I would be devastated and I'm sure my quilts would not look nearly as nice because I find the ladies at the LQS (and even some of the clerks at Joann, for that matter) to be very helpful with picking colors & knowledgeable about techniques. Yes, there are some items I buy online (patterns, bulk batting, most of my thread since local shops only carry certain colors/weights, rotary blades & such), but all of my fabric comes from local stores & a fair number of the notions I buy come from them as well. I enjoy talking with other quilters and sharing ideas too much to buy everything online -- plus, I can't rely on my computer to get the color & density of the fabric portrayed accurately enough to trust so I could buy online.
I am blessed to have 5 LQS's within easy driving distance of my home & they are each a little different so I visit all of them from time to time. We also have a Hobby Lobby & a JAF in the town in which I live. I enjoy going there to pick out fabrics & find that my clients really enjoy that part of the process, too. There is nothing like lining up 10 different bolts of fabric together to help you begin to envision what the applique will look like on the quilt.
