I have a friend that is barely hanging on. According to her the fabric is going up to $4.00 and above wholesale and that's not the quality fabric either. The quality fabic is already $5-$6 wholesale if not more. Think about paying rent,utilities, employees salary,sales tax,social security etc it's almost impossible to keep the doors open.

So hard on small businesses.

yeah we had one close, but that was about two years ago, but she had been open about 30 years, and she never wanted to close, love that store, she had lots of patterns and books, fabrics were gorgeous, beautidul laces, and lots of cross stitch stuff.
Every year about this time she had a open house, to show new fabrics and patterns and books, she would have teachers demostrating new patterns and such, everyone of her employees would dress up as elves, and her daughter stayed up for two days baking thousands and thousands of cookies and bars and fudge, they would have coffee and a christmas punch. her store would be packed, several times she got introuble by the fire marshalls. But it was soooo much fun, she also had lots of raffles.

was at my local q shop yesterday. havent been for a while. spent a lot of time browsing and a good bit of money.

HOW CUSTOMERS ARE TREATED is a part of being in business. usually i am barely (not at all once or twice) acknowledged. the once or twice not being acknowledged came FROM THE STORE OWNERS.

i am fortunate to have other lqs in a reasonable area. it is a sad thing to see q shops close. moving your money in your own neighborhood is very important. now more than ever in the u.s.

best wishes to all who are doing their best and are struggling.