Sunday, October 16, 2011

They Weren't Kidding

Ladies and gentlemen, the yarn section of the grocery store–this one's attached to a mall in Reykjavik. The yarn is just past the dairy case.

Shangri-La?

Mostly Lopi, but also a very large selection of Dale of Norway. Also sock yarns, mystery acrylics, pattern books, needles, notions, and buttons.

How Very Civilized

The above is plötulopi (unspun yarn, in wheels), wrapped in plastic to preserve the yarny freshness.

I wouldn't believe it if I hadn't seen it with my own eyes.

100 comments:

Becky said...

Wow! OMFG indeed.

Sally Comes Unraveled said...

Literally a grocery store? Not a craft store or even a department store?

Overstap said...

I have searched in my local grocery behin the dairy section..but all I found was rubbish...

Relishedartistry said...

Good grief, that's awesome!! What chain of grocery store is that?? And how did they come to the very smart conclusion that knitting is a hugely popular hobby they could capitalize on? That's brilliant! I bet they'll get a lot of sales because of that decision! Congratulations for living near such a wise and brave grocery store!!!

Heidi said...

The first time I saw this in Iceland, I couldn't believe it either - and it was in a teeny tiny town in the middle of nowhere on the East coast!

I miss Iceland so much, luckily they have the best tourist blog ever:
http://icelandwantstobeyourfriend.tumblr.com/

Where was your grocery shop (in case I go back...)?

Rox said...

So, is it that they sell yarn at the grocery store, or that they sell groceries at the yarn shop?

Eileen said...

My husband says he doesn't want to go. I DO.

Personally, I think he's afraid I'll make him move there and will buy yarn in place of food.

(He could be correct.)

The Foggy Knitter said...

Oh. Wow. There are no words to express how wow. I want to move to Iceland.

And I want some of that teal (sock?) yarn on the shelves in the first picture.

Catherine said...

Wow. Is it strange to want to go to Iceland just because they have yarn in the grocery?

Marcy said...

I hope you filled your cart with plötulopi!

whirlybird said...

So what you're saying is that if I'm good and behave myself, I'll die and go to Iceland?

knit one, knit two said...

I went to a yarn shop that shared space with a spice shop. The Noro smelled like cumin. It quickly became a favorite LYS for me! This was in oneonta NY.

Wish they sold good yarn in grocery stores here...

Kim said...

my actual, you know, local YARN store doesn't even have that kind of selection!

One More Stitch said...

My kind of country - spectacular scenery and sensibly stocked stores!

SusieQ100 said...

Wow!! There is a heaven!

joan said...

now that is what I call a grocery store. You won't get fat shopping here but OH the food budget!

Anonymous said...

LOL,and I get soooooo excited when I find a knitting magazine at my grocery store! Love the idea of actual yarn at the grocery!

rams said...

Get out of town. Oh. Wait -- you did.

Nana Sadie said...

OMG!
{jaw dropping in awe}
That's amazing...

Lisa/knitnzu said...

Oh hun, bring me back a gallon of milk, a dozen eggs, 800 g of medium gray, 200 g of black, 100 g of white lopi...

Wicked cool!

Michelle B said...

That is AWESOME!

Shellbean said...

Wow we'd have much less food if they done that here!

el Shysh said...

Heheheh someone told me you could buy yarn at gas stations in iceland and I just couldn't believe

Samina said...

Finally, a country with its priorities straight!

Annie said...

Alls I can say is it's lucky the language is so darned hard to learn/speak or I'd have already moved there!

Phro5gg said...

Now I know what Heaven looks like.

Mary Jane said...

I once bought a scarf kit at my local Zehrs grocery store. I bought it because it was there and I loved the idea of being able to buy yarn at a grocery store. I so have to go to Iceland.

I'm gonna tell Mom! said...

I just added "go to Iceland" to my bucket list.

Sally said...

Oh I could just take a BITE! THanks for posting, Franklin!

Anonymous said...

As if it wasn't already going to be difficult to leave!

Anonymous said...

So you can buy yarn and cheese in the same place?? SIGN ME UP.

chellebelle said...

Better that most craft store chains... I want my local Safeway to have a section like this.. Although I am old enough to remember when my local grocery store used to carry red heart yuck. That hasn't happened for years, for the better I think..

Rogue Butterfly said...

If I lived there, my boyfriend could never let me go grocery shopping unattended, I would forget to bring home any food!

Donna in S. Indiana said...

I remember this store or one similar from when I was stationed in Iceland when I was in the Navy (that's where my oldest daughter was born)..Loved the place and got some great pictures!

Holly said...

Awesome, one stop shopping -- >j<

Nathalie said...

That's it. I'm moving to Iceland.

Unknown said...

Sneaking yarn home via the grocery budget? BRILLIANT! Hope you're having a great trip!

findingjudi said...

that's dangerous! I would never leave the grocery store.

Michelle said...

Dang... feed the body, feed the soul - is that the idea?

Emily and Laura said...

Okay, yet another to add to the LONG list of reasons why I want to live in Iceland. Between that and the hot baths, I would permanently smell of wet wool while losing weight rapidly because who needs food when you can get such stunning yarn at the grocery store?

Ed said...

Are there unicorns?

Bonnita said...

Love those wheels of yarn! Fill up your cart and bring them home. No, really! ;o)
I'm so glad you are enjoying yourself in Iceland.

Beth V. said...

That's IT. I'm moving to Iceland.

Kate (KnitsInClass) said...

Wish my corner market stocked yarn - think how handy that would be... Just a quick trip to pick up some milk, bread, and yarn.

Sue said...

I wish we had those kind of supermarkets here in Australia, how wonderful would that be.

Anonymous said...

Now I know where heaven is.

Knitspingirl said...

Wow!
I have the sudden urge to move to Iceland ...

Gail said...

Now I really want to visit Iceland.

and is this the time of the year for the Northern Lights? or any wonderful starry things?

LindaV said...

This is even better than the first time I saw slot machines in the bathroom at a Safeway in Reno! Also, if I was tempted to buy yarn with my grocery money, I would totally lose weight. We should petition the Surgeon General.

kathy b said...

NOw thats what is right with the world......

Anonymous said...

Can we sign up for on-line shopping and delivery??
Yummy stuff!

Theprofessionalaunt

Mel said...

We never actually made it to Kringlan while we were there. The only grocery store we hit was the Bonus on Laugavegi, and they were a bit small for a yarn section. Though maybe there was a corner in the walk-in refrigerator case that we missed.

kshotz said...

Holy crap Franklin! Wow....I never realised until now that I need to put Iceland at the TOP of my "places to travel" list!! I am four different shades of green with envy!

Karen said...

Sweet jaysus, Franklin... You are in heaven!

Emily said...

You are having so much FUN! And I am delirious with joy for you!

Alittlebitsheepish said...

I have some serious jealousy going on!

Harpa Jónsdóttir said...

Icelandic yarn is available at most grocery stores, and many other types too. It has been so for a very long time in the countryside, but it's been catching on in the capital lately.

Sonja said...

I just started that gray sweater on top last night!

jamesdotca said...

It was between a trip to Australia this spring or your knitting tour to Iceland, Franklin. And as much as I love Australia and my in-laws... I am having buyer's remorse right now! Even after attending my first Rhinebeck this weekend, I am seriously jealous.

Toni said...

Wow!!!

MVI said...

Grocery List

milk
kitty food, treats
yarn
spaghetti, sauce
frozen veggies
soup
yarn cakes
yogurt
cheese
oj
peanuts
toothpaste


I think I'll print your photo off and drop it in the suggestion box of my local grocery store.

btw: http://shopicelandic.com/

you can change language & currency options near the top of page.

Diane said...

If my grocery store looked like that, I sure wouldn't be putting off provisioning!

KristiKnitz said...

Wow!. Iceland must truly be a wondrous place!

Nik said...

SHUT. UP. I want that here.

Bonnie said...

Ohhhhhh, that makes me simultaneously happy and sad--happy it exists and sad it doesn't exist closer to me. Beautiful.

Deborah C. said...

I felt that way in London - Liberty's and John Lewis, both large department stores, have large yarn and needlework departments, as well as tea shops. I didn't want to go home.

Seanna Lea said...

Wow. That is completely awesome. I have the hardest time believing that it real, though I want it to be!

Anonymous said...

To prepare for a blizzard in the US, we go to the grocyer to buy milk, eggs and bread. To prepare for a blizzard in Iceland, they go buy milk, eggs, bread, and enough yarn for a sweater. I'm ok with that.

thistledown musings said...

Love the unspun!!!

lisagd said...

I'm with Catherine @7:37 and k1yok2tog @ 2:55. That beats the hell out of the rack of 10-year old videos at my local grocer!

MaryAnne said...

I am so in love with Iceland.

prymnumber said...

Oh my gosh....If that happened here, not only would I have to fight the impulse to buy of snack items, I'd have to control my stash enhancement also! Yet strangely I want to visit....

Lesley said...

And I thought the groceries stores in Maine are great because they sell wine!

Deb G. said...

You mean there really is a God?

SallyT said...

Yarn at the grocery store. Brilliant! The very height of civilization.

Anonymous said...

OMG. Unbelievable.

Are you sure you didn't die and are just blogging from the knitter's section of heaven? If you see Elizabeth Zimmermann at your local coffee house you may need to re-check which side of the veil you are on...

A grocery store?

I am so loving your posts. Each one is a gem. Have fun!

Michaela said...

Thanks for the picture!
I saw some nearly similar equipping at a gas station in a very lonely region. "Thank God", I thought, "somebody takes care of the really important things of life".

Kelly said...

Oh MY! I *must* convince my family that Iceland is *the* place to vacation. I'm just dumbstruck by those pictures and your incredible luck in being there to take them. I've always thought the local grocery is a great place to check out when you're in a foreign country, and you've cemented that idea more than it ever was!

Anonymous said...

I'd buy groceries every day if that were MY grocery store!!! Where can I sign up for that "drudgery"?!

Winterhart said...

Oh my yarny heavens...! and how many extra suitcases did you bring, again??

tamara said...

The first two words that sprang from my lips were, "Fucking awesome!"

My husbeast asked what I was exclaiming about, and when I showed him, he said, "No. We're not moving to Iceland."

He knew I was going to ask.

Overstap said...

What's the exp.date for the yarn??

Heather W. Torrance said...

Oh my god. What a wonderful country!

Anne O'Nymous said...

Didn't Chrissie Hynde and the Pretenders do the song "Mystery Acrylics"?

(verification word: "faling")

Anne O'Nymous said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Denise said...

I agree with the OMFG. I used to always peruse the magazine rack for fiber therapy as my reward for having to shop for groceries (okay, I still do.) But if I had to check out the yarn rack there, I would be happy to go to grocery shopping every day! So happy you are having a good time and telling us all about it.

Yvonne said...

OMG. We have yarn at our local Fred Meyer, but very little of it is wool. Lion Fisherman & a bit of sock yarn. If, however, you'd like to knit a dishrag, you have a dazzling array of choices.

KatKnits said...

Oh. My. GOD!!!! It's official, I gotta move there. Screw Uncle Arthur, I'll brave the cold for wool in the grocery!

shannonstoney said...

I will show this picture to my local Kroger store and ask for Lopi immediately.

CeltChick said...

This would drive me nuts; I'd never get home from the grocery. And, shannonstoney, your Kroger probably isn't interested--ask me how I know! Shoot, even WallyWorld has cut back on the yarns they carry. So I've pretty much stopped going to WalMart....Lucky for me, there are two good yarn shops within an hour's drive of the house.
Verification word: noper.

Unknown said...

Ha! Can you imagine how the American knitter's stash would swell if one didn't even have to go out of one's way to buy the goods?

sivilce nasıl geçer said...

looks interesting

Lynne Phelps said...

Wow, who knew heaven was in Iceland? Go figure!

Monique said...

You're right! I wouldn't have believed it. This is a massive amount of yarn to be in a grocery store. Especially since I've never seen yarn in a grocery store. LOL!

Alwen said...

Boy, is my DH gonna be surprised when I tell him the next trip we're saving up for is going to be Iceland and not the Netherlands.

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