You said it right - my quilt shop has been a great support group as well as place to get things. Not all shops are considered equal, but find one you like and it becomes a refuge.

My LQS has an additude too....If your local and don't spend alot you get "the look"...I do buy at other shops at a distance but I don't like the additude I get locally

Interesting thread! My LQS is absolutely wonderful, and a fun place to visit. They have wonderful quilts on display, guild meetings, classes, great conversation! It is a great place to problem solve and receive wonderful advice. I learned long ago to value the quality materials with all the work and time that goes into a major project. Also, I think with quality materials and threads etc, it goes better along the way. I live in Ocean Springs MS, and our LQS just moved to a new location and should be wonderful when they get settled in the space. They warmly greet their regular customers, and also any visitors that stop by. The other day there was a woman and her daughter from Washington State in the store. I would love to visit other quilt stores when I travel, but MANY of the small LQS are not wheel chair accessible, and I am disappointed when I track them down!

I think any shop or business you go into should treat you nice andwith respect. I know some people might not care about how they are treated in a LQS, but would you go to an unfriendly resturaunt? If no one said hi, or smiled at you, and walked around like they were doing YOU a favor? I sure wouldnt.
My LQS's are nice, the ladies at least greet you and smile!
One of them though, is about ten miles away, and twice I have stopped there on Saturday afternoons, and they were closed. Both times it was around 1 o clock, and they are supposed to be open til 2. I called, and they just said, HMMMM, I dont know WHAT happened? I wasted gas and time going there,so I wont go again before calling, lol!

Local Quilt Store HUH! I was thrilled to learn that we had a Quilting/Fabric store opening right in my little town. Before the opening of this store, the closest was an hour drive away.I am truly addicted to fabric. Shopping in an actual store is the best! Had high hopes for the store. The owner is a very friendly older woman, but sometimes seems quite confused if too many people are in the store. She doesn't answer questions, usually saying; "Oh I don't know". It is a mom and daughter operation, but the daughter is more "behind" the scene Tech person. Four times I have been in this store, four times I have spent money. The last time I was in the store, they were having a sale. I live right on the main st in town, where they are also located, and I had no idea about the sale. I asked where they advertised. The owners were both there and they told me that it was sent out in a email. I have signed their guest book, twice, left all the right info, spoke to the computer tech daughter and gave her my email and still can not get information on sales. It has become a hang out for quilt guild members, which I do not belong to and when they are there sitting around the tables, it's impossible to get any help. They are usually sitting around looking at new fabric lines coming out, talking amongst themselves and eating. I needed fabric cut and one of the woman got up to cut it without wiping her hands off! I had to ask her to and she gave me a horrible look as if I offended her. I would rather do my business online where I am informed of the good sales, received regular correspondence and find friendly, welcoming people like in this group. I certainly don't get it at the store. So after my many attempts at trying to get info from this store and not receiving any, I am left with the feeling that they don't need my business.

I must be lucky then, because there are many LQS within an hour's drive of my house. For me, how I am treated in the LQS makes a world of difference. I will spend money that I don't have in an LQS if they treat me well. The only quilt shop I have ever felt unwelcomed in was clear across the country in Seattle, WA.

All the LQS here are wonderful. My home LQS offers midnight quilter classes and I take them as often as possible. I can definitely get help with a modifying a pattern, color help, yardage help. They help all their customers with anything they need. :)

I must be lucky, too. Not only do I have a half dozen shops that are great within an hour's drive, if I go another half hour out there are too many to count! So if I find less than friendly, excellent service, I just don't go back to that particular one (well, unless I am already next to it for some other reason).

Poodlemom,where are you? Some folks call this area upstate NY, some call it western NY.

I set myself a budget before I walk in the lqs. I only buy what I am after and then allow myself 1 or 2 yards of something "new." I was there the other day (hadn't been there in 6 weeks or so) and she remembered my son was in an accident, asked about him and the table runners I had been working on for FDIL's shower.

It's that personal service that goes a long way.

BTW- we talked and I said I made it under budget by a few dollars. I said it's my "beer and cigarette" money since I do not partake of either. She agreed and said as long as it doesn't cut into the chocolate chip cookie money we're OK. :)

My other lqs is spectacular too. Customer service above and beyond- helped to buy some batting with a substantial savings. I love going there. I think she probably thinks I have an addiction since she lets me wander aimlessly forever. :)

I generally drive by two LQS to get to another one across town. The two I pass by have horrible service. For example, I was looking specifically for ANY book on Jelly Roll quilts, and a worker at the closest shop didn't even know if they had any books on Jelly Rolls, and could not bother to look around with me even though I was the only one in the shop! The other one I drive by always tries to sell me something that I don't want. Once I went there to find a specific ruler, and because the store didn't have any in stock, the OWNER tried to sell me something else not at all related to what I was looking for. Neither of these events was a one-time event for either store. Fortunetly, there is a fabulous quilt store across town that I go to for advice and fabric, and I always end up bying something while I am there. Once I took a quilt top in to buy some border fabric to replace the fabric I had but didn't think went well with the top. The saleslady said what I had was just fine and she would stick with that--even though it cost the store a sale! Of course, I still bought a lot of things there. Now that is the service I want to see--it sure makes a loyal customer out of me. Now, after saying all that, I still shop at a much closer Joanne's for fabric for charity quilts. I just can't afford $10 a yard for a quilt I am going to donate. But for friends and family, it is the LQS for me!!

I see so many people complaining about how rude and awful shop owners are but have you ever considered what kind of customer you are?

I know of one shop owner that quit selling fabric and has gone to just longarm quilting and one of the reasone she cited was problems with rude and demanding customers.