Wow--you have gotten tons of great suggestions and I echo all of them!! I really like friendly staff--they make all the difference. Sometimes I just like to browse and sometimes I want help, one of our local stores has so many of these fantastic ideas, but the last time I was in there I didn't feel very "welcome". They seemed to go out of their way for people they knew, but not to someone they didn't. One thing I would absolutely love to find is a place that rent's out time on a long-arm quilting machine. I really think someone could make a lot of money at that. Hint-Hint to the Nolting company in Hiawatha!! By the way--
I would really like to know where you are going to be located since I live in Iowa!!