Three independent fabric stores closing
 

This spring three fabric shops are closing within a 20 mile radius of where I live. Two say they are retiring and one said she needed to be home as a single mom. I wonder if the economy has anything to do with the closings?

two are retiring.
one wants to stay home with her children.

although i'm sure their customers will miss the shops, those are three lucky families who can afford to choose their preferred lifestyles. be happy for them. :)

These three quilt shops seem to have good reasons for closing, but often the quilt shops don't survive because they are not active with holding classes, online sales, and/or producing videos, and that seems to be what it takes for a quilt shop to survive well in today's world. There is just too much competition, especially online.

The many posts about where our forum members shop (online) exemplifies this. Online sales is where quilting is heading.
Sandy

I buy 99% of my fabric online. The prices are always so much better when you find sales. I just can't afford to pay exorbitant prices for fabric. Found a gorgeous fabric line yesterday, all hand dyed- over $40 a yard. Beautiful for those who can afford it-but this retired teacher cannot.

I shop on line also, but only because the nearest shop is over an hour away. I would much rather be able to touch and feel and see what I am buying. I think every quilt shop has an atmosphere of their own, and I just love that. I love looking at all the samples they have hanging. I investigate every nook and cranny.

I feel sorry for brick and mortar stores. There is a lot of overhead and the price competition from online stores is fierce. I do a lot of online shopping and one of the things I really like is the ability to find the fabrics I want at the best possible price.

But I do agree with an earlier comment about local stores having lots of activity and classes. That is a sure-fire draw and you know I'm not going to walk away without making other purchases. :D

It isn't just quilt shops. I think the economy has something to do with it of course. For pete's sake everything from food, gas, medical is going up up up. But internet sales have a lot to do with it too.

A quilt shop near here came up with a brilliant idea to bring in business, in my opinion. They started monthly "clubs." For instance, a Civil War one, a Crazy Quilt one, an Applique one, a Modern one. I go to the Piecing one. There are usually around 30 gals. We work out of the same book for the whole year. After Club, there's a beeline out to the shop because everyone gets inspired! Of course this probably works because the shop (in a smaller town) is located close to a larger city.

And I also wanted to say that I do shop online too. The LQS may carry a couple fabrics from a new line, but online there's the whole line of fabrics. Or they don't carry all colors of the solids that I like. So I shop both places.

Keeping a quilt shop running is a daunting job. People don't just want you to have goods to sell, you have to educate and entertain them as well (classes, clubs, newsletters, websites, etc). But they want the prices that they can find on the internet. When I used to sell fabric, books, notions, etc., I would actually have people come in and ask me to help them with their quilt, but they had purchased the items elsewhere. Huh????? There is a reason the shops have to charge more, you are getting more for your money!

I have a friend that has a gift/home decorating shop. Yes, she has to have a good selection of goods, and she does put time into displaying those nicely. HOWEVER, she does NOT send out a newsletter, she does NOT have to create samples, she does NOT have to cut kits and fat quarters, she does NOT teach classes or put on demos. She can hire high school students to run the cash register - they do not have to have knowledge of how to combine fabrics, interpret a pattern, figure yardage and all the other things you would want in a good quilt store clerk.

Often times shops will close due to owner burnout. And I do think the economy and online shopping are affecting local shops as well. Sad.

Andi

I almost cried when I found out the owners of our fabric store was retiring.

I rarely shop online but then we are fortunate to have several quilt shops in our town. Once in a while a friend and I take a road trip and do some shopping.

Abd,

Can you tell us what shops are closing? I am in the western part of the state often and wonder if I've visited the ones that are closing. Thanks.

I have never shopped online. I'm lucky to still have two thriving stores within 30 minutes west and north of my home. There's nothing like feeling your way through a sea of fabric!!

I live in Mooresville, NC just north of Charlotte and was wondering which shops are closing. I've been to several in western nc and they all were very nice. I hate to see shops close but understand that life changes an be a. If difference. The economy is taking a toll, too, since the cost of fabric is going up and up and quilters are not always able or willing to pay $10 and over.

Thanks for the info - I'll pass the info along to my quilt guilds in Mooresville and Lincolnton (day guild).
Sandy in Mooresville, NC - but up in York, PA visiting family and have already attended AQS Lancaster and helped the economy greatly!!!

I much prefer to feel the fabric before buying so do my shopping at the LQS, hardly ever online. I can understand the two that are retiring, but how does a single mother have the option to stay home with her children? That reason just doesn't seem like the reason the shop is closing.

One of these closing shops is where I shop. Love this shop, beautiful fabric.She is retiring after many years of teaching and being a nurse, then owing a fabric shop.They had many classes back a year or so. No classes now and a closing sale, very sad.We have a big and very active guild, so maybe someone will be able to open another shop. But will really miss these ladies.

I want to buy online but I need to feel the fabric and see the colors in person. That being said I can't afford the LQS prices so I buy the best I can from JoAnn Fabrics when there's a good sale. Most of the really nice stuff is out of my price range now that I've retired. Should have bought more when I was working.