By Megan Alley
Sun Reporter
A New Richmond resident and clothier has transitioned her company’s focus from producing mostly fashionable goods to producing functional and essential goods, like face masks, all in the vein of trying to make a positive difference during the COVID-19 pandemic. 
Aly Stacy, a Cincinnati native and 15-year resident of New Richmond, started her business, KreativeMindz, some 13 years ago.
“We love our community and are proud to be a small business in this city,” Stacy said in an email interview.
She’s been married to “best friend” Beau Stacy, and the couple have three children, ranging from pre-teen to young adult.
Through KreativeMindz, Stacy, who is self taught, designs, makes and sells hair wraps –named Head Huggers — scarves and clothing, using local and sustainably sourced fabrics and materials when possible.
“I focused and have built my company on quality products and producing them in a small batch way,” Aly wrote. “My accessory line grew but my passion was in my clothing designs always and the way a piece of clothing can enhance any body type. I began doing arts and crafts shows all over the country, and this quickly became a large source of income for my company and family.”
She added, “I have been blessed to watch my company grow tremendously. I generally do 30-40 art shows around the country a year and have created a wide range of customers and a following over the years that I adore.”
In January, Aly and Beau decided it was time to take the leap and open their own brick-and-mortar storefront, in New Richmond.
The store is called The Collective, and the couple is working to rehab an old church off of state Route 52 to use as their storefront.
“I am so excited to bring this dream to light,” Aly wrote. “I see the potential in the village of New Richmond. It’s such a cute and quaint river town. The history and architecture is phenomenal.”
She added, “This is a faith leap into our community. I’m hopeful what I have planned is well received and helps revive our village some.”
As part of The Collective, Aly plans to invite a “curated collection of artists, most local, but some regional ones as well,” to display and sell their wares.
But, in the midst of their planning, the COVID-19 pandemic has landed.
The arts and crafts shows that Aly usually attends have been cancelled, and the opening of their new storefront has been put on hold.
“Obviously we are anxiously awaiting a good time to have a grand opening,” Aly wrote.
Yet, rather than be discouraged by the extraordinary circumstances, Aly jumped into action, and decided that she would use her sewing skills to help protect some of the people fighting on the front lines of the COVID-19 pandemic; healthcare workers.
First, Aly started taking requests from some of her friends in the nursing profession. They were telling her that the skin behind their ears was being rubbed raw by the elastic on their face masks, which they were now wearing during the duration of their long shifts.
Aly started designing a solution, and came up with the idea to add buttons – of which to loop the elastic ears circles around – to her already successful Head Hugger hair wraps.
“My headbands are wide and soft and durable. I use high quality fabrics and industrial grade machines to create them,” Aly wrote. “I decided to donate 200. My friends stepped up to sew buttons on.”
She added, “My heart swelled with pride.”
Aly then decided she would start utilizing the one-for-one business model – for every one of an item purchased, the company will give away one of that item to someone who needs it – for her modified Head Huggers, to donate more of the product to those who needed it.
“So I made a social media post and sent out a newsletter and the response has been greater than I could have imagined,” Aly wrote.
Then, people started reaching out to Aly about creating face masks.
“I am part of a large ‘family’ of artists. Almost every person I know that can sew is making masks. So originally I thought I could help them, but focus on the headbands,” she wrote. “But, the inquiries continued to roll in.”
Aly had already started researching and drafting patterns for face masks, which was motivated by her sister who works as an emergency dental assistant in Santa Fe, New Mexico.
“I wanted to make masks for them, along with my own family and then send the rest to the places that needed them and the friends already making masks,” she wrote. “But, as the emails and messages kept coming in, I decided I’d go ahead and put my designs I had come up with on my website.”
She added, “I had no idea the need or response that would follow.” 
Now, following the same one-for-one business model that she is using for her Head Huggers, Aly is churning out face masks.
“I have only been making the masks for a few weeks now,” she wrote. “They sell or are donated as fast as I can make them.”
Aly has already sold some 200 face masks and donated nearly 100, and also she’s donated nearly 800 Head Huggers with buttons, all of which she estimates has a total retail value of $8,000.
“That’s a big deal for my little business,” she wrote, adding, “I’m grateful to be able to provide a product that is useful and loved … I believe there is always a silver lining and I try to find it in all situations. This has really brought out the best in humans and how much we all really care for each other.”
Aly offers two different face mask styles in three different sizes.
“The designs I am offering I felt provided the best coverage while being comfortable to wear,” she described. “I am using [three] layers of fabric, at least one being the organic bamboo, and have pockets for optional/additional filters. You can wash and reuse. I’m hoping these will help make people feel safe and comfortable while helping to flatten the curve of the virus.”
Looking ahead, Aly is excited to eventually open her family’s new storefront, but in the meantime, she’s focused on her current sewing project; her new charge.
“I am grateful my gift is needed and useful at this time. I’m grateful I have a current product that is helpful – with added buttons – and that I have the capacity to produce masks, in a small batch production manner,” she wrote. “It’s strange to transition to this, although it’s helpful and useful. It’s kind of a wave of emotions, all the feels, as I like to say.”
She added, “It’s hard not preparing for my art show season and the excitement of seeing all the people spread out all over the country, that I love. It’s surreal really. But I’m also very grateful to have a purpose and mission during this time, besides keeping my family healthy and safe. I hope my mission continues to be well received as we move forward into the unknown.”
For more information about KreativeMindz, or to place an order, email Aly Stacy at [email protected] or visit www.kreativemindzshop.com or look for the business on Facebook and Instagram at @kreativemindzbiz and @thecollectivenr.