hand-dyed yarn, knitwear, and handcrafted crochet hooks, along with spinning wheels, looms, books and everything needed to support novice and experienced yarn, crochet, or wool enthusiasts.
Making a Dream Happen
In 2024, Jonathan and his journey to opening a shop in Pike Place Market was realized. Jonathan transitioned from being a Pike Place Market craftsperson to opening his very own permanent shop, Yarn Dragon, in July. This new chapter marks an exciting milestone, allowing Jonathan and his team to continue their passion for dyeing yarn, creating crochet hooks, and crafting knitwear. With a new identity but the same commitment to the art of yarn, Yarn Dragon looks forward to a promising future in the wonderful world of fiber arts.
Yarn Dragon is more than just a yarn shop; it’s a testament to the resilience, creativity, and thriving spirit of Pike Place Market. Jonathan Berner’s journey from a passionate hobbyist to a successful entrepreneur and now a permanent shop owner is truly inspiring. We invite you to visit Yarn Dragon in Pike Place Market and explore the exquisite range of yarns and fiber arts products that Jonathan and his team have meticulously crafted.
Welcome to the magical world of Yarn Dragon, where tradition meets innovation, and every skein tells a story.