From my travels around, I think the most successful shops are:
1)..shops that have classes..you HAVE to stimulate your clients. You HAVE to keep them trying new ideas, new patterns, and buying new fabric.
2)..shops that have sales staff that KNOW how to quilt. Do NOT put someone at the desk to cut out fabric that doesn't know how to do it!!! Trust me, i've been to shops and have gotten disgusted.
3)..will it be profitable. That's up to you and all of the above. Don't spend a fortune on a fancy building.....but DO provide supplies -- notions besides fabric.
I went into a shop recently and asked if they had the Clover folding pen. The woman had no idea what I was talking about....so I described it. She said no. I walked around the corner and looked at the notions wall and there it was. I told her....she said she had no idea what it was. The shop was small and my GF and I were the only ones in there. Yeah, if you don't know what you have, how can you sell it?????
good luck!
