My closest quilt shop is almost an hour away. They are very nice and have special ordered many things for me and are always willing to go the extra mile. They will help you search for fabric or will leave you alone to shop by yourself-what ever you want to do.
I used to work in a quilt shop--now that is FUN!!! You get to fondle, drool, etc all day. And people bring in their projects (gorgeous) and ask for advice. You get to see a lot of neat quilts and learn from the customers too. It is a dream job-but you lose money-I spent my whole paycheck and then some-but oh, what a stash!!!!