The Crafter's Library — Local services in Santa Barbara

Edited Review in Response to the Owner

Please refer to the other reviews that also mention issues with your dog. My dog is a medical service animal, and regardless of training level, no dog should approach another animal or person without permission—especially in a public-facing business.

Your response is disingenuous. Yes, I did return to the store after my friend spoke with you and asked you to put your dog away. (Which you agreed to do). She also conveyed how shaken both my dog and I were after the encounter. I returned in an attempt to give you another chance, particularly as a fellow queer small business owner. Unfortunately, your dismissiveness, lack of accountability, and unnecessary insults ("coddling" a terrified service animal?) made that impossible.

To clarify, my dog is 3lbs. The only way a much larger dog could “sniff” her would be to physically be on top of her—which is exactly what happened.

Lastly, it’s untrue that you “declined to teach me.” I inquired about a private session on garment creation, which you acknowledged was outside your expertise. You instead referred me to general sewing classes that did not align with my needs, and I declined.

You have your version of events, and I have mine. But the core issue remains: your off-leash dog should never have approached my service animal in the first place. That alone warrants serious reflection—not defensiveness.

Wishing you growth and accountability.

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I really wanted to love this place, but unfortunately had a deeply upsetting experience during my first visit today.

l arrived with my 3 lb medical alert service dog, who was leashed and by my side. Upon seeing a sign on the door that read "store dog still being trained (!)," I asked the owner, Andrew, whether his dog was leashed or otherwise restrained. Before he could respond, I heard a series of terrifying yelps--his much larger dog was on top of my service dog!

Andrew called his dog off, but then immediately returned to working on his craft without saying a word. Shocked, I asked, "You're not even going to say anything or check if my dog is okay?" His response: "I can see she's trembling and terrified. I called my dog away. What else do you want me to do?"

Wow.

At a minimum, if your dog is still "in training," it should not be freely roaming in a public-facing space--especially if it poses a risk to others. And if your dog frightens or potentially harms someone (or another animal), basic decency would be to check in and show concern.

For those who may be uncomfortable around large, untrained dogs--especially those with service animals--this experience was distressing and unacceptable. I truly hope this business reconsiders how they handle their "store dog"...

Terrifying Experience - Not a Child-Friendly Store

I had an absolutely horrifying experience at this store. While shopping with my two toddlers, the store owner's large German Shepherd suddenly lunged at my children, barking aggressively and coming dangerously close to attacking them—completely unprovoked. The dog was not on a leash and was left unattended, creating an incredibly unsafe environment.

When I confronted the store employee about the situation, instead of apologizing, she shockingly responded with, "Your children have a problem," implying that my children's fear was somehow their fault. This lack of empathy and basic customer service was appalling. My kids were left screaming, terrified, and in tears, and the staff did nothing to reassure or assist us.

This store is clearly not a safe or welcoming place for families with children. Between the aggressive dog and the equally aggressive attitude of the staff, I cannot in good conscience recommend this store to anyone—especially those with young kids. Avoid this place if you value your...

Our daughters have loved going to summer camp at Crafter’s Library! This is their second summer attending. It’s still one of their favorite camps. They love the variety of crafts that they get to try out and really enjoy their time with Devon, Andrew, Sylvia, and Ben! And of course, they love their time with Achilles. We love that they come back so inspired by the art and crafts that they do that they craft when they come home in the afternoon. They don’t ask for any screen time. Their new favorite activities this summer include cross-stitching and doing zen doodles!

We have also had a wonderful time having our daughter’s party at the beginning of summer. Devon was great about communicating in a timely manner and providing different crafting options for the party. The day of, Andrew clearly explained each step of the candle making process that everyone at the party felt comfortable participating. :) Everyone had lots of fun!

❤️ Thanks so much, Andrew, Devon, Sylvia, Ben,...