For those of us whose grandmothers spent their afternoons on sewing machines, the idea that she could be hip because she sewed is at best a head scratcher.

But spend an hour with Jenny McGurk and she'll convince you sewing is not only all the rage, but that you are transparently uncool for not knowing how to sew.

McGurk owns fleur fabrics, which opened last month in Richmond's Fan District.

The store is on a small block of shops on North Robinson Street off Grove Avenue.

It's an airy boutique with handmade clothes hanging on the walls and punk rock playing on the stereo.

McGurk, who has designed wardrobes for television, film and stage productions, said she opened the store because she wanted more stability than trying to find work in films.

She caters to fashion designers and artists who come in for materials to use in their work as well as people in their 20s and 30s interested in sewing.

In addition to traditional fabrics, the store is stocked with organic and recycled fabrics, safe denim and peace silk. Safe denim is made by ecologically friendly companies that pay a living wage; peace silk comes from silkworms that live out their life cycle.

Apart from the fabric selection, she said fleur fabrics is different because it offers an in-house sewing studio where customers can come in, sew, cut patterns and do most kinds of work. It costs $7 for an hour to rent one of her three machines.

The studio is important for people who don't have room at home to work.

"I remember working on patterns on the floor of my [tiny] apartment," she said of her time as a design student at Virginia Commonwealth University. "I had a cat and can't tell you how many patterns got torn."

Yet, while remaining trendy, she hopes fleur fabrics will eventually become the Fan's version of a sewing Kinko's.

Kitt's closing

Jordan Kitt's Music, located on Midlothian Turnpike near Robious Road for about 30 years, is moving. When and to where is still not clear.

Store manager David McNeal said the piano store found a new home in Innsbrook, but it won't be ready until next year.

The problem is, the store's lease runs out in two months.

If he can't get an extension, the most likely scenario is to truck the store's 200 pianos to the company's home office in College Park, Md.

"Easier said than done," McNeal said.

Because pianos are so heavy, only 10 can be shipped at a time. That's 20 round trips and very expensive, McNeal said.

The company has nine stores, four are in Virginia.

Expanding doughnuts

Dunkin' Donuts officials said at least eight new shops in the Richmond area will open by the end of next year.

Two are on tap for this year and six for next.

John Dawson, chief development officer, said the company and franchisees are working on the details.

Stan Kaplan, vice president of marketing for CDG Virginia LLC, said his company will own six of the new franchise sites.

CDG, which just opened a shop on Busy Street off Midlothian Turnpike near Courthouse Road, is opening another Chesterfield County shop next month on Jefferson Davis Highway near Chippenham Parkway.

Kaplan said locations for the other shops have been not been chosen but CDG is looking at locations around the Richmond area as well as in Farmville and Emporia.

CDG has 11 Dunkin' Donuts. It owns the franchising territory between Fredericksburg and Petersburg, except for western Henrico County.

Contact Louis Llovio at (804) 649-6348 or LLLovio@timesdispatch.com.