Fabrics & Findings: Rochester’s Neighborhood Fabric & Upholstery Hub
Tucked into the historic Anderson Arts Building in Rochester’s Neighborhood of the Arts, Fabrics & Findings has been part of the city’s creative life for nearly half a century. From its beginnings as a bustling craft store in the 1970s to its present role as a go-to destination for upholstery, drapery, foam, and custom home furnishings, the shop has grown and evolved along with the neighborhood around it.
Rochester roots: a 1977 beginning
Fabrics & Findings first opened its doors in 1977 as Rochester’s leading fabric and craft store. In those early days, the shop was owned and operated by Arthur Goldfedder, who built a reputation for stocking a wide range of fabrics and craft supplies and for offering hands-on, personal help to customers.
Over time, the store became known not just for bolts of fabric and notions but as a kind of creative clubhouse: a place where home sewists, quilters, upholsterers, and DIY decorators could browse, ask questions, and come away with both materials and ideas.
Growing with the neighborhood
As Rochester’s Neighborhood of the Arts and the Village Gate / Anderson Arts complex developed into a hub for studios, galleries, and independent businesses, Fabrics & Findings settled into its home at 30 Anderson Avenue—just steps from the Memorial Art Gallery and minutes from Brighton, Pittsford, Henrietta, Webster, and the rest of greater Rochester.
The brick façade with its distinctive sign featuring the building illustration became a familiar landmark to locals driving down Anderson Avenue. Inside, rows of upholstery and drapery fabrics, leather and vinyl, quilting cottons, and foam share space with a working upholstery shop, where furniture is rebuilt and reimagined just beyond the showroom floor.
From fabric store to full-service workroom
Over the decades, Fabrics & Findings shifted from being primarily a craft and fabric retailer to a full-service workroom and design resource. Today, the business offers:
Upholstery for residential and commercial furniture
Custom slipcovers tailored to fit each piece
Drapery and window treatments, including Roman shades, cornices, valances, and blackout/thermal options
Custom bedding, from duvet covers and pillow shams to headboards and bed skirts
Foam services, including replacements for couch and chair cushions, mattress toppers, and specialty foam for projects like gym mats and restaurant seating
The showroom still carries in-stock rolls and remnants for same-day purchase, plus an extensive library of fabric samples for special orders. Customers can come in with a project idea—from a single dining chair to a full-room refresh—and get help choosing fabrics, foam, and details that fit both style and budget.
A local favorite in a changing retail landscape
In recent years, as big-box craft chains and national fabric retailers have opened and closed around Rochester, Fabrics & Findings has stood out for its combination of local expertise and in-house craftsmanship. The store is frequently mentioned in regional roundups of where to buy fabric and sewing supplies and is recommended as an alternative when larger chains shut down locations.
Online reviews highlight the same themes again and again: a deep selection of upholstery fabrics, friendly and knowledgeable staff, help with everything from choosing foam density to picking stain-resistant fabrics, and workmanship that holds up for years.
Classes, collaboration, and hands-on help
Beyond fabric and services, Fabrics & Findings leans into its role as a learning space. The shop offers classes and workshops in areas like slipcovers, upholstery basics, and sewing techniques, giving customers a chance to build skills while working with professional tools and materials. These offerings reinforce the store’s identity as both a retail shop and a working studio—more “maker space” than mere showroom.
Because the upholstery workroom is attached to the retail floor, customers also see projects in progress: chairs stripped down to their frames, cushions being rebuilt, and fabrics being patterned and sewn. That transparency helps demystify the process and underscores the value of custom work in an era of disposable furniture.
Present day: custom, local, and still in the neighborhood
Today, Fabrics & Findings continues to operate out of 30 Anderson Avenue with a team focused on both everyday sewing needs and large-scale custom projects. The business serves homeowners refreshing a single piece of furniture, restaurants and offices upgrading seating, and designers seeking a local partner for upholstery, window treatments, and bedding.
Typical hours run Tuesday through Saturday, and the shop remains easy to reach from most of the Rochester area. Customers can request quotes online or by phone, or simply walk into the showroom—no appointment needed—to look at fabrics and talk through ideas.
Looking ahead
As sewing, upholstery, and home décor enjoy a resurgence among people who want durable, customized pieces instead of throwaway furnishings, Fabrics & Findings is well positioned for the future. Its mix of heritage (since 1977), craft knowledge, and a working in-house shop gives it a distinctive place in Rochester’s creative economy.
Still rooted in the same arts district where it began, the business continues to live up to its tagline: Rochester’s favorite shop for upholstery, drapery, fabrics, foam and more—a local institution that keeps adapting while staying true to its craft-driven roots.
