Friends and scrapbook enthusiasts Terri Patterson and Rhonda Williams repeated a mantra during the hectic months before opening their store for fellow scrappers:
"If we build it, they will come."
The two women, plus Patterson's daughter, Stephanie Meyer, opened Pages in Progress in November. Their own "Field of Dreams" is in a shopping center at the northeast corner of West River Road and North La Cholla Boulevard.
It seems this dream has come true. "As soon as we had our sign up, we had people knocking on our doors," said Meyer, 25.
The interest did not stop at knocking. "We actually had customers volunteer to unpack so we could open sooner," said Williams, 50.
The mission to provide Tucson with a bigger, better scrapbook store began with a question. Last January, Patterson was on the phone with Williams after the two got back from visiting several scrapbook stores in Phoenix.
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"Why don't we have something like this in Tucson?" Patterson asked.
Patterson, 50, co-owns several other businesses and dipped into savings for startup costs. She had help with financing from a business partner, Jack Lane. He is a silent partner in the venture.
Williams was retired. "I was an elementary-school librarian for nine years in Wyoming," she said. "I felt like my career was done."
On a recent afternoon, Tresta Anderson was carrying a full handbasket.
"I've been scrapbooking for about eight years. I have twins," she said. "It's a creative outlet for me. It's putting memories on paper for years to enjoy."
Anderson's fraternal twins are 8 years old.
The business trio share the beginnings of their passion for scrapbooking with their customers. "I was given a box of family photos and wanted a way to preserve their memories," said Williams.
Keeping high-school memories intact propelled Meyer into the hobby in her teenage years. "Now it's all about my kids and my family," she said. Meyer has three boys younger than 3.
Patterson explains that she got into scrapbooking because of family stuff and "the creativeness," she said. "Something different than just a work-type thing."
The store design incorporates the best of everything they learned from visiting stores in Phoenix. The result is a clean, roomy and bright store.
Deanna Northington, 50, was in the store recently with her 18-month-old grandson, Maddox, in tow.
"I love this store. The openness of it," she said. "I usually have a double stroller with two grandkids. There's enough room to get around."
Kymberly Hitchcock, 37, came in on a recent afternoon for the "page of the week" kit. The kit, made by the staff, includes the components to re-create the weekly scrapbook page design. It sells for $5.
"They have the latest and greatest stuff," Hitchcock said. "The staff is wonderful."
Her daughter, 6-year-old Nicole, is actively involved in the craft, too. "I do mostly card work. I have my own scrapbook. It's fun and it's crafty, and you get to put it together," she said.
A big classroom in a front corner of the store is lined on one side with windows. The room has 40 individual tables with plenty of elbow room. The store offers a wide variety of classes, and the classroom is available for parties.
Make the Cut
What: Pages in Progress.
Where: 2040 W. River Road.
Phone: 887-5656.
Hours: 10 a.m.-7 p.m. Mondays-Saturdays; noon-4 p.m. Sundays.
Crop night: 6 p.m.-midnight Fridays; it's $15.
