My nearest LQS is 30 miles away. It is a lovely shop but very small. I travelled 50 miles today, to find 1 yard of fabric to co-ordinate with the triple Irish Chain I am making. Thankfully, they had a fabric that (I hope) will work. The price--$15.49 a meter (40 inches)--gulp!! But I was able to take along my other fabrics, lay them out on the cutting table, in the design specifications, and then audition other fabrics. You just cannot do that online.
I would dearly love to support any LQS, if it meant that I did not have to drive an hour to get to them, and if they did not treat me as a pariah for bringing in non LQS fabrics for projects.