See, that's a perfect example to me of how quilt shop owners may too often be hobbyists rather than business minded people. It really IS too bad they couldn't have gotten together, pooled their resources, created a new business plan and shop, and kept the community supplied.
I don't know your community, admittedly, but betting they were totally independent of each other and rarely encouraged customers to visit the other shops, or shared teachers, or coordinated their fabric buying plans. That's what too many shops do. So sad, so sad.
Jan in VA