Interesting that you bring this up - I also went to our Hancock's today - just to find something to match a fabric I already had. As I walked around the aisles, it was apparent that bolts were just jammed in where-ever, with little sense of organization. The general feeling in the store was depressing, dirty and uncared for. On top of that, I saw a couple of bolts of cotton fabric mixed in with the other cotton fabrics that were $12.99 a yard! At Hancock's! They didn't look much different than the $4.99 bolts right around them. I hope this isn't a sign of things to come.
I went next door to Hobby Lobby - and did find a matching fabric that I was satisfied with. I took it to the table to be cut, and the woman working there spent a long, slow time cleaning up previously cut fabrics, putting one in a plastic bag (there were no other customers there at the time). I was standing right at the table and know that she knew I was there. When she couldn't find anything else to do, she looked at me. No 'can I help you' or 'what do you want' or anything! I handed her the bolt and asked for one yard. You'd have thought I asked her to run a full marathon. She begrudgingly cut the yard and handed me the fabric with the ticket without a word.
Why do people working at these stores think it's okay to keep the place a dump and treat us like we are a bother to them? I felt so depressed with humanity that when I came home I put the yard of fabric away and don't know when I might pull it out again.
My experiences with ordering online have been so positive - I may just be one of those quilters who order everything online. (I'm sorry if I've diverted from the original topic of this thread. It just hit a nerve with me.)