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Quote:

Originally Posted by Skyangel (Post 7062698)

This thread is very timely for me. I retired last summer and just started working 1day a week at a local shop that carries high-end machines and a small selection of fabric and notions. I've been a customer for years but thought this would be fun. The owner and other longtime employee are garment sewers. My perspective as a quilter may help them increase that trade. I'm a little nervous about making suggestions and having it not be successful. They are already suggesting that I teach some quilting classes. I'd like to try that but not sure what. I'll be watching this thread too.

I wish my local shops would just set aside time for a "class" where someone is available if I need help, or maybe organize a time slot for quilters who want to do traditional blocks when others are there doing the same. Some of us still need confidence builders! And basics. Gets the new kids in to start and explore.

I like places that have a chair for my husband to sit on. It is also nice to have a lot of samples on display .Most important smile.

If you love to quilt and sew, you won't have much of a chance to do that if you have a shop. You have to do ordering, dealing with the companies that screw up the orders; schedule classes and employees - cover for the employees when they call in sick and teach the class to the only one person who signs up and brings her fabric from somewhere else; do the bookkeeping and bill paying; clean the toilets; greet the customers and smile when they take up an hour of your time and only purchase one fat quarter - or have them come in and ask you how to put together a quilt when they purchased the fabric and pattern online for less; come up with special events and publish a newsletter and spend time promoting your shop on social media, etc. You will never get away from the business - you will always be thinking of new ways to bring people in, solve the problems, sewing samples that might not be your thing but you have to get rid of that fabric that isn't selling.

Unless you have NO other fabric stores in your area, 'small and watch expenses' won't cut it. If you have cotton, they want flannel. If you have hand quilting supplies, they want machine quilting. If you have batiks, they want 30s prints.

Sorry to be a 'Debbie Downer', but I've 'been there - done that'. It can be a lot of fun, but a lot of work, and I could make more working at minimum wage at a fast food place than I did when I had a shop. If it's TRULY what you want to do, you may be able to make it work. But think LONG and HARD if you REALLY want a BUSINESS, as that is what it becomes, and it's no longer a relaxing hobby. :)