auntpiggylpn

Organization, neatness, fabrics displayed well. Good selection of fabrics. The most important thing I have found is the staff. I can walk into a beautiful quilt shop with everything that I like in it and if the staff is unfriendly or doesn't even acknowledge me, it is most likely that I won't purchase anything. I have gone into quilt shops that were less than tidy, cramped, dark and carried fabrics that weren't necessarily my tastes but the shop owner was so friendly that I will usually spend some money in the shop. I pay for customer service as well as fabric!!!

berryberry

My favorite quilt store has quilts in the window showing off the new fabric lines. You walk in and the new release fabric groupings are there along with new sample projects with their patterns. It's like here's the new fabrics, some new projects you can use the fabric on and here's the pattern to. On the sample, on the corner, is listed the date and time of the next class for the project. Quilts and samples are displayed above the bolts. As you move back into the shop, you have the cotton fabrics by color, you have batiks by color, and 1930's by color. You get to the thread. Then you get to the pre packaged and gadgets. Those each have the sample project or at the very least a picture of a customer with the finished sample she made in class at the shop. This is where you see the dolls, bowls, vests, skirts, bags, aprons, potholders and mug rugs displayed along with packaged pillow case kits. BOM is displayed as each block is added. Next is the sale items. Further back is where you have classes. Design boards along the walls and tables for laying out the sandwich are available free of charge anytime as long as a class isn't going on. Staff are pleasant and helpful. There's always at least 3 or 4 and they are with customers or doing things. It's not chatting with each other so to ask them a question is to interrupt their conversation. They greet you when you come in and ask if there's anything in particular you are looking for that they may help you with. They let you look at the new fabrics for a few moments and then come over with some new samples and or gadgets they have behind the counter just for that purpose. They always ask me what I'm working on. As I pick out bolts, when I have 2 or more they ask would I like them to take them to the counter. If not, they go get the small grocery type basket from somewhere in the back so I don't have to carry multiple bolts.
I never get out the door without seeing something new and spending money.

SueSew

I have 2 favorites - one is big and brightly lit and plenty of room to move round and see the fabric, with lots of seasonal and new-fabric displays, and a good well-rounded selection of good quality fabrics, plus pattern nooks. The other one is small, crowded, not well lit, but crams in the best ever selection of the Asian fabrics (better than I saw in my trip to Keepsake Quilting!) and an excellent selection of high quality batiks, and the Hoffman Challenge fabric group. One LQS has a wide selection, the other one is deep. Both work. One has lots of Aurfil, but the other has a great gadget wall. Both have a knowledgeable person to help select and advise, and lots of inspirational quilts hanging up.

quiltingnewbie

I love seeing lots of quilts on the walls; it's inspiring. We have two quilt shops in town. One is huge, bright, cheerful, well-organized and has a fantastic selection, but the people who work there usually don't acknowledge when I walk in. The other one's owner greeted me when I walked in the door, took my kids by the hand and led them to a toy area in the bak so they could play while she helped me choose a binding fabric for my quilt. Her shop is small with few windows, a much smaller selection and fewer quilts on display. Still, she gets my business every time.

scisyb220

I like a shop that not only has new fabric lines with samples clearly displayed & patterns nearby, but I love looking in the clearance section and a scrap bin. By far the most important to me, though, is staff friendliness! The closest LQS to me sees me rarely because the staff is so aloof. Last time I went in there, the owner(!!!) and the clerk were busy discussing something and didn't acknowledge me for over 5 minutes----and I was the ONLY customer in the store! Since I was in a time crunch & looking for something project specific, I shopped, but I was really unhappy with that lack of attention. Contrast that with a LQS up near our cabin in the woods where the owner greets customers with a hearty welcome, smile AND a hug! It's my favorite shop to spend money in, hands down!

Quilty-Louise

What wows me the most is the friendliness of the owner and staff.
Vicki is the BEST!!

Wooden Spools is just an awesome shop and quite often you can
find just the right fabric as most of their fabric is purchased by the
pound from their customers.

TexasGurl

I have 2 fav LQS ... one is large, the other medium sz. Both are well lit, have displays to inspire you and change them often. You don't see the same old things every time you go in. One has color walls, the other keeps them strictly by style and collections. Both have a good selection of patterns and books, but that doesn't make or break it for me. Both have a nice areas to sit and browse. Both offer good BOM and innovative classes.
The MOST important thing that impresses me and keeps me coming back ? Friendly, knowledgeable staff !! Without good staff, most shops will never do well - unless they're in high traffic or tourist spots that don't depend on return visits ...

Nammie to 7

I think BerryBerry has visited my local quilt shop! Those are all the things found there. I like it when I am greeted when I walk in. In the course of conversation this shop always points out what is new and reminds me that they have restocked the sale room. It's like coming home for inspiration!

Mariposa

My fave Shop is an hour+ away, but is great! Friendly and knowledgeable staff, lots of fabrics (love all the brights!), good lighting, a large classroom area, fun notions wall, displays of a variety of projects: quilts, runners, bags, aprons, kids stuff, sale area, etc. Sprinkled in all this are a few antique sewing machines and other sewing items to look at-just eye candy!
Great store all-around.

jrhboxers

^ ^ ^ ^ ^ DITTO for me ^ ^ ^ ^ ^

I think my biggest compliant is having the racks of fabric TOOOOO close together. Not enough room to really even bend over and look at bolts on the bottom shelf. And you just PRAY that someone else is not in the same row because you can't pass each other. And having a little more to me, it just is not comfortable to move around.

Oh, and some place to put the fabrics that you have pulled so you don't have to carry around all of the bolts. A quilt shop that I go too fairly regularly although it is not LOCAL has two tables in the center that is used for classes. When there are no classes, you can set your bolts down, and there are table tents which are color-coordinated with a card to pin to your clothes. If anyone see something in your stack, they can find you and ask if they can have some too.
GREAT IDEA!!!!!!

They also have a table at the front window where there are items on display under it. You can take your fabrics and see them in full sunlight.