I try to visit quilt shops when I travel. I like to pick up a bundle of fat quarters or some other fabric that will remind me of the trip. On a recent trip I did a lot of research on shops in the area and ended up with a list of three or four. However, since I was the only quilter in the group I narrowed it down to one. When I walked into the shop I could hear a class taking place in the back room. The sales person showed no interest in helping me, possibly more interested in getting back to the class. I got the feeling I was intruding and left without buying anything. Mind you they had some pretty nice displays and beautiful fabric but I didn't feel welcome. On the other hand, I recently visited another small shop out of town. Not as much fabric, the displays weren't as impressive and quite a small inventory. However, although the sales person wasn't super friendly she was more than willing to answer questions and engage in conversation. I ended up buying several fat quarters and some yardage. So I would say a lot depends on your staff and how they treat customers.
a box of scrap fabric with kiddy scissors
I've seen this suggestion before but I have to wonder if it could end up causing problems. An unsupervised child might start snipping away at fabric on the bolts. I've been in retail and have seen what happens when parents get involved in their shopping and forget about the kids.