If it wasn’t for former customers of Joy Paolozza, co-owner of Ruby Pearl Quilts, textile lovers would not have all the technical, practical and social satisfaction of frequenting the Oshawa store. “I’d run a quilting store in Whitby for years, but decided to have a break and teach from home,” says Joy. “But my former customers and students, old and new, encouraged me to open a new venture and Ruby Pearl Quilts was born in 2013.”
Joy partnered with her brother Lanny, who is a Bernina sewing machine technician. He fixes and services machines on the spot at the family-run store, which also stocks quilting materials, patterns, books and samples. Regular classes taught by Joy and other staff are held for all levels. “We always wanted to be a one-stop shop for local quilters,” says Joy. “That’s exactly what we have turned out to be.”
