A1 Vacuum & Sewing

Patrick Mulligan spent 25 years in software, helping companies find and hire senior executives, before he became an owner of A1 Vacuum & Sewing in Reno, where he is also one of the certified sewing technicians. The About page calls him a born tinkerer. Co-owner Jeanne Mulligan was an early customer on both the vacuum and sewing sides and has been a Baby Lock and Brother educator since the store began offering classes.

The Better Business Bureau profile for A-1 Vacuum & Sewing lists Patrick Mulligan as owner, a sole proprietorship in the vacuum cleaner repair and sewing machine repair categories, at 7007 S. Virginia St. The BBB gives a business start date of January 1, 1993 and lists the business as not accredited. The shop’s own site says it has served Reno for “over 40 years,” which is longer than the BBB’s 1993 start date, so that figure is the shop’s own claim.

Machines, fabric and kits

The shop sells canister, upright and pet vacuums, plus sewing, embroidery, quilting and serging machines and accessories. The site says it has grown into a top-10 retailer and service center for Brother sewing machines, a claim only the store makes. A fabric department opened in 2021, in the store and online, and the site carries kits and embroidery designs from designers including Kimberbell, OESD and Lori Holt.

The people and the classes

The About page names a team that includes Dax, a sewing and embroidery specialist who joined in 2014; Adam, the newest sewing machine technician; and Lori, the in-house seamstress and kit designer who has sewn since age 12. Suzanne and Lindsey teach classes, and Karen hosts livestream classes during the month, including sew-alongs. Pre-recorded classes and a class calendar are on the website.

The store is at 7007 S. Virginia St. and, per its website, is open Tuesday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., closed Sunday and Monday.

Contact A1 Vacuum & Sewing

7007 S. Virginia St., Reno
775-852-2323
Business website

Researched October 20, 2026 from the business’s own website and independent evidence. Source 1 · Source 2 · Source 3. Independent researched listing; not an owner interview. For corrections or removal, email cody@702alliance.com.