It's not just the middle of the Oklahoma Panhandle -- I live less than 15 miles from several major shopping malls and several very busy highways. There is no place to buy fabric/thread/notions any more. The Rag Shop chain has closed; closest Joann's is about an hour away. Local Walmart has cut out the fabric/craft department. There is one excellent LQS about 20 minutes away but it down-sized and doesn't stock things like embroidery floss. I'm also 2 miles from the Lincoln Tunnel into mid-town Manhattan where there are very good fabric shops, but not quilting fabric. Fortunately there is The City Quilter which has a good supply of goodies for quilters. But the consumer who just wants a spool of thread to sew a button on is out of luck!!!