Opinions please....
 

I've had a thought that keeps bouncing around in my head, and would like to hear some opinions, for/against/who cares on it.

How would you feel about shopping at a store that only had end-lots, or end-bolts, pre-cuts, at reduced
prices? Sort of like a bargain corner stand-alone store?

I haven't thought it out thoroughly and in detail, but it's one of those things that keeps popping into my head unannounced!

Thanks for your ever-helpful opinions!

Deb

if the cuts are usable sizes and decent material and cheap------------I'm in.

but a store that sold only this and nothing more? Where would the inventory come from?

Most fabric stores have end of bolts and clearance fabric. I wouldn't buy precuts unless it had each fabric from the designer line. That's the main advantage of buying precuts. You have to be sure the precuts would not bleed, you don't pre wash pre cuts. If the fabric you will be selling is not good quality it doesn't matter how cheap it is and how cheap can you sell good quality that others aren't? If you can then you have a start of a great business.

Depending on the price I would be interested. I hate doing the cutting. However when I have purchased kits I never seem to have enough fabric. By the time I get to this point the store no longer has that fabric. So this could be a problem with this kind of store.

Are you 'thinking' of opening a store? IMHO, it would risky. It would be selling to a limited number of clientele.

For quilt backings, yes.

Check out this store:

http://yourcaliforniafabric.com/

I'd shop at the type of store you are describing!

I had forgotten about this place.

Interesting concept. Thanks for the link Willferg...did not know about this, now it's listed on my fave list. I personally like to mix and match my stuff because I'm still learning. I don't have the basics down enough to take on a 'dedicated' color designed quilt just yet.

There are several Mill End Textiles stores in our area (southern Minnesota) - I think they started out with items like you mentioned (except for the pre-cuts).

Now they are quite large and carry a range of fabrics.

S. R. Harris is a large "outlet" fabric store located in a suburb northwest of Minneapolis, Minnesota.

I would probably only be interested in stopping by to shop at a "big" store.

I used to go to a couple of stores like this, one in Medford MA and one in central MA. Lots of fun, you never knew what you would find. The first one had seconds of Vera fabrics among other things.

There's a store in my area that sells older fabrics. She has no notions of any kind or anything else other fabric stores have. The absolutely only thing she has is fabric. The last time I was in there the fabric was $2 a yard for solids and $3 a yard for prints. Most of the fabrics are decent brands but not the top brands. I haven't been in there for 2 or 3 years now and I don't think most of my friends shop there either.

The Mill end in our area began with really good prices, but now their prices are not that great.

Wait a minute! Shut the front door!

I live right down the street (no joke) from this place and didn't know it was there! THANK YOU FOR POSTING. :):):)

Yes I would shop there. Typically, I like collections so I grab precut collections when I have to have the fabric but don't know what to do with it yet. But if I need to add to something that I already have like for a border or a backing, I want it to be cheap...excellent quality and cheap. Shopping online works well for me...if online vs. brick and mortar is an option.

I know a couple that sells 5 yard quilt kits. Buys from the wholesalers in the midwest and repackages. There are great wholesale deals. Visited Choice Fabric in Tenn. and was blown away. This couple sells at quilt shows and opened a retail outlet that is open when they are in town.

I would probably not drive to an outlet but if close I would check them out. However, I have been able to acquire a great stash from garage sales and estate sales at pennies on the dollar. It would be a risky operation.

South Carolina used to have a jillion places you could buy fabric by the pound...and I loved them! But...they all phased out about the same time (20 or so years ago) and we only have a place or two left that sells like that now. And they're not close to where I live and, as far as I know, don't have an Internet presence. So that tells me that maybe that idea has been gone long enough to be re-surfacing again, maybe? I think your idea is a good one; but you do have some competition in NC, particularly through Mary Jo's in ?Gastonia...do your research carefully, you may be on to something.
Good luck!

Thanks for all your input. I value your opinions and thoughts, and will take everything you've said into consideration for my "maybe".

That's what I do now.

In Minnesota and maybe a couple of the surrounding states, there is a store called Mill End Textiles. They sell end lots, mismarks, etc., and they have a heavenly area of batiks. This store is where I fell in love with batiks. They will have a table with literally hundreds of fabrics--unfortunately they are not broken up by color--and if you dig you can find some great deals. I have gotten Jinny Beyer, lots of Benartex, RJR, and others. Also, if you are looking for a few yards, and there is a mistake in the print, they will cut it there, and then get your yardage. I have purchased fat quarters--lots of fat quarters. And their muslin--Roclon which is what is in the rest of the stores--is something like $4.00 a yard. Which means you can get it for $2.00 a yard with a coupon. I say, go for it!

Anita in Northfield, MN

I would definitely shop there..I am on dissability, so any way to keep my quilting affordable is good to me!!

there's one near me. none of the fabrics are labelled as to content. everything "apparel" (or not home dec weight) is in flat folds and the price and length are marked. upholstery and drapery fabrics are on long tubes and are labelled by cost per yard. there are trims sometimes. wallpaper rolls, cheap knick knacks and some candy show up sometimes, and discontinued patterns and sewing pattern books. they have a big sale every 3-4 months. in between the sales events they sell very little. i have never seen lqs quality fabrics, but the home dec fabrics are excellent as are their prices. the sales staff only knows where to find things, but not what the fabrics contain.

I checked out the link, but didn't think it was such a great deal. Average $6.25 per yard. Granted, that is a great price for yardage, but not for small pieces. IMHO. Guess I am just hesitant that there would be too many pieces in the scrap bag that I didn't like.

Thousands of Bolts is like this and I love their fabric!

I have no outlets or Mill ends near me, so thanks for the information and the link! I'm going to check it out!

I would shop there if the fabric was good quality and there was enough yardage to be useable.

What town? Is it within a reasonable driving distance from Kansas City? I think there might be a day trip there.

When I lived in Rapid City, SD, we had a huge Ben Franklin store near my home and they sold these. One has to careful, as you may not be getting quality fabric. I have bought many pieces and have used them in little wall hanging, or items that will not to used on a dialy basis.

I am a frequent shopper at such a store and have found some terrific fabric-sometimes same brands I find at the quilt shop for half the price. This store has an abundance of fabric of all qualities--I don't know where the owner gets the fabric. What some people forget this that not all fabric people buy is for quilts or clothing. Sometimes teachers need lots of yardage for bulletin board backs, crafters need table coverings to show their wares, etc. The store I visit has such a huge selection of trims that local dress makers often go there for items they need.

However, you need to know your potential market in your area. You may live in an area where people want to pay $12.95 a yard for fabric because that's a status symbol. Good luck, froggyintexas

If you hate cutting you need the accuquilt go. I have one and love it! I can cut out an entire quilt in an hour! Perfect cuts I just bought the dies for the 5" square and can now make my own charm packs!

you could buy the ends and if not large enough cut them into fat quarters there is some fabulous quilts out there made from fat quarters

Would shop in this type of store. Go for it!

I looked at the website and there were a couple of items that interested me. I like to go to Hancock Fabrics in Paducah everytime we are in the area and buy off their remnant table. I have found some neat stuff without having to wait in line to have it cut. For all those going to Paducah, look there for some neat stuff.

I'd certainly give this kind of store a try.

In the early 1980's we used to live in a small town in Florida that had exactly that kind of store but the inventory was mill ends from some of the great bedding factories along the East Coast. I was not a quilter at that time, and much of the fabric would not have been suitable for quilts, but it was a fantastic opportunity to get designer fabric for various decorating uses. I'm quite sure the store closed a long time ago because the mills moved to China. So the source of this type of inventory might be pretty difficult to track down, if not impossible. The large fabric stores sell their own bolt ends at a discount, and since that's one of the items that keeps some customers coming into the store, I doubt they'd be willing to off-load their extras on a competitor.

I had a cousin who worked in the mills in that area years ago. She'd buy 50 # bundles of mill ends and send it to my aunts who quilted. She'd get it super cheap. I never knew you could actually buy big pieces of fabric until I got out of high school...because they taught me how to quilt and I'd help them with their work-they sold their quilts locally. All the backs were pieced from the mill ends, they were just as pretty as the tops.

I was at a junk store once that sold fabric like that by the pounds. There was scale set up and you'd bag and weigh your fabric scraps. But you didn't know what the content was and I didn't think they'd appreciate me doing the burn test back in the corner of the store.

I'd be afraid to actually start of business like that myself. But if you already had a business that you could add a corner of fabric to-it would be a fun experiment.

I would be more than happy to shop in a store like this. Quilters like a bargain and can not resist even a sale. You would have to take into consideration of your overhead. Rent, heat, elec and telephone. Small store in a good neighborhood. Allow at least a year before thinking of making a profit.

For me, quality is the big thing. I don't want to put hors &the hours into a project only to have it fall apart in a short time. If the end bolts were if good quality I would be all for it but on the flip side, if the quality was good the price might have to reflect it. I visited a store similar to what your talking of years ago when I would go to a yearly quilt retreat. At first, fabric was really good, prices were too. Each year it seemed like the quality waned but the inventory increased. Last time I went the quality was horrible &the prices were the same as the LQS.