Barb, so sorry to hear about everything going on at your LQS. Honestly I cannot believe she has allowed this to happen. The quilt shop closest to me offers retreats on a very regular basis and will sometimes, not all the times, have assigned seating but I have never heard of a shop having chairs with peoples names on them. For me that would be a total turn off and I probably would not frequent that show. However, also for me I have another shop that is only 2 miles further away than the one I usually frequent.
I hope your class goes well and that you feel welcomed. If not I would make sure the owner knows why you will not be supporting her store in the future. There are plenty on on-line stores; however, it is not the same as walking into an actual shop.
Speaking of on-line stores. What are some of the members favorites? Here are my main two.
Connecting Threads
Quilters Obsessions