Originally Posted by Greenheron
Have a thought for struggling shop owners. The upturn in prices means a downturn in trade. With overhead and investment in inventory they are not going to be able to make ends meet. Prepare to watch them go out of business. And won't we MISS them? Walmart and online retailers will not and cannot replace the quality, service and fellowship of the LQS.
This is how I feel as well. Now, there are some "bad eggs" out there in terms of LQSs. I'm thinking of the one someone posted about where she signed up for a class and they changed the class requirements on her and said they would be "required" to have their quilts quilted by a specific person, and "required" to do other things for additional cost, and then fussed when the person asked for her money back because it wasn't the original class! Some people should not be in business.
BUT. There are others who have done well by us and do everything they possibly can for us. It's not their fault things are rough. I like getting a deal as well as the next person, but I also want them to stay in business. A local sewing shop (not quilting, but he sold machines and had classes, etc) recently went out of business. How many more will go?