Our Story
Katie's Treasures is a family owned and operated business which began in 1996 and grew from an interest in beading and beadcraft, with finished goods originally being the primary saleable product.
Cathy started by working at the markets every Sunday. Following repeated requests by numerous customers for beading supplies, Katie's Treasures expanded and began trading from a shopfront location at 72a Orchardtown Road, NEW LAMBTON, NSW, 2305 (in the "Blackbutt" Shopping Centre) in October 1998, as illustrated below:
Katie's Treasures continued to grow and prosper from our Orchardtown Road premises, to the point where we required a supplementary work and storage area which we occupied from March 2003. This was a temporary solution which only partially fulfilled our needs.
Although we weren't actually actively looking for a change, we were open to the possibilities and found a new location, which we occupied fully from mid July 2004.
We spent over five and a half eventful years at Orchardtown Road, where we started with a few pegboards covered with beads, to the point where we had literally "run out of space". As we had spent almost six years at Orchardtown Road, we left there with mixed feelings. However, for some time, as many of our customers who visit the shop will agree, we had needed more space to adequately display our stock and cater to our customers' requirements.
Our new location, only a few minutes drive from our previous location, enabled us to fulfil both of these needs, and much more.
The move to Waratah allowed us to expand and service all our needs from the one location. We "officially" began trading from our NEW SHOWROOM at Unit 1 / 27 Crescent Road, WARATAH, NSW, 2298 on the 19th of July, 2004. We also took the opportunity to extend our business hours to cater to our customers' needs.
Whilst Waratah allowed us the expansion we so desparately needed, after 5 years there we decided it was time for a change (a change is as good as a holiday, so they say, not sure we agree !). So, we moved lock, stock and umpteen barrels to premises at (Ground Floor) 723 Hunter Street, NEWCASTLE WEST, NSW, 2302.
We began trading in Hunter Street on Tuesday the 9th of June, 2009. We stayed in Hunter Street until April 2014, when, yes, we decided to move again and we moved back to WARATAH again !
We were located at Suite 1 / 70 Station Street, Waratah, NSW, 2298 until the end of February 2017 until we closed our retail store to operate Katie's Treasures as a mail order and internet sales business.
Katie's Treasures is still in business, running as a mail order and internet sales business.
Please use this webshop for orders, or contact us by telephone on 0447 410 338, email us at info@katiestreasures.com.au or postal mail to PO Box 6, Lambton, NSW, 2299.
This decision has not been made lightly, but has been brought about mainly due to health issues.
Our stock will be maintained as per the website and ultimately reduced to core lines such as Size 9 Japanese seed beads, Stenboden pattern books, beading forms and shapes, Miyuki Delica beads, Czech 11 hank beads, some books, magazines and patterns for Delicas (Jill Oxton Publications) and Size 11 beading (Anlaby patterns, Swarovski Crystals and a range of beading kits.
We would like to thank our valued customers for their continued loyalty over many years, and look forward to serving you in a new capacity from March 2017.
Katie's Treasures has always prided itself in offering personalised service covering a wide range of pre-packaged and bulk craft items, kits and miscellaneous products. We are primarily (but not only) Speciality Beadcraft Suppliers, and pride ourselves on our backup customer service, not just for supplies, but for 'technical support' as well.
Katie's Treasures is Newcastle's longest established specialist beadcraft business, catering for all beaders, from young crafters through to experienced bead weavers. Our enormous product range includes
- Miyuki Delica beads
- Japanese size 9's
- Czech beads
- Swarovski crystals (including vintage components)
- Danish Stenboden beading supplies
- jewellery findings
- stringing materials
- tools
- beading books
- kits - suitable for the inexperienced beader, right through to the highly competent beader.
Katie's Treasures services both wholesale and retail customers, and has a mail order service throughout Australia and overseas.
Many long standing customers from the early days are still frequent visitors, having become good friends in the process, as have many "newer" customers. Regulars will be well familiar with Katie's Treausres Customer Relations Officer (and most dedicated staff member), "Tilly", a Maltese Shih-Tzu cross, who has been coming to work faithfully five days a week for more almost ten years (having started when she was just six weeks old!).
If you require specific price and availability updates on any of the items we carry, or anything else you require, please contact one of our friendly staff.
Katie's Treasures seeks to provide the best possible products at competitive prices. We are constantly adding new products to our range, both as supplies and completed kits.