Ode to the Bernat Mill

If you and your elders knit or crochet or do needlework in the Blackstone Valley area, then you have likely been to the old Bernat Mill or the the old mill store. Back when Bernat was an actual company that made yarn, it was located in the little town of Uxbridge, once known as the yarn capital, on the Mumford River. Well, part of that yarn history burned to rubble in a 10-alarm fire yesterday. For the last three and a half years, I've "worked" in the yarn shop that started out as the Bernat Mill Store. Now under different ownership than in the Bernat Mill heyday, we were formally located in the little red building just in front of the old mill. It was not unusual then and even now since we moved to another location further down the street, to have customers come in who were and are under the impression that we are indeed the "Bernat store" and sell "Bernat" yarn. It's comical sometimes trying to explain to the older folks that yarn is no longer made in Uxbridge and the "bernat" name was bought by another company and is just that-a name. They can't wrap their heads around it. That old mill and the yarn it made is still very much a reality in many people's minds. Seeing images of the fire on TV and knowing that it was home to many small businesses in the community which are virtually now gone, was VERY sad. The town has suffered a great loss.