Deb Luttrell and Clay Luttrell have been named the District 2020 Small Business Person of the Year by the Dallas-Fort Worth Small Business Administration. The national winner will be announced in early May during National Small Business Week.

The mother-son team operates Stitchin’ Heaven, Texas’ largest quilt shop and online destination for quilters.

Deb Luttrell founded Stitchin’ Heaven in 1996 and has grown the quilt shop from a small storefront into a multimillion-dollar family-run business that provides quilters around the world with unique fabrics, supplies and projects, plus creative outlets for education and group travel. Involved from the brand’s inception, her son, Clay, officially joined Stitchin’ Heaven full-time in 2017. As co-owner, he was instrumental in recent growth and facilitating the opening of a new 17,500 square-foot shop in Quitman in October 2019. Plans for additional construction to further expand Stitchin’ Heaven’s e-commerce capabilities and offer on-site lodging for an all-inclusive immersive experience are in the works for later this year. 

“We are very honored, grateful, and appreciative for the SBA award. We are excited for the growth that will be happening in Quitman for years to come,” Clay said.

The Dallas-Fort Worth Small Business Administration will make an official announcement that includes all 2020 award winners during National Small Business Week May 3-9. For more than 50 years, National Small Business Week has celebrated the inspiring achievements of America’s small businesses and the countless contributions they make to local communities and our nation’s economy.

“Being recognized for all of the hard work, creativity and resiliency it takes to build and sustain a small business is so rewarding,” said Deb. “Clay and I would like to thank all of our loyal customers who have been faithful to the business, our dedicated employees who work hard every day to provide exceptional service, our family who have played such a key role in the success of Stitchin’ Heaven, and the City of Quitman for their continued support. We have big plans for 2020 and beyond and can’t wait to continue growing as a household name for quilters around the country.”

The Luttrells and other winners will be recognized at a luncheon May 8 at the Sheraton Arlington Hotel. National award winners will be honored in late May in Washington, D.C.