I'm not new to sewing, but am to quilting. We are fortunate and have at least four quilting shops within 30 minutes. My favorite shop also sells and repairs vacuums and I think that helps them stay afloat. They've been around 20 + years.
Why do I drive 30 minutes to this shop, v. the ones that are 15 minutes away? I love, love, love the fabric selection. The staff are very friendly. There are lots of kits to try, large and small. Many patterns. The owner is on site and available. Nice selection of everything, but not a huge store. I don't think I've walked away yet thinking, "I sure wish they carried..." Prices are reasonable.