Mill End Fabrics — Local services in Reno

I heard about this place from my FIL and MIL because of the wide selection to choose from for fabrics making clothes and reupholstering. They have visited from out of town driving 4 hours away with no complaints.

I have gone to this place twice with the complete opposite experience. I have been ignored and the service was unfriendly to colored people darker than their shade of skin color, or younger designers. The 2 times I have gone to this place they offered help to older people with lighter skin. I have witnessed the other skin color of people being ignored and walked out with nothing in their hand.

I had placed items I purchased at the cash register and asked if I could leave it at the counter, while many other customers were still shopping. One of the workers could have worded it differently, but I took it offensively when she said “ I’ll place your items here because these are for paying customers.” I was caught off guard by that statement, as it was rude. I didn’t steal the items I walked out with about $50-80 worth of sewing stuff.

If you’re darker than being white, or don’t have gray hair and wrinkles this place is not for you. I could be proven wrong one day, but both my experiences I will not be returning. I have found other large fabric distribution companies to choose from.

ALL based on observations...

Update: I have been to Mood in New York, and the Mill End Store makes Mood look like a closet. Just went here and got all the fabric and notions for a MYOG backpack build, including Cordura pack cloth, closed cell EVA foam, continuous zipper tape, webbing, sliders, etc. If it's a textile or textile related, they have it. They even have Tesla headliner lol ...

Never have I ever had more fun in a fabric store. This place is a cavernous warehouse of dead stock and discounted fabric and supplies. Just when you think you've seen everything you turn a corner and boom, there's a whole new aisle. They have literally anything you could want, including very niche and specialized stuff like car upholstery, marine fabrics, and heavy jacket ribbing. Some highlights for me personally are the HUGE swim fabric selection (shelves upon shelves of prints and solids), quilting fabric (I've even found designer cottons), and technical nylons and fleeces. I spent three hours here and only got through half the store. If you sew or want to I cannot recommend this...

Reno's best kept secret. I've been going here for fabrics my entire life, and my mother also went here going back to the 1970s. I swear there are still stacks of now-vintage fabric throughout this amazing bazaar of textiles. There are types of fabrics here that are very hard to find anywhere, like sweater knits and ribbings. The "Mill End Rule" is: if you see it, buy it, because it won't be there next time. You just have to dig for things. I recommend taking a lighter and burn testing fabrics - a lot is not marked or is mismarked for fibers. I've found some incredible deals because of that but it's also stung me before too (that wool... wasn't wool 😥). The prices are ridiculously low - much of the fabrics comes from fashion industry and would normally be way way way higher priced. I love Mill End. Love it, and I hope it never ever...