seamstome I sounds to me like you are ready to open a shop, it would be one I would go to. SOOOOoooo What is will the name of your shop be, where is your shop going to be and when is it going to open. LOL

I would realy like that yippie

I would like to see deals if you preorder whole bolts. Additionally e- mails that allert when new fabrics are arriving with images of what those fabrics are. Too many times I have gone to a LQS only to find less on a bolt than what I need, and no way to get additional.
The additional night hours is a huge issue.
Where are you in IL ?

Great ideas! With regard to classes, we have two local quilt shops here and both offer classes. However one requires you to buy their " fabric kit" to go with each class in addition to class fee and other supplies like rulers/books etc. The other store does not require for you to buy your fabric there but if you do they give a 205 discount on all supplies bought for a particular class. I absolutely will support my LQS but sometimes I do have the perfect focus fabric in my stash and just need some blenders etc. so I drive 30 minutes longer to the LQS that lets me do that. And I tend to buy more while there because I don't feel pressured to buy!

Seamstome your store sounds wonderful. I would only add plenty of workers to work the cutting table.

Oops 205 was 20% percent discount......fat fingers :/

The Red Rooster in Columbus, Oh has all the ingredients mentioned...wonderful place to shop...many samples...staff eager to help...visible LA Quilter so you can watch...all kinds of new products and fabrics...mega patterns and the products to complete them...classes. It's 50 miles from my home but well worth the drive.

For marketing:

Listen to your customers, they may just have some great ideas.

Label all quilt samples with at least the pattern name. You might want to add when a class on that technique is available.

If you post weekly or monthly mass e-mails, do so professionally. One of the e-mails I get is just regular e-mail. All the others have the pictures, logo, and lots of information. Guess where I don't go.

One of our LQS has a web site program where they do the managing of what goes on the site. They can add pictures and script. They have control.

Special events are great. Get the customers in the store, then they will buy or at least remember you with fondness and return quicker. With special events make sure you have enough staff for cutting fabric and checking customers out.

I love your ideas. Can I open a shop with you? I am the person who posted about all our shops closing in my area. I have found out this weekend that there are two more that I go to in Illinois that are closing. I WANT quality fabric. I admit to being a fabric snob, but that is just me. I like the idea of changing the samples more often, my husband found a quilt that he loved but it was made with material that we could not find (we went to about 30 different shops looking) I am making the pattern but he really wanted made with the same material.

Unfortunately the local LQS have workshops/classes only for their machines. I would make sure the workshop/classes included every machine and have on hand personnel that would know about it not just one specific person who works there. Don't get me wrong; its great to have someone who is proficient in 1 brand, but when that person is not there and one is told to come back another time, or I am told I don't know anything about that machine. Well that puts me off of going back to that LQS.
Its great to sell just one line of machines, but not all of us can afford the 12-15 thousand for their brand of machines. We are uniquely different as our machines are as well.