Wasatch and Wool Yarns in Park City will mark one year under owner Alex Wheeler with a party at the shop on Thursday, Oct. 1.
Wheeler, a Utah native and longtime customer, purchased the fiber-arts shop in 2025 after founder Margaux Kelleher decided to retire. Kelleher had opened Wasatch and Wool in 2014 and expanded into a larger storefront in 2022, running the business across two locations over 11 years, according to the shop's website. Wheeler held a grand reopening Nov. 15, 2025.
Wheeler learned the shop was for sale through Kelleher's newsletter. She told TownLift the moment stuck with her: "My whole body tingled. I just knew I needed to reach out to her."
Since taking over, Wheeler has reshaped the space at 1200 Iron Horse Drive, Unit A, to feel more like a living room than a retail store. She opened up the back area to encourage people to linger and built a weekly calendar around community.
Every Tuesday, the shop hosts Prosecco and Purls, an open knitting night where anyone can pull up a chair and stitch. Classes range from beginner-friendly one-hour sessions to advanced techniques like beaded knitting and stranded colorwork. Wheeler said she wants the shop to be a place where newcomers feel comfortable asking questions, drawing on her own early experiences feeling intimidated in yarn shops.
Wheeler has also organized hands-on experiences outside the store, including a sheep-shearing day in Woods Cross with Honeybee Wool where customers could watch sheep being sheared and examine raw fleece.
Her goldendoodle, Winston, greets customers at the shop daily. Wheeler described their bond to TownLift: "We're definitely codependent."
Wheeler balances the shop with a full-time role at Bridge Investment Group, where she manages real estate development across the western United States. She also holds a leadership role with CREW Utah, a commercial real estate women's organization. She grew up in Lindon, attended Southern Utah University and lives in Lower Pinebrook.
Beyond the Oct. 1 party, a Stitch & Watch event with the Park City Library is scheduled for Tuesday, Oct. 20, featuring the film "Hocus Pocus." Wheeler said spinning and natural dyeing classes are in the works, and Christmas classes are planned for this fall. Updates are posted at wasatchandwool.com.
