Make friends with nearby shops. Shop hops are a wonderful way to draw in new customers.
Website - a must! nowadays.
Newsletters don't have to be mailed. You can have them attached to your website.
Visit guilds - get them excited.
Display class quilts or kit quilts - make sure they are quilted and bound.
Have business cards from your local long arm quilters. Have a partnership with them. Have their customers drop off and pick up their quilts.
If you are taking over another shop - find something new to make you unique. Within four years time, one shop opened and closed and come to find out, all she did was try to build her inventory with fillers - she had no personality. Be the BRIGHTS shop or be the Thimbleberries shop (be both if you can afford). But you will need to try to separate yourself from the past owner - good, bad or indiffeent.
Best of luck ... owning a business is 24 hours/7 days a week.