Our little town has a fairly new shop. Only open a couple of years now. It is a busy little place. Lots of classes available. Several BOM's going at all times. They make up and sell quilt kits. I have a different taste in materials than they do. However I have bought a couple of kids quilt kits. But most stores anywhere in our near our area do not do this. And the staff is friendly and helpful.

We have some great quilts shops in all directions from where I live & we're having a statewide shop hop in June. I'm looking forward to finding new hidden treasures in LQS!! I do buy some on line & if I see a piece I like in big shops like Joanns I might buy a piece, BUT somewhere along the line I realized that if we all buy online our LQS is going to disappear & with all the help I've gotten over the years & how it was classes @ them that got me quilting in the 1st place I buy mostly LQS. I shop buy things that just call to me & also shop their sales area while there. We're all going thru the bad economy maybe we can hang in there & help each other now.

I really like what you have to say. Another idea is to let families and others know that if they want to give you a gift, a gift card to the LQS is great. Last spring I helped a girl make her 8th grade graduation dress and her mom gave me a $50 card to the shop near me. I've been using it in bits and have about $4 and change left on it. It's been so great to go in and get fancy thread for quilting and a nice set of 1/2 yards of the shop hop fabric. Now how can I get another one?