Swan Song

My favorite LQS closed when the owners moved to another state. I miss that shop so much. I took my first quilting classes there and they were so helpful. I could always find what I needed there. I stopped in to sew or visit often and left a lot of my money there. I miss that shop so much.

The shop closest to me now just depresses me. The owner is always telling you what to buy and how to do things but not in a helpful way. It is sort of like she wants you to make the quilt she wants to see. I don't know quite how to explain it but it keeps me away.

The other shops close to me have limited lines, really crazy prices (I just cannot bring myself to pay $13-$15/yd. plus tax) or treat you like you are bothering them if you ask a question.

I do the local shop hops twice a year and have found shops I love but they are always so far away that classes are out of the question and I have to plan a day if I want to go back. So I try to plan projects and buy fabric for them during the shop hops. Ok and if something speaks to me I buy it then also and stash it. If I need something in between I usually buy online. That's the best I can do until I find a shop close enough that I feel welcomed and happy to go into.

Mary Lou

I have said this all along about on line shoppers. My Husband and I are in business and I know what shopping on the internet has done to our business. I love going to quilt shops and hope they don't all disappear because of this.

QKO

Why not extend your business to the internet? The great majority of online stores are extensions of small businesses that have local presence in their own towns. 90+% of online quilt shops are extensions of local quilt shops.

Sure the big online stores, like the big chain stores, have a lot of resources, and they try to drive small online stores out of business as much as they do brick and mortar stores. But, if you find your niche and find ways to compete, you can work around the big stores' huge advantages.

Done properly, adding an online presence to your local store allows you to extend your market reach and your potential income. Sure, it takes a lot of time and work, and you get to lay out an investment in an internet presence, but once open you're open 24 hours a day/7 days a week, around the world.

jclinganrey

Bravo!!!Well said.

teddysmom

I always shop at a LQS if I can. The ladies there are quilters themselves so they can help me select fabrics, etc. If I go to a regular fabric store (like JoAnn's), the ladies are there only to cut the fabric that you need. I LOVE to shop at a local LQS.