Originally Posted by k_jupiter
I would be interested to know, how many communities where these Walmarts are located had small fabric shops before the 800 lb gorilla moved in? How many chose Walmart because it was cheaper?
I did. I became disabled almost 2 years ago and can no longer afford to pay $8 and up for a yard of fabric. I also can't afford to drive to the city to buy things from JoAnn's or Hancock Fabrics more than a couple times a year...I'm spending too much on medicine and doctor's visits. I can get designer quality fabric at our local WalMart (A.E. Nathan, for one, has several bolts of older flannel available at $3.47 a yard) for much less than what a quilt shop would charge.
I also do my grocery shopping there because it's what we can afford. Our income was cut down by over half when I had to stop working and we can't eat on what I can budget for our groceries if I shop at the local store that not only doesn't carry half the foods I need (hubby and I are on special diets) but has the things they do carry priced so high we'd run out of food before we ran out of week.
When I had the funds, I shopped at the LQS. I don't have that option any more. If it wasn't for the 800-pound gorilla, I wouldn't be quilting.
Trisha in MO