I am a retired principal and fantasized about owning a quilt shop. I currently work at one, and found out very quickly there is far more to it than meets the eye. If I were younger, I would consider it...after taking many classes in marketing, computers, art, fabric knowledge (such as how threads are made, dyes, fabric lines, machine design and mechanics, etc.). The profit margin is not great and you have to be able to anticipate your customer needs or you wind up with full bolts of fabric that don't move. As customers, we see the "fun" part of it: Choosing things to sell, talking with customers, classes, sales, etc. These are just some things to consider.