Thanks - it sounds like it's worth a trip to Massachusetts.

Janet

Your experience sounds like my favorite LQS. I love going in because I know they are always going to be nice, their prices are fair, and they'll help me with anything I need help with and let me shop if I don't need help that day. They too have not raised their prices on older fabrics and that makes me more likely to buy any new fabrics from them. The average of the two prices is still very reasonable.

There are great shops out there and I hope we can all support them!

Attitude is everything! It's hard not to smile back when someone smiles at you. What we project is often what we get back.

Warm fuzzy's mean a lot when you are shopping.

Awesome to hear. I find that if you think positive and smile and expect happiness, it will come back to you-triplefold.

So glad to hear that you had a wonderful experience. I too am soo happy when I enter a quilt shop, whether it is a local one or a shop I have stumbled upon during my travels. I get a little "high" just looking and petting the beautiful fabrics! That being said, I have been completely ignored upon entering a shop, I have been ignored for the 1 1/2 hours that I have spent in the shop, I have been brushed aside when a frequent customer comes into the shop, I have been unable to get fabric cut because the staff was on the phone talking about their plans for the upcoming weekend, etc. So No, I don't think it is the attitude of the customer that creats a less than spectacular LQS experience. But I also won't spend my money in those shops either. There will always be another LQS down the road that will have the same fabric selection and that will have friendly and helpful staff that will get that sale. I just don't visit those shops again and I'm sure that it is no sweat off their back that I don't come back.

after reading this i thought i'd share mine, i tried a new quilt store, she was very friendly and eager to help, i new basically what i wanted, i took the pattern with me told her what i wanted, now she said it was her job to push my boundaries when purchasing fabric, i like brights and pastles and small print nothing 'loud' , well she finally got me to buy what she wanted to sell me, it looked ok together but i wasn't sure, so off i go and cut it all up and put it together well i couldn't see the pattern at all just a mess, so did about 8 blocks still couldn't see the pattern, got dh he couldn't see it so sewed if up for 6yo grandaughts, still couldn'y see the pattern,..that fabric cost $172....how do you politely refuse there help?

Yikes!!! My new to quilting friend got roped into a similar situation when he visited a quilt shop near his house. He already had a sewing machine (brand new that I took him shopping for July of 2010) He wanted to take a quilting class. This quilting class wound up costing him $300 for the 4 classes and the materials. She also convinced him that he needed different thread ($30) and new rotary cutter and mat (which we had just bought) and rulers. She eventually talked him into a new sewing machine ($700). Long story short, in less than 2 months, she was able to get almost $1500 out of him. His mistake was thinking that this shop owner had his best interest in mind!!! He has learned a valuable (and expensive!) lesson.

I too love going into a quilt shop, particularly when we are traveling (new blood :) ). I have walked into shops where the staff looks up, does not recognize me and basically ignores me. Then I have been in shops that I walk in and am treated as an old friend. They ask if I am looking for something special or am I just looking. I usually ask what the shop specialty is and I wander. One of my favorite shops was Great American Quilt Factory (home of Possibilities) in the Denver area -- I felt so at home, so sorry they closed.

glad you had a good experience. It is fun going into new/different quilt shops especially when they make you feel at home and are attentive. thanks for sharing your experience.