let me stress, first of all, that i would never try to change the mind of a diehard LQSer. that will absolutely not be the point of my comment here.
if fewer people are shopping at LQS it's because (1) fewer people can afford the ever-increasing prices; or (2) fewer people are willing to pay the ever-increasing prices; or both. inconvenient hours are also a contributing factor.
i have a great deal of human-being-to-human-being sympathy for a good person who's done her best for her customers but must, nonetheless, close her doors.
but i will not accept blame, feel shame, or take on unfounded guilt because i chose to not rearrange my whole life to squeeze in time to buy things i don't want or need from a place that charges more than i can afford.
if there was an LQS in my town, and the hours were convenient, and the service was good, and the selection of fabrics and notions was good, and the prices were in a range affordable to the average person, and they didn't bash and trash fabrics sold elsewhere, i would be a loyal patron.
however, my loyalty would not be based on some odd notion that I owe that loyalty to the shop. i would do it in hope that LQS would stay in business for my convenience and benefit and for that of my fellow quilters. we do not owe any business our custom.
if you love your LQS and want to help it stay afloat, then i encourage you to do that. just don't beat yourself up if you don't or can't.