I live in a major metropolitan area and have seen several quilt stores close recently. I live within a 10-mile radius of 5 Joann's and three WalMarts. Joann's is still going strong but two of the WalMarts have stopped carrying fabric. I often shop online for fabric and have noticed an uptick in special sales from my usual vendors and more breaks in their shipping costs as incentives. This is a very tough economy.