Well, here we go again! I will drive over fifty miles to my favorite quilt shop located in LaPlata, Maryland because of the friendly (I repeat friendly) and helpful staff. Like some of the others have posted, I too will not leave that store without purchasing something. I do want the good quilt shops to stay in business. But here's my complaint.
We have had a local quilt shop that has changed hands three times. With each new owner I am so hopeful that we get a friendly place, with staff who not only acknowledge your presence but are helpful. The customer of course should say hello, but the shop owner and staff should automatically greet folks. The customer is doing the shop a favor too whenever she/he walk in there. When we first moved to this area, I sent my husband with a list of items I needed for a quilt. The owner was seated in her back room the entire time, along with some of her friends. Not once did they greet my husband or ask if he needed help which he did need, not being familiar with all the stuff I wanted. Finally, he walked up to this person and asked if she ran a shop or a museum?
During the annual Tour de Quilt a friend asked if I would take her to the local quilt shop. We entered at the same time an elderly couple did. None of us were greeted, even though they were not busy. When I asked about the free pattern you could pick up that usually is located near the registers, the clerk said it's over against the wall. No offer to help us locate the pattern, no nothing. Another time when a friend asked me to take her to this same shop, we found a table stacked with the shop samples that were on sale. No prices or tags were attached and no one knew anything about this. We asked if one of the clerks could call the owner to inquire about the prices because my friend was ready to purchase several items. Again, no one wanted to call. A cash sale walked out the door.
Mention has been made of the tough economic times we are in. Most elderly on fixed incomes cannot afford quilt shop prices. Doesn't it seem a good business practice to pay attention to those of us who do purchase at your shop? I do not belittle those who buy at Jo-Ann's or at Hancocks, because that's the "snob" factor at work. In these tough times, good businesses will indeed remain open often due to what's called "good will"--their reputation in the community.
This post is too long, but it's my opinion and one that I've written about before. Yes, I will support the good quilt shops...and I will purchase on-line or anyplace where I find a bargain. :-D