My LQS did not return after Ike came thru, so I have to drive about25 miles to get to one, so I do buy a lot on line now.
As for friendly LQS, I go to a family reunion in Kentucky (about 20 miles out of Bowling Green) in August and my cousin's wife and I plan a sop hop every year. Each year we go in a different direction. We discovered many were closed, we have found a couple of places that should not call themselves quilt shops, and we have found some delightful ones. We always buy from the shops we like. We have been a little surprised to see how scarce LQSs are in some areas, Nashville for one.
If the shop is not friendly and welcoming, I do not buy anything. Their is no excuse for rudeness. Like the scene in the movie Pretty Woman, "Big mistake".