I know it's tough- I'm on a very fixed income- but I'm afraid you're going to find it everywhere. The local shops have told me that the mfgs have all gone up significantly, so they're having to pick and choose a little more carefully what lines they carry. I'm afraid it goes along with the rest of the economy. One of my LQS's has been running 40% sales off all her fabric, but as you know, most never run sales at all. This lady and her two daughters run it, and she is just a doll, and would rather do more volume and keep her customers happy. Our BIG shop has never run a sale, but they continue to thrive, so there you go!