Originally Posted by
SuzieQuilts
...it is has nothing to do with fabric or notions. It is the way we feel. The level of personal service, help, and encouragement cannot be found anywhere else. The store owners and workers become our friends.
Don't get me wrong, I am glad you feel this way, but this has never been my experience at any of the LQS in my area, particularly the one in my town.
Regarding the comments about shops banding together and owners not being business-minded, I agree. It's a pity the owners couldn't have gotten together, discussed their preferences, created a buying co-op, and made it work. I've gone into shops where the main theme was a style of fabric that didn't appeal to me, and that's fine -- it may be just what someone else loves! I'm thinking of one that was predominantly Civil War fabrics and the like. I'd love it if the stores had themes and I knew which one to go to get what I wanted. Could work for everyone.
I met a young woman who had a tiny fabric store attached to her bicycle renting business in a tourist area. She had a couple hundred bolts maybe, from only maybe two or three companies. She told me the manufacturers had minimum purchases and she couldn't afford to buy from all of them, so she went with her favorites. Made sense to me. Just depends if enough other people also like your favorites
