Visiting quilt stores
 

Just want to share my experience. While traveling from N East down to Florida and then to Georgia I have stopped in few quilt store, mostly in VA and then in GA. Did not stop in NC since we could not get hotel room in that state as the flood victims were staying in them. My visits to all these stores were wonderful and my DH had a good experience as well. In one store we might have been for over an hour. I have learn a lot in those visits, so much that I was able to help a quilter in FL to choose her fabrics and was able to explain it why. So, ladies, please visit those stores that are still around and support them as much as you can .thanks and I just had to share my experience.

If you haven't yet begun your return trip, I can give you some suggestions for different LQS's in the Carolinas. You can either post your expected route here or PM me.

Those of us who live in the Carolinas are quite spoiled when it comes to quilt shops. Depending on your starting point, you can hit anywhere from 4-10 shops in one day!! If you were to count the two states as one, we have more quilt shops than any other state, including Texas!! We have so many shops, there are 3 different shop-hops... the original "Carolina Shop Hop", which hits about 20 shops from the Appalachian Mountains to about an hour west of Charlotte. The central part of the two states hosts the "Mi-Carolina Run" shop hop. And I apologize that my brain just died, I forget the name of the hop for the eastern part of the two states, but there IS a hop for the shops in the coastal Carolinas. All three shop hops have LQS's in both North Carolina and South Carolina.

One thing for sure - if you're going to travel on I-85, you MUST stop at Mary Jo's in Gastonia (about 20 minutes from Charlotte). It's quilter's heaven!!!

2 large fabric stores have closed in our town of 160,000. Another small locally owned store has quit selling fabric, now sells only machines. There is a new locally owned store and I patronize it, hoping it can continue to keep the doors open. Quilters are worried here.

We are losing 2 of our favorites in Illinois and are really sad.. both are due to the need for retirement of the owners and both are very profitable stores. The owner of Susan's" in Fulton tried without success to only sell to another quilt shop owner. The problem seems not to be the economy but the fact most of us quilters are getting older and there are not a lot of younger quilters coming up behind us! I was given that information from another shop owner and it makes sense to me when I think about the attendance at the quilt shows I attend during the year. So, what we need to do is recruit some younger quilters. I think I have managed to inspire my DIL. Think of it! I love my LQS and I shop there regularly but I have a large stash as most of us do so my shopping doesn't really keep her doors open!

We travel a lot and I always stop in the LQS's. When I stop in, and the people there are friendly, I'll spend $$.

I had a some what different experience earlier this month while traveling through MT and WY. I was only able to stop at 3 different LQS due to the fact my DH is a "gotta get to point B" type of person while we are traveling. Three totally different experiences. In one, the staff was busy visiting with 3 different customers (non-quilting conversation) and totally oblivious to my being there. I had to interrupt twice to find what I was looking for, and reach around someone to get what I wanted. In the second store, everyone in the store wanted to visit and talk quilts or when they found out I was visiting from Alaska, ask a zillion questions about living here (not a problem, I love to talk about my home state). The 3rd shop, was not busy and the owner was very chatty, and when she saw my husband standing on the sidewalk holding 2 cups of coffee waiting for me, she went outside and brought him in, told him to sit in her very comfy chair, that it was OK to have the coffee in her shop and then proceeded to visit with him while I browsed. So for me, I never know what kind of welcome I'm going to receive when I walk through the door.

I had that kind experiences as well, and I too will spend my $$$ if I fell that I am welcomed And not ignored when I ask quilt related uestion. Overall I had a wonderful experience.

Most quilt shop owners are very friendly, and when I come across on I love to chat about quilts. However, I have been quilting for many years, and have enough fabric to last me until I'm 200 years old. lol I have every ruler made (probably) and enough books to last 2-3 lifetimes. My DH tells everyone that I have spent at least a million dollars, and he is probably close. When I did this years Row by Row I took him along and he talked more than I did. It was great when there were 2 people working in the shops--one for me and one for him--kinda like a tag team. By the way, he knows nothing about quilting, but praises my work all the time. I guess I'll keep him.
Sue

I agree totally!

Susan's was a great shop - will really miss it.

DH and I just got back from our vacation. We visited several LQS, and rarely have a bad experience. DH loves talking machines, and if there is an LA, he loves checking it out and seeing how it compares to my HQ.

It's so fun seeing the different "personalities" of the quilt shops.

A few years ago we drove through Oregon and California and I had mixed feelings about the shops. I, too, spent more money in the shops that were friendly and one shop I REALLY wanted to buy a pattern and all the fabric for one of their quilts (I'm talking a potential $200 sale) but when I asked about the pattern and fabric the folks working in the shop were so busy talking to each other (I was the only customer) that I could not get waited on. DH thought it was great, but not me...

Recently there was a shop hop in our area. We could not get over the difference in the shops from a few years ago. The owners are still friendly etc. but they are not caring all the fabric they use to. Things are more spread out to fill the spaces. am afraid at todays prices they are hanging on by a thread. I am worried we are going to loose some. Hope not. I sure try to do my part to help them.

I agree with everything you say. Also, The schools are not placing a value on practical skills and (shop clases...home ec) thus the exposure to sewing is practiclly nill. Very sad. Perhaps kids would have a diversion from screen time and drug use if they were offered alternative activities. Yes..a general statement I know....Not everyone is athletic either. Including me. Yes, think of the ages of shop owners and their customers. Father Time keeps ticking.....

sandy

If you are near Port Lavaca, Texas. Visit "Beefore It's A Quilt and Gifts" Very friendly people there and the owner is a good friend of mine. Very friendly store and always good help if needed. Jean's helper, Kathy is also good help in find colors and fabric that will help in your project. For small LQS this is a very good one to take the time to visit. Small shop Big on friendliness.

What seems to me the case in small towns is that the quilt shops are off the beaten path and if you are traveling thru you would never know there is a shop in the town as there is nothing advertising there is a quilt shop there. Some of these are the neatest cutest quilt shops but there is no advertising signs or signs for people traveling thru. Put a quilt shop in a busy mall and I think it would be a busy shop. But I know the cost of advertising and being in a mall is just too much overhead for quilt shop owners. Just a sign along the road of a quilt shop ahead while traveling thru the country would get me (and (hubby) to stop. Just my opinion.

This is my kind of thread! I agree with everything said here. I, too, am sensitive to the environment in each shop. When staff rudely ignores me, my wallet doesn't feel any more welcome than I do. I also LOVE Mary Jo's. My little sister surprised me with a road trip there when I was visiting her. Believe it or not, I was so overwhelmed that I only bought one piece of fabric! I've visited some awesome shops in the Denver, CO area..most notably Harriet's Treadle Arts...where I was lucky enough to take a hand quilting class. Now, two weeks from today, my quilt bestie and I are taking a 1300 mile road trip to Missouri. You guessed it! To a retreat at the Missouri Star! To say we're excited is such an understatement. Has anyone else been there? Taken any classes?

I am from SC, and I have a plan to hit all of the stores I possibly can. I do work full-time, but plan to take off work for a couple of days and do at it! I have a large stash, but I also try to invest in my LQS. We lost the one close to me, and I now travel upstate GA to get what I want/need.

Quilt shops in British Columbia have banded together and offer a row-by-row experience for guests. In order to participate, you must visit the shop in person and they will give you the pattern free. Or, you can buy a kit but it must also be done in person. Each shop features a winner - the first person to bring in a complete quilt (8 rows) - wins 6 fat quarters. This is done all over Canada and the USA, but this year it seemed really big in BC. There is ONE quilt shop in the Yukon and they participated with BC. I was lucky enough to pick up their pattern:-)
https://www.rowbyrowexperience.com/bc.htm

I finally got a chance to visit our newest quilt shop in town. It was a great experience. Everything was beautifully displayed. Owner was very friendly and helpful. She offers lessons, classes and longarm services. She told me that she offers a place for a small group to get together and sew and even has a kitchen (no charge). Please visit her shop if you are ever in NW Indiana. The name of the shop is Cotton Cottage quilts. I will be going back!

I said 5 or 6 years ago when fabric started going up and up that they were going to price themselves out of a hobby, and they have.... ! It is unreal how much money you put in making a quilt.

If you are ever within 50-60 miles of Franklin NC, the have two wonderful stores, A Stitch in Time and the other store has a new name, I think it is Sew Sassy(used to be Deb's Cats and Quilts). Plus there is a sewing craft store that has some fabrics called Sew Creative. The quilt stores are worth taking a slight detour.❣

I love to go to fabric stores when I'm on vacation - fabric is my #1 favorite souvenir. I used to buy my fabric almost exclusively online, but lately all the online store prices are going up so much that the brick & mortar stores are looking a lot more competitive. I've been going to the local stores more often, which is probably a good thing. Although I must say, I still love shopping in my PJ's at 3 AM when I can't sleep! My insomnia puts a lot of money into other people's pockets, LOL.