Renee110

This place is in Franklin Tn, where all of the country stars live. Williamson County is the richest county here and I guess that's why it is so high. they figure if you live in Franklin you can afford it. :cry:

eimay

I am a retired principal and fantasized about owning a quilt shop. I currently work at one, and found out very quickly there is far more to it than meets the eye. If I were younger, I would consider it...after taking many classes in marketing, computers, art, fabric knowledge (such as how threads are made, dyes, fabric lines, machine design and mechanics, etc.). The profit margin is not great and you have to be able to anticipate your customer needs or you wind up with full bolts of fabric that don't move. As customers, we see the "fun" part of it: Choosing things to sell, talking with customers, classes, sales, etc. These are just some things to consider.

IBQUILTIN

If your dream is real. Then you will find a way, and it will work for you. I sometimes help out at our LQS for fabric instead of money. I used to do that in Oklahoma at the Quilt Box all the time. Ruthie would teach me on the long arm when she could, or I could take out my money in fabric. That is a big help to a shop owner, and I was thrilled to have the fabric and the time away to play in the shop, There are ways.

G'ma Kay

They sure get plenty of my money

FranCFries

Fabric stores MUST offer other things: sewing machines, scissors & sharpening, classes (for adults & kids). Used to go to a shop that wanted to sell long arm machines - so they got one in and started giving classes on it and also renting it by the hour after you took the classes. This payed off well for them and they had to set up a second room with a second machine, because quilters liked it so much.

newbiequilter

You are SO right. Our LQS wants to only have two classes a year because they are so much work. BIG mistake! Classes bring in shoppers and after all the class participants are captured shoppers. I wish I had the bucks to buy the shop, move it to another location, change the name and start over. It is the only game in town....and their service is questionable at times.

Needlegrammy

Renee what is the name of the shop in Franklin?

jaciqltznok

in today's economy and with the cotton market in the toilet..NO..

I could spend hours talking about this...

It is estimated that 60% off all shops that are more than 3 years old are operating in the red right now!

Due to the economy and the shipping rates going up twice this coming year, gas prices still on the rise and the decline of cotton production, it is estimated that 35% of the shops open now will close this year!

Right now, teachers can not get enough warm bodies to fill classroom...classes are what keep a shop going.

If you are a B&M show with NO internet sales, it will be even harder to keep open! YET, even internet sales are down 35% for 2010 and continue to drop!

There will be a mad panic to stock up on all things cotton til about March of this year, and then sales will die....
Manufacturers are already stopping productions of some products, and focusing just on their main sellers, which of course are going to be the higher end items! Shop owners are in a quandry about what will happen next! AFter all, you can have all the best customer base in the world, but if you have NO product to sell due to shortages, higher costs etc, then you have NO biz!

NOPE, right now, it is a tough industry and getting tougher...

jaciqltznok

I forgot to mention that shops do NOT make money on notions, books, etc...90% of the people who walk into a quilt shop will NOT buy a book there when they get the same at JoAnn or Michaels, or Hobby lobby with a 40% off coupon, or online at amazon for about what I have to pay wholesale!

Same with notions...a small biz can NOT compete with the big stores, so if you have them in your area, do not plan on stocking more than thread and machine needles and a few patterns that you have samples made up for...

There is a lot to owning any biz..
BUT when you want to own a biz that is based on a Leisure/Hobby activity, you are really going to have to learn to do without a lot of things!

I have had my online shop for 9 years now...I am closing it this year.
Sales are down, shipping is up, fees are up, costs are up, and distributors minimums are way up....

Tough market in deed!

Cathleen Colson

Our local fabric shop (about 1/3 cotton, the rest decorator fabrics) just moved to larger (but cheaper) quarters. The cottons are all over-runs from Blank fabrics, used to be $5, now $6/yd. Not only the cost of the cotton fabric went up, but she said the shipping was double what she paid 4 months ago! She will now offer class space to local quilt teachers, charging just the cost of her insurance ($20/day). She thinks she will make new customer contacts, sell fabric needed for the classes, threads and notions. She doesn't carry rulers, rotary cutters or other quilt supplies. I think most of her sales are to people recovering furniture or making drapes. The quilters are cheering her on because it is 20 miles to the next fabric store!