I work PT in a LQS. One thing that the owner does is to have classes taught/lead by local quilters. This means that several of our customers are always on the look out for what is new to bring in as a class. The classes, in addition to teaching new methods/ideas, allow for friendships to develop and grow. BTW, I think your ideas for a shop sound great. If the owner of your LQS takes your idea about the pen/marker, you might want to keep feeding her ideas. Be careful - you might end up working there.

I help support, LOL, a quilt store that has a demo. day once a month, showcasing new tools, fabric, handy hints, new patterns. You can attend in the morning at 10 or about 1 in the afternoon. They always have a pot of coffee, or tea water on hand with home made cookies, printed recpies for cookies are there too.

I would carry fabric I didn't like so I would have a variety of fabrics. So many owners don't carry a variety of styles. I would also sell lots,of,kits.

Would love it if I could rent an embroidery machine to make quilt labels like people rent LA machines. I don't know if that is feasible. Also, parking stinks at my LQS. Ample parking would be nice. I love the specialty feet for the babylock machines available at my DSILs LQS.

The LQS I worked in does have a lot of what you say. I agree with you 100% on the later hours!!!! Before retirement I HATED when shops closed before I got off work! And no, I don't want to go back out on Saturday to get what I want....I want to SEW!!!!
Having lots of classes, being willing to have a class for even ONE customer spreads the word!!! Greeting people nicely when they walk in the door is important. But having the right notions is important!!!! Read all the quilt magazines when they come out -- look for "new" items. If I see them in the magazine, I want that product.....and hate it when I can't get it!!!

The biggest compliment our shop gets is that we have tons of samples...of everything! And the pattern, fabric and possibly classes for those samples!!! And change those samples even if you just move them around --- what I didn't see a week ago, I just may see today because you moved it and then I'll BUY!

Constantly bringing in new fabric --- yeah, important.

lots of samples...that change! nto the same thing from six months ago <g>. if you are going to carry machines...be able to troubleshoot AND repair/maintain that brand! offer better hours suited to working folk...including classes. and while i like project classes, i'd also like one or two hours class on a technique...binding for example.

If I owned a quilt store...
Didle deedle didle digga digga deedle didle dum...

Sorry...the title of your thread put that song in my head.

As to your question, as a newbie I've seen a couple of things that I know I wouldn't do as a shop owner:

• Hang an arbitrary quilt on/near fabric bolts. Where is the FABRIC for that lovely quilt? Where is the PATTERN for it?
• Website that the shop offers classes, but leaves it up to the customer to decide what he/she wants (ie: there are no 'set' classes, but merely something that essentially says: "call us and tell us what you want for a class") I don't KNOW what I don't KNOW...how can I possibly tell you what I want/need in a class if I have no clue about the hobby?!

I would like everything about your store specially the staying open later. I work full time do can't get to my sewing until my LQS closes so if I really need something to complete my project it has to wait until I have a day off. I also like notions and tools that actually work like their hype says they do.

Teeler, you're funny. But I know the tune you are singing to. LOL Fiddler on the Roof?

Is it "if I were a rich man" from Fiddler On The Roof?