The one I go to most often has very helpful staff who have been there a good while. My friend went in on day when apparently one of the regulars was on vacation and the 'newbie' either didn't have a clue or just didn't care. The next time we went in she commented that the one who was there last week 'sure didn't last long'...
I realize that all kinds of stores are having to cut back because expenses are rising more quickly than profits. But if you cut back too much on staffing, it drives customers away and you've lost even more. Cutting fabric is labor intensive and the only way around that is precut fabrics, which doesn't always work out well.