I like a shop that welcomes you when you walk in the door....not just the salesperson calling out a "Hi"...but a welcoming attitude. My favorite shops mix in a few old fashioned props for putting a sample on or for on top a shelf...old irons...the old wooden ironing boards...a treadle machine...the old wooden spools of thread in a mason jar. It just reminds me of Grandma's house. A few free sewing times a year are a great bonus.