I hate to say this but the LQS I went to when I was first getting into quilting treated me like crap. From that moment I made it a point that I would never deal with a LQS for all the tea in China.

They were too stuck up for me.

Billy

We have one of those in town that's Snooty, also - I don't go to that one anymore - and it's where I had my first quilting lesson (those were fine, though because the instructor was down to earth).

There's another one here that just recently went out of business and with their attitudes, very understandably why. I don't like when you go in one shop and the owner starts putting down other shops/owners in the same area.

I order on line from alot of different vendors. These are the stores I acutally go to and like alot
http://www.cityquilter.com I'm from NYC and they have great City fabric that I see nowhere else.
http://www.portsmouthfabric.com Portsmouth NH is too far away for me to go often, but guests always want to go for lobster and I go to the shop for fabric.
http://www.vermontquilting.com - huge selection, nice folks
http://www.quiltedthreads.com not cheap, but have a vast selection of gorgeous fabric and are truly nice people.
http://www.quiltaway.com has good sale fabric and a terrific batik selection, Carol is also a big Patrick Lose fan so I can get his old Playing with Marbles there usually.

Quilters Workshop on Main Street in Newport NH is my favorite - great people, great fabric and I can't find a website, although I know they have one.

I also love to shop at Usha Berlin's shop in Hudson, NY - Heirloom Batiks. She doesn't have a website, but does alot of shows. She's great and so are her fabrics.

To know their products, mainly the machines and software they sell. To follow through with classes on learning all that we could be with the machine. As with any craft in life....learning the short cuts and the ends and out is what makes you successful. This will also make the shop successful, because you are then willing to advertise them and their products.
Put this in terms of this board....who can't say they haven't learned something here. What have I done...recommended to my friends this is the place to be. I have learned so much just through reading the post that are made.

When my kids were small, the shop that was my favorite had a toy box with plenty of preschool toys, plus an open carpeted area for the children to play on.

I wouldn't have spent half as much at that shop, without the toy box... because I would have had to leave so much sooner! :)

At first they were really helpful because they thought I was buying for my wife and not for myself. When they found out that I was doing the quilting they wanted to sell me a machine and I told them I already had a real nice machine. They asked me what kind was it and I told them a 1911 Singer 27 in a treadle, and the lady rolled he eyes and said "Good luck with that" in a smart tone.

I had probably $250 worth of material and notions picked out and just turned around and left.

Billy

Hands down, my LQS has what I need in a quilt shop! D & D Sewing in Plaistow, NH. Husband & wife team, Dave and Deb. He fixes all machines and is always happy to help. She makes excellent samples. Their employees are very good at helping with fabric matching, and everything else. Best yet, they know my name. So, what they have and what I need in a shop is:
- repair service
- fabric selection & help with color matching
- sample that inspire and classes that teach how to make it
- Creative Grids rulers (hard to find; they are the best!)
- enough supplies that I rarely have to go elsewhere
AND
- great people!!

just wish they weren't 45 mins away. But, they're worth the trip!!

See If I had something like that here I might would change my mind. They treat folks like they are important to them. The same way I do my clients.

I wish they were closer too.

Billy

My local quilt is so terrific! they greet you just like they would greet Norm on Cheers. they remember and ask about your latest project, cheer when its completed,(even though I haven't finished that much) They have wonderful teachers, Employees, classes, fabrics and notions. And the owner is hands on at all times she really cares about all of her customers. They don't hover and you can just stay the whole day if you want. It's Called Sew Special and the shop is located in Uniontown Pa

I agree, I would like friendly employees,knowledgeable employees,patterns, classes, tools and lots of sales. I hate paying full price.