I worked at a quilt store, and the owner purchased several small grocery carts. The wire vertical kind. The customers raved about these. They were easy to roll through the aisles, and you could keep your fabric selections together and visible to pick out complimentary colors.

Also - a doo dad wall. I love seeing all the new tools.

Wow--you have gotten tons of great suggestions and I echo all of them!! I really like friendly staff--they make all the difference. Sometimes I just like to browse and sometimes I want help, one of our local stores has so many of these fantastic ideas, but the last time I was in there I didn't feel very "welcome". They seemed to go out of their way for people they knew, but not to someone they didn't. One thing I would absolutely love to find is a place that rent's out time on a long-arm quilting machine. I really think someone could make a lot of money at that. Hint-Hint to the Nolting company in Hiawatha!! By the way--
I would really like to know where you are going to be located since I live in Iowa!!

Polite sales help. So many shops could have made so much money on me alone, but with snooty attitudes, who needs it? All quilt shops are different, so I've never found one I didn't like. Let those ladies give me what for and it's done for me. I'm not talking about one or two people. That happens. Some days one may catch help from someone with problems a lot bigger than your own. I'm talking about a general attitude you feel as you walk through the door. Needless to say, I'm never sorry when they go out of business...and they usually do. Any quilter that wants to buy can be persuaded to with polite and helpful shopkeepers. Not pushy, just nice and truthful. Good luck to you and your shop. Carol

How about stocking some walking and quarter inch feet?

This was going to be my suggestion. I travel some and of course have to hit every quilt store we pass. I like to buy kits when I travel, because then I make sure I get all I need for a quilt since I can't get back to the store for more fabric.

oh.....I agree with you on the scents, as well. Allergies....a lot of people have them - and any way, you can't top the smell of new fabric!!! :-D

I think the sitting area for the men (with magazines) and the play area for the kids are great.

IMO, you don't really need to provide free coffee/tea/but if there was vending machine that dispensed it, it would be good enough. :)

Friendly clerks make up for a lot. If the one store does such a bang-up business on the one evening they are open til 8 pm, then why don't they stay open late a couple of evenings a week?

Haven't been in that many quilt shops, but I can't imagine fulfilling all of these dreams. It would be sooo expensive, I can't even imagine! :) High turnover of fabric, constant sales, free printouts of patterns, etc.

I know that the books at 20% off is a great thing. One lady in her craft shop had DMC floss at the same price as Walmart because it was cheaper than advertising and brought many people in her shop. Books could work the same as that for you--assuming people still want paper and ink books. When it comes to patterns, I can't see how they can be beaten (as opposed to Kindle versions.)

Maybe some classes on using EQ program would be great (a one or two day class). That would be neat.

Likes: affordable classes, workshops and UFO nights, weekend classes, well organized store, good sales/discounted fabric, magazines, scrap bags with decent size pieces, plenty of space between the isles, monthly emailed newsletters, good customer service and an educated staff.

Dislikes: cramped/dark/over crowded stores, slow to restock notions, no sales people to be found (in the major chain stores)

A place for husbands to lounge while I shop. Maybe a TV, or computer hookup with wifi. I'd shop longer when I'm out of town with him if he could be occupied. Also, where are you? I have a vintage 1050's kenmore that was in the family needs the dust cleaned out of it. I'm on Mo/IL border near Quincy.

I second the idea of different colorways for fabrics. Most of the big fabric co. have examples of quilts made with that fabric line. It would be nice to buy all of that fabric, or at least most of it, in one place.

Samples are so important. A few purses, totes and aprons hanging near their patterns or put the pattern right in the pocket. Quilt samples on the walls with pattern and kit nearby. I love kits!
Nice size classroom where each person gets at least half of a table. Power strips on top of tables so you don't have to crawl around on floor. Knowledgable instructors. So helpful if they have you do all cutting before the class so you can get right to the sewing. I went to a class to learn machine applique and we never got that far.
Where are you located in Iowa? I have relatives in NW and central and I would venture beyond those areas as well.