Two Best Friends and SBDC Clients Stitch Together the Carlyle Community with Upholstery and Fabrics Shop
Two Sisters Upholstery and Fabrics, in Carlyle, Ill., an Illinois Small Business Development Center (SBDC) for the Metro East at Southern Illinois University Edwardsville client, was founded by two best friends, Tonya Drake and Amy St. John. Drake and St. John have a strong passion for bringing new life into furniture, but even more so for stitching together their community with their storefront. Two Sisters sells quilting fabric and supplies and also provides furniture upholstery services.
Drake’s and St. John’s friendship was strengthened between the similarities between their families, their love for their community, and their Christian faith. When asked for their inspiration for the name of their shop, they explained that they were “Sisters in Christ” and have a strong bond with one another.
St. John has numerous years of experience working as a seamstress and knew from a young age that this passion was something she wanted to make into a life-long career. In their friendship, St. John encouraged Drake to dive deeper into the world of sewing, where she also found a love and passion for the craft. Drake remembers fondly about the very first piece of furniture she was able to beautifully upholster that featured one of the hardest fabrics to work with- glitter vinyl.
After much consideration, St. John and Drake were ready to take their skills and move forward with opening a storefront. They began working with the Illinois SBDC for the Metro East at SIUE in May 2021. From there, SBDC advisor Marti Wieland was able to assist this brand-new business and bring their dreams into a reality. She was able to provide essential information regarding finances and business plan development. In addition, graduate assistant Mikayla Wilhelm is currently working with the duo regarding marketing and social media practices.
“It has been a lot of fun working with Tonya and Amy,” Wieland expressed. “They have known from the start what they wanted to do. They were not afraid to seek out funding, to reach out to community resources, and to call and ask for help when necessary. They are always open to hearing new ideas and suggestions to help them grow. It has been my privilege to assist them in their dream.”
On June 9, 2021, the best-friend duo opened their doors to the public. Within their shop, there is a large array of colorful fabrics, hand-made jewelry, and numerous tools of the trade available for purchase. They specialize in breathing new life into upholstering furniture, as well as designing and creating intricate quilts.
Now, in 2023, their business has a large number of clients, and they are grateful for the support of the Illinois SBDC, the support from their families and the surrounding community. Wieland continues to aid in support as the business grows.
Looking toward the future, Drake and St. John hope to expand their business by creating events and classes to encourage the community to learn new skills. They also hope to expand into crafting to create an all-around shop for creativity and skill-building. The duo hopes to strengthen the Carlyle community and create a space for people of all ages to come in and enjoy--one stitch at a time.
You can find Two Sisters Upholstery and Fabrics at 541 9th Street in Carlyle. They can be contacted at 618-520-3270 or 618-363-8161. You can also find them on Facebook.
The Illinois SBDC for the Metro East at SIUE assists new businesses like Two Sisters Upholstery & Fabrics, as well as existing businesses headquartered in the nine-county Metro East region of Calhoun, Jersey, Madison, Bond, Clinton, St. Clair, Washington, Monroe, and Randolph. It is a no-cost service to the community, supported by a partnership between the U.S. Small Business Administration, Illinois Department of Commerce & Economic Opportunity, and Southern Illinois University Edwardsville.
Photo: (L-R) Tonya Drake and Amy St. John, Illinois SBDC for the Metro East at SIUE clients.
