charlottequilts

Awful news, but thanks for sharing it. I agree that there's nothing like feeling the fabric and really seeing the color. Most of my stash is from KQ.

I wonder how hard Center Harbor tried to keep them, or if there was no hope. I would guess they were the reason the town was on the map.

sad hugs,
charlotte

Onebyone

I made a side trip to the shop when I visited Boston. The town was lovely. The store was beautiful but the staff was very on guard of sorts. I got the impression of strained niceness as long as no one caused problems. Very odd. No one was allowed to browse without an employee being along. The employee with me apologized for it. That was before it was sold and resold. The original owners had it. I haven't been back and have never ordered anything from them since. I never figured it out.

charlottequilts

Interesting. I was first there later, when the employees owned it, and it was great, but the second to last resale brought some of the behavior I think you experienced.

DH and I were there on a winter day, and there was only one other customer. The parking lot, clearly visible through multiple front windows, was, of course, nearly empty. His car was a very vibrant aqua that you could see from space, called "voodoo blue."

Since their lighting was (and is) horrible, we walked to the large, enclosed, entry porch, where bolts of fabrics were also displayed, conspicuously holding a bolt of fabric and some scraps I was trying to match. The person behind the cutting area all but leaped over the counter to accost us.

I mean really, would they not all have had time to copy our license plate if we carried our stolen bolt to the car (parked brightly and alone in the front row?) And then there was the extra time to mince down the slippery wooden ramp just to get to the car in one piece. It was insulting.

On a more crowded day, I might have mentioned it to an associate beforehand, but when the sales force greatly outnumbered the customers, it seemed so obvious as not to be necessary. Plus, that was also a fabric display area.

It took me awhile to go back, but by then, they were a small cog in a big machine and the workers were so unhappy and unhelpful, it was clear that major change would be needed to bring it back. Still, I did go occasionally, just to see and feel the fabric.

Since it was all arranged by color, there was no finding other fabrics in a given line,so I'd buy a little bit and then go home to find out what else was available online in a given group. No one working there seemed to recognize any lines at all and or want to look anything up in the computer.

i will miss them, but realistically, I am more missing what they were.

hugs,
charlotte

Onebyone

Yes it probably was during that time. Your experience was like the one I had. It ruined the visit for sure. I emailed the shop about the experience but of course never got a reply. If I was the new owner I'd change the name of it. Shake the past problems out and start new.

ladyinpurple135

Just remember about pineapple fabrics.com - they own Keepsake Quilting and will continue with the catalogue. Their warehouse is located about 3 hours east of me in Archdale, NC near Raleigh. They have warehouse sales about every 2 months and have a daily email where you can get great deals - so get on their list. I’ve probably recommended Pineapple Quilts before so please excuse, but I am very, very happy with them.