I don't understand how the quilt police got involved in this. Someone asked for an explanation, and everyone has chimed in with their opinion. In 9 pages of posts, I have not seen ONE single post that made me think the poster was the quilt police. I haven't seen anyone say "YOU should not shop there because..." They are simply stating their opinion, their reasons behind their choices, which is great because maybe someone came up with a reason that I hadn't considered. Since when did expressing an opinion become offensive?
I cannot speak to the quality of Joann's vs LQS fabric. I refuse to shop at Joann's because I hate their customer no-service, their long lines, and - more than anything - their coupon shenanigans. There are certain LQSes around here that I won't shop at either, mostly because of the attitudes of the owners. And I'm not talking snooty attitudes, either. One is overly inquisitive and snoopy about my personal life, I have to be downright rude to her to get her to leave me alone. I don't enjoy that experience, so I won't shop there. Another owner is overly talkative and shares way too much detail about her personal life, and she can't measure and cut while she's talking. She will follow me all the way out to the parking lot and stand there while my engine is running, talking. But these are simply MY experiences and the reasons why I won't shop there. If you like Joann's coupons, then by all means, shop there. If you prefer to support your LQS and can handle the personality quirks, then shop there. I am not telling anyone that they should or should not shop certain retailers, I am simply explaining the reasons behind MY choices.