In September of 2011 my trusty sewing machine of 23 years, a Bernette 330 I’d bought at G Street Fabrics in Rockville, Maryland when I was 13-years-old, broke for good. When the terrible “grrrr grrrr” noise began every time I turned it on, I set aside $500 to spend on a new machine at a local quilt shop. My book, The Artful Bird, had come out nine months earlier and I brought it along with a basketful of sample birds I’d made in the hopes of showing them to the owner while I was there.
A few months prior I had visited a different local quilt shop in my area to show the staff my book and my birds. At first they weren’t quite sure what to make of the book – soft sculpture birds aren’t a typical thing to make from quilting cottons – but they quickly caught on and became wonderfully enthusiastic. We scheduled a four-hour workshop for a few weeks later, they hung onto the samples to put by the register to advertise for the class, and they placed an order to begin carrying my book in the shop.
The women who own this shop are older than me by 20 years or so. The fabric selection is very traditional (I called recently to ask if they had any Cotton+Steel and nobody there knew what I was talking about). But the class was terrific and I refer my Introduction to Sewing students there all the time.
When it came time to purchase a machine I didn’t go there because they’re a Pfaff dealer and I wanted a Janome. So I went to the other shop. While trying out the machine I would end up buying for just under $500 I showed the staff person my book and my birds and asked if I might show them to the owner. She shrugged. She put my book behind the counter and told me the owner was busy. I said I could wait a bit. I waited for 45 minutes while the owner chatted with regular customers and never acknowledged me. Eventually I told the staffer I needed to leave and handed her my card. They kept the book (I wondered later if maybe they’d thrown it away) and I cried in the car on the way home.
What makes a quilt shop great?
Quilt shops today have a very hard time competing with online shops on both price and selection. I found out recently how surprisingly easy it is to set up a wholesale account with a fabric manufacturer. All that’s required is an EIN number, a credit card, and somewhere between $750-$1,000 for your first order (with a much lower yearly minimum order after that). You pick the bolts and they send them to you, no questions asked.
Being undercut by online shops can make quilt shop owners disheartened, and even angry, at their customers. One shop owner I spoke with recently told me, “I’m 60. I’m tired of fighting every day for next to nothing. Younger, more modern quilters have no loyalty to anyone at all. I have customers who say they support local quilt shops, but all their stuff is bought online.”
I actually still believe there’s a place for local quilt shops in the current retail landscape, but there’s no denying that what that place looks like is shifting quickly and dramatically. We don’t need quilt shops for what we used to need them for. They are no longer the exclusive or best source for a key element in quilt making – premium fabrics.
Then what do we need quilt shops for? What will make a shop survive and thrive through this shift?
I asked my Instagram and Facebook friends to tell me about their local quilt shop. How do they feel when they walk in? What’s awesome about it and what’s not so awesome? Here’s what they said:
I find what brings me back is NOT price, selection or even location, but the attitude and feel of the shop…I walked into a shop in Ohio last week 5 minutes before they closed and they bent over backwards to make me feel welcome and not rushed. I went into another shop 20 minutes before closing for a specific item and left with nothing because the owner made me feel like a huge imposition. I don’t even care that much about help or knowledge. I want to feel welcome and free to browse. If I do, I will almost ALWAYS buy something…I was really floored by my experience in that one shop. Enough so to send them a note, but I never heard back.
I love my local fabric store, but I feel like they don’t love me. I’m a lot younger than most of their customers and I tend to get ignored.
I have a ‘modern’ one local that hosts craft nights which I think is awesome! Haven’t been to any of the traditional ones here.
We have two close shops. One pretty much ignores anyone under 50, so I rarely shop there.
The shop nearest me wants white, well-heeled women of a certain variety as customers – exclusively.
I go to a fabric/quilt store whose staff are wonderful: enthusiastic, knowledgeable, love to share their opinions on their likes.
My biggest pet peeve is that all of the classes and sewing groups that my LQS offers are during the day during the week when I am at work.
I absolutely love my quilting shop. The shop owner is so friendly & very helpful. I’ve learned more from her than my quilting course teacher. I have made many quilts using her fabrics
My favorite shop ever closed some years ago. It had the best feeling and I would drive past other shops to get there. I went there every week. I miss it. I have a local now which is dreadful and I don’t go there. I drive 45 mins to go to a beautiful one. Part of the appeal is the fabric they have, but mostly it is the feeling and the people who work there.
What a local quilt shop has that no online shop can ever have is in-person interactions. No amount of blogging or photo sharing or video making can ever compete with the experience of one-on-one help that a knowledgeable, caring person can give you as a customer, whether that’s through a class held at the shop or just a retail purchase. The feeling you get when you’re in the shop is directly dependent on the people who work there and how they interact with you. Do you feel like you belong?
We should certainly support our local quilt shops, even if it means paying a dollar more per yard for fabric, but local quilt shops are equally responsible for embracing their customer, even if the person who walks in the door is young, or a man, or black, or gay, or has tattoos and is looking for modern fabric. People should be at the center of this kind of commerce. Going to a quilt shop shouldn’t make you feel like crying.
Lisa B Snyder says
I loved going to G Street Fabrics in Rockville, Maryland and spent full days at their old location pouring over books, fabrics, patterns, admiring the tools and notions. It was such a treat when I was visiting my family in the area. I made my maternity clothes from patterns and fabrics purchased from G Street. My kids are in college now.
Thank you for sharing your story about the shop owner that did not value your book. You have a beautiful business and did not deserve that treatment.
LDJ says
I am old enough to remember when G Street Fabrics was actually on G ST in downtown Washington, DC. I loved going there with my mom & aunt to choose fabric to make dresses for special occasions.
Booth Kittson says
I felt I had to comment on this posting and dispel a few of the myths of online retailing with regards to quilt fabric and fabric and yarn stores in general. I’m one of those small online website folks.
First off, quilting fabric manufacturers generally want their fabrics sold to fabric retailers – not to buying clubs or product makers. Pretty much all of my vendors require a physical address or website, a tax resale certificate, and usually business references in addition to the EIN and minimum initial order. Inquiries about using the wholesale fabric purchase in the production of finished goods almost always requires licensing. The fabric club buying phenomenon, where a group of buyers get together, pool their money and create a fake business to get a tax certificate has gotten so out of hand that the big trade show, Quilt Market, has had to specifically prohibit fabric buying clubs and does extensive vetting before approving attendence. This is not to say that some fabric manufacturers look the other way.
There’s a reason why suggested MSRP (Manufacturer’s Suggested Retail Price) is double the wholesale price. It’s because twice as much works out conveniently to a decent gross margin. Shops that discount their fabric lower are faced with a downward spiral “race to the bottom.” Most discounters fail within the first few years.
Although online retailers do not have to worry about a storefront, being sustainably successful requires a large financial commitment, physical space to store inventory, and a degree of technical savvy that the brick and mortar shop can get by without.
The change in the B&M retailing landscape is not impacted nearly so much by the small online retailer as it is by the retailing behemoths that offer cheap substandard goods and business practices designed to force their small competitors out of business (J store fans, you know who you are). I can’t tell you how many times I’ve witnessed Etsy forum threads asking where to buy fabric and most of the replies saying Joanns, Hancock, or fabric.com and how great their fabric is (yuk!) It’s easy to target the little online shop but truly the anger is misdirected. “Wins out every time” is just flat out incorrect.
To keep up, the local B&M must work the benefits of a physically present business, learn what their customers want, and educate – and not just classes on how to quilt… educate about quality, about why it’s important to shop local! And yes, superior customer service.
Abby says
Thank you for this thoughtful and informative comment, Booth. I went through the process of opening accounts with two manufacturers and you’re right that they required a website and physical address, although an Etsy site and a home address will do. I agree with you fully that pricing fabric below suggested retail price isn’t a healthy business model, but that doesn’t stop many, many online shops from doing it. Even if each one only survives for a few years, new ones pop up in their place. When I look on Fabric.com I see premium quilting cottons that are exactly the same as what you find in a quilt shop being sold below suggested retail price (here’s Cotton+Steel for $2 below https://www.fabric.com/buy/0355689/cotton-steel-metallic-arrows-navy?cm_vc=756b1813-cbc1-43b3-84bd-29889bf8fb7b). The benefits of shopping local are the people, the relationships, the belonging, the knowledge of the staff and instructors. When those things aren’t there, there is very little reason for people to shop local I think, no matter how sad that might be.
Booth Kittson says
You’re right about the “missing ingredients” for local shops. A small, local yarn store in my town closed recently; I visited their closing sale and thank goodness I went incognito! All the owner could do was gripe about how her customers were awful, her instructors cheated her, how her efforts for a cancer charity were unappreciated, and how that nasty online merchant (presumably me) put her out of business. It was clear her failure was not due to these obstacles.
People have so many choices and so many folks are cramped financially, business is *hard* however it’s done and whatever the venue. Companies that stand out with the qualities you mention – the social and customer service aspects, are the ones that will succeed.
Thanks again for a timely, cogent, and thought provoking article.
Peg says
VERY well said, Booth! Might I also add that B&M retailers don’t realize the value of impulse buys they get from their customers – relatively small purchases of cute little items that add up over time, and become sales that most online shops don’t easily capture. That, along with the personal service and ability to create a friendly, welcoming and inclusive environment is something that’s extremely difficult to develop in an online-only environment. I have a small online shop and out of respect for my B&M peers I am careful to charge full MSRP on everything I sell (unless it’s on sale temporarily), and that makes it very difficult to complete with places like Fabric.com, Keepsake and Craftsy (I’m especially miffed about Craftsy but that’s a different rant for another day).
Like a local B&M store, however, I recognize that it’s my ability to reach out and connect with my customers that will keep us in business, much more so than price. Unlike many local B&M owners, I refuse to accept defeat at the hands of other businesses. 🙂
Jan-Maree Warne says
After reading all of your gripes and “feel sorry for me” shit I have to ask myself why go into a small business with this negative attitude to start with? It’s the same as having a small grocery store trying to compete with big chain stores like Woolworths, Coles, etc. If you’re going into any small business know how competitive it is, know it’s a big bad world out there, but, and I can’t say it enough, don’t go into a business of any kind with a negative attitude, it rubs off onto your customers and trust me they won’t come back. If you want a successful business listen to your customers, target young people because their the ones we want to learn the craft. . If you have classes, have them in the evening, and if you say. “Oh! By that time of night I’m too tired.” Don’t start a business at all. Goodbye and Good luck and please! Stop bitching!!!!!!!!!!!!
Jodie Zollinger says
Thank you for taking the time to share this information. I found it very informative and interesting.
Kaoru Marie says
I usually purchase my quilting fabric from either Hawthorne Threads or a local quilt shop. If I know exactly what I want, then I go to HT because of the convenience. When I don’t know what I want, then I go to my LQS where I love being able to take my time and see the fabrics in person. I usually end up buying several fabrics I had never seen online (not that I do much online research).
The main reason why I don’t shop all that frequently at my LQS is because the customer service is ok. One time I was the only person in the shop (I’m in my early 30s) and the only lady working at the store was at the register doing some other crafts, completely ignoring me. Another time I went in and there were two ladies working and I stood waiting to get my fabric cut while they were chatting with each other. They’re very nice, but it’s little details like making sure the customer is taken care of promptly that can really make a difference.
Abby says
And Hawthorne Threads is owned by Lindsay and Charlie, a husband and wife team who have a family business in upstate New York. Lindsay had an Etsy shop begun in 2007 and she began ordering fabric wholesale. Over time the business grew, Charlie quit his job as software developer and joined her full-time. Their customer service in my experience is fantastic. They ship very quickly. The Hawthorne Threads blog is helpful and generous with tutorials and creative ideas for using fabric. They have a terrific newsletter with a giveaway every single week. Hawthorne Threads is certainly not the enemy, even if it feels like they’re on opposing sides with local quilt shops. It’s a different model, but equally valid for sure.
Taryn (forkandneedle) says
This is a very interesting discussion. I live in rural New Zealand and to get to a LQS it’s at least 40 minutes of travel. When I do get there it’s rare to find any sort of modern fabric (Bonnie and Camille is unknown) and fabric is priced at NZ$28 per metre OR MORE! (approx US$20 per yard). Notions have similar inflated prices. Prices are similar in Australia (I was there last week) as for both countries it goes through an importer before going to a retailer – and extra cut of the profits!
I shop online with US websites for fabric a lot, although not exclusively. I’ve never had a bad experience and in many cases the service has been AMAZING! I can buy fabric I can’t find here – which is determined by the importer – and it is so much cheaper, even with the cost of shipping. We have lost a number of LQS in our wider area recently. One stated that it was because of the prevalence of online shopping – but I know that the main reason I avoided them was the patronising attitude of the staff – even though they sold ‘modern fabric’. When I was in Australia I went to a large LQS that I’d heard raved about – and was very disappointed with their staff as well.
I do have some lovely LQS that I continue to visit and spend in. I’d love to live closer so I could do some of their classes too.
Yarn – I am incredibly lucky to live on a farm (with sheep) in the greatest wool producing country – so buy exclusively from New Zealand retailers. The price is similar (for our own product) and I’d strongly encourage other crafters to look at what NZ has to offer – maybe shop online from us?
Gina Samuels says
Hi,
I too live in New Zealand, in Auckland, the largest city. I shop on line all the time – it is quick and the service is fantastic and friendly. I would like to use my local quilt shops but as you mention, the price is $28-30 and the classes all seem to be in the day time which doesn’t suit those who work. Fortunately I like to quilt on my own so I can concentrate but it would be lovely to interact with others from time to time. I just love the fabric outlets that the United States have to offer and I get quite envious when I see photos of them all sitting around quilting and sharing ideas and going on shop hops etc and making new friends. Keep up those fantastic posts Abby…. you are saying what a lot of people will only think and not say . Regards Gina.
Tarnya says
Lovely to read about New Zealand Quilting on here. I’m from Auckland. I also shop most of my fabric online. It’s really disappointing when I have bought something I didn’t like because I didn’t look carefully enough (my fault not the shop) and the postage to return was the same price as the fabric. I am getting better at online shopping 🙂 Overall though I am way ahead! Although now with the change in currency rates my fabric is going to get a lot more expensive. Time to use up my stash.
We loved your post Abby , Charlotte who writes for Quilting Focus shared it.
PaddyAnne says
Hi Tarnya, Good for you to promote NZ wool and products, they are fantastic! I enjoyed reading your note as I grew up in a rural area too, and am soon moving back to another one (meanwhile have been in the city)… and understand your situation. Cheers! PaddyAnne
Rebecca Grace says
Abby, you always have the BEST TOPICS! This is so timely. Today I spent two hours in rush hour traffic to get to and from the closest thing I have to an LQS. It’s a Bernina dealer/Quilt Shop and although I buy my machines from a Bernina dealer 5 minutes from my home for more convenient service and support, he has Berninas, Brothers, those giant Happy embroidery machine things, Miele vacuums and laundry machines… and maybe 100 bolts of very boring fabric at the very back of the store, crammed behind a shelving unit selling vacuum cleaner bags. Get the picture? I could have gone to JoAnns, but I hate that store and their selection sucks (frankly). Would rather spend an afternoon at the DMV than at JoAnns. Sometimes I daydream about opening the perfect quilt shop of my dreams myself, in my own town, because I know there are other quilters around since we have two quilt guilds (and SOMEONE is buying all those Bernina and Brother machines from my Bernina dealer). But I hear these horror stories about how awful it is to own a quilt shop.
Personally, yes, I do my fair share of online shopping, usually in my pajamas while my husband has sports on TV and I want to snuggle while I shop. But most small online fabric shops are frustrating because they don’t have enough selection for me to really make it worth the shipping and handling, and they tend to have websites that are not so easy to navigate for browsing. I used to love http://www.borntoquilt.com, now defunct, and I do a fair bit of shopping at http://www.equilter.com — love how I can shop by color, collection, theme, click on a color in a print to find coordinating fabrics, and their Design Wall tool is great for seeing how different fabrics will play together. But there are always quirky off-beat fabrics that I can’t find there, and I hate to wait for the fabric to show up, and sometimes I really want to see colors in person, you know? I would much, MUCH rather shop in a local quilt shop that was convenient to me, and if they had the same fabrics as an online retailer I would be willing to pay a dollar or two more per yard to get it NOW and without having to pay for shipping.
Other than it not being local, the only things I would change about my (non-L)QS would be to add Liberty Art and Japanese import fabrics and more expensive, boutiquey items that JoAnn’s would never carry: Roxanne’s sterling silver thimbles, Sajou French embroidery scissors, silk threads and Bohin needles for hand applique, etc. Oh, and I agree with the other commenter who feels frustrated that classes are never offered when she is available to attend them. My local Bernina dealer does offer classes (crammed between vacuum cleaners and machines, not in a nice classroom) but they are always at night — I would want to come during the day, when my kids are at school, not at night when I’d be missing homework and story time. The faraway shop has classes during the day, but I couldn’t make it to any of them in time after dropping my kids at school (especially with the morning rush hour factored in).
Abby says
It’s interesting. Another quilt shop owner I spoke with said she likes having an online shop as well as a brick-and-mortar because she can sell some of these more expensive, specialty items (like Aurifil floss and organic fabrics) online, but those items don’t sell well in the store. She still wants to carry them, though, so the online shop is the way to do that. Quilt shops that successfully mix online and in-store are especially interesting to me, but a topic for another post.
Rae says
I can’t wait to read that post (here’s to hoping you write it).
Carley Biblin says
You touched on an interesting point with your comment:
“I know there are other quilters around since we have two quilt guilds (and SOMEONE is buying all those Bernina and Brother machines from my Bernina dealer).”
The implication here (I assume) is that you don’t know who those people are. I have the same issue. I have a local quilt shop, but I’m always the only one inside when I go, and I can’t find other people “like me.” Perhaps the job of the LQS should be to network their customers. Classes alone are not enough, as many people can’t afford that. They need to have a place for people to sit, meet and greet events, sew-alongs, and other social events. If they can help people make human connections around something they’re passionate about, they will have the kind of loyalty you can’t buy (or lure away with a sale).
Gretchen Adams says
I think you’re spot on. My, not so local -40 min. Away, quilt shop is wonderful. For many reasons, great fabric, big bright classroom, interesting classes, friendly, supportive owners and employees.
But they have created a community of quilters among us. Each fall for the past 10 yrs they hold a three night retreat, 75 lucky quilters get to attend. Over these years we have gotten to know each other and we use the store (Sew Nice) as a gathering place.
The shop holds special sales that are well attended, not just to shop, but to see like minded friends and visit for an hour or so..
So by creating a community, they have also created loyal customers too.
Carol Y says
The quilt shop I worked for (which closed a few years ago) had very successful sit ‘n sew type get togethers, for free. I’ve seen some shops actually charge for the same thing. Sometimes we would put on an impromptu sale for them too. We also had a block of the month for only $25 for the entire quilt, a total loss leader, but it got people in the shop – they were treated to a monthly sale too on block day.
Carley Biblin says
I have two “local” quilt shops. One is nearby, but tries to be everything to everybody (sewing, knitting, jewelry, etc.) and the store is cramped. I find very little of the fabric appealing. The other shop (also an arts, crafts, and quilting shop) is 30 minutes or more drive from me. It’s a beautiful store, but all the fabric is pre-cut yardage (1, 3, or 5 yards). Sometimes the staff greet me. The last time I was there for almost an hour, but the only time someone some to me was at the register. I did, however, watch a middle-aged man looking for stencils get lots of help. I think the fabric-buying customers are a bit ignored.
I think another problem is the lack of selection. No matter where I go (big box or LQS) they never have everything I need. The online shops, considered as a whole, will always have a better selection than the few stores nearby. As much as I want to buy only local, my diverse interests and specific needs and preferences make it an almost impossibility.
I hope the local shops figure out a way to make it work, though, because the tactile aspect of buying fabric and the color comparison and matching are an important part of the process, for me at least.
Angela says
I admit to being primarily an online fabric shopper. The big chain fabric store nearby lost its lease, and the other big craft/fabric chain is 20-30 minutes away can be so dreadfully slow, and they usually don’t have much of interest anyway.The LQS would take me 45-60 minutes each way on public transit or less to drive, but then I’d also pay to park. If they were in my neighborhood, or closer, at least, I’d make a point to go.
I had two similar experiences with online shops recently. I ordered several cuts of fabrics from each. Both had to contact me due to shortages. One shop was short on two items, and completely out of another. It was disappointing that half of the items I ordered were not fully available, but they were friendly and apologetic. The other shop had a shortage on one item. They also contacted me, and by way of apology, offered a complimentary 1/2 yard of my choice plus a refund on the missing yardage. It was a nice touch, especially since most (maybe all) of the items I was ordering from them were on sale. Since one of the perks online shopping is convenience, inventory management is crucial, especially when items in one order are often purchased for use together. In a B&M, I’d be able to check availability before making all my decisions. There are always trade-offs.
Booth Kittson says
A pernicious problem with wholesale fabric purchasing is yardage shortage. Many, many, far too many, wholesale vendors will sell a 15 yard bolt, and, when measured, turns out to be 13.5, or worse! Don’t get me started…
Realistically there is no way to measure all the fabric for inventory other than by estimating; it’s unfeasible to unroll each entire bolt or roll.
Joann’s makes a practice of measuring fabric to the nanoinch, often stretching and distorting the yardage to the effect of cutting it short. Fabric.com will simply send the coordinating fabric and leave out the missing fabric with a note, “Out of stock.” Tough luck if you wanted these together.
The beauty of shopping small stores, both online and B&M, aside from the quality, is that the shop owner gives you the choice of buying that short piece or not, perhaps helping with a substitute. You’ve got that personal interaction to help you decide.
Carley Biblin says
I’ve had that “out of stock” problem with online shopping. I always try to avoid paying multiple shipping, so it really irks me when they don’t notify you before they send the package and give you the chance to cancel or change the order. Of course, online shops have so much in their favor (convenience, cost, etc) that people, particularly those who want/need to pay less, are willing to forgive, or at least forget, about this issue.
Booth Kittson says
Usually small online shops will notify you that something’s out of stock or short and give you the choice of continuing or not. I know I do.
The larger shops like Amazon based fabric.com and eQuilter will not. It’s just not in their business model to spend that much time per order and the few customers that don’t “forgive and forget” don’t matter.
Carley Biblin says
My order with “out of stock” items was through JoAnn. They have every color of Kona cotton in their online shop (except when they don’t, of course). It’s those types of selections (e.g. all 303 colors) that are almost non-existent in B & M. Of course, when the “in stock” part of my order arrived, one of the colors did not match my project like I’d hoped. There’s just no solution to this problem. Color cards are helpful,of course, but expensive and small. Online shops will always have this drawback.
Luana says
eQuilter’s customer service Department calls every single order that has a discrepancy, especially if there is a rare shortage in our real time inventory. We have one person who spends the whole day on the phone with customers following up on questions and orders. If you ever ever had a shortage on an order and you did not receive the service please contact me personally. Customer service and personal attention is key to our business, and any other quilt shop or fabric business that intends to stay in business. Thank you for a very thoughtful article and comments.
Abby says
Thank you for clarifying, Luana.
Andrea says
Yes, but fabric.com also have end of the bolt “jackpot” stickers where you get anywhere from a few inches to half a yard free. I can’t fault there service, there sales are frequent and postage to Australia is very affordable.
Carley Biblin says
Something else that hasn’t been mentioned at all is sales tax. I live in an area where it’s just shy of 10%, which is significant enough to require inclusion in any budgeting that happens. That “extra dollar two” multiplied over the number of yards you buy can impact whether you can afford to make the project. Online shopping often (though not always) removes sales tax from the equation. For me, even if I’m charged sales tax online, it’s always less than what I’d pay in a B & M. No amount of niceties from a LQS is going to change the tax issue. While online shops can sometimes get away with not paying the Board of Equalization, local sales tax is impossible to avoid for a B & M. How can a LQS compete? They can do everything they can to “earn” that extra dollar or two per yard (plus tax) from the person that can afford to pay it, but what about the person that can’t?
Felice Regina says
Oh, I have so many thoughts about this!
The shop owner you spoke to who said, “Younger, more modern quilters have no loyalty to anyone at all,” could have been several of the owners of LQS around me. This attitude drives me batty. As a young, modern quilter, I LOVE quilt shops. The problem is that none of my LQS carry much of anything I’m interested in buying. They stock mostly batiks, civil war, 30s repro, and novelty fabric. I’ve asked them if they plan to order certain fabric lines like ones from Cotton + Steel, Lizzy House, and other modern favorites, and the answer is always no. Back in March when Lizzy House’s Natural History line become available for order, I even collected a list of prints from guild members of prints we wanted and asked a LQS owner if she would order those bolts. We would have easily purchased all 15 yards of 5 different bolts. The owner still said no because she thought the fabric was “ugly.”
I was pretty upset. Here we were, WANTING to support this LQS when we could easily buy our fabric online, and she had no interest in serving us as customers. We can’t support shops if they don’t stock products we want to buy. For that reason alone, I rarely shop at LQS in my area.
When I had a traditional 8 – 5 job, it was almost impossible for me to shop at any LQS. They all close at 5 or earlier, and lots of them are closed on weekends. Most of my guild mates have full time jobs too, so there is no way to support them unless we have a vacation day.
The one LQS that does carry some modern fabric had an odd habit of cherry-picking a bolt or two from a bunch of different collections. This makes it really hard to find fabrics that coordinate well within the store. I would rather that they stocked fewer complete collections than a large random assortment of bolts.
But the biggest sticking point is that most LQS employees treat me like crap. They see me, 24 YO woman walk in and assume I don’t know a thing about quilting. Even when I let them know I’ve been quilting quite seriously for a year and a half, they still talk down to me and try to direct me what to buy (that’s if I can get them to talk to me at all!). I’ll pick out fabrics I like and they say, “Oh no, you shouldn’t put these together.” I’m sorry, but unless I asked for an opinion, I’m not interested in any critiques of my choices.
There are lots of LQS I adore in a city a couple hours from me. They’re all owned by a younger modern group of women, and they seem to understand what we want. They treat us like valued customers and they listen to our feedback. LQS owners who don’t listen to their customers and then cry that we’re not loyal need to take a look at why they haven’t earned our loyalty.
Abby says
These thoughts and this honest feedback for the local shops in your area are really valuable, Felice. I’m hopeful that there is a new sort of shop like the one in the city that is a few hours from you that are serving all customers and are welcoming to all tastes. I wonder how traditional quilters feel in those shops? Do they feel ignored? Or are the shop owners doing just as good a job at welcoming them as they are at welcoming young, modern quilters?
Snow says
I’m in the same boat as Felice. I have two local shops that I try to frequent. One has very nice staff who are friendly and welcoming and helpful, but the shop is tiny and mostly has batiks and old-fashioned prints, which I’m not interested in. The other store is bright and colorful and seems like it would be modern, but their customer service is hit and miss. The staff frequently complain about modern quilting and the owner won’t even consider getting Cotton & Steel, even the basics. She says that she’s talked to too many shop owners who bought it and “it just sat there.”
Another issue for me is that so many LQSs seem to focus more on selling machines than on selling the stuff to use with machines. I have a Singer and don’t plan on upgrading for a while. But when I mention that in sewing conversations with the staff, it’s like they just decide that I am no longer important since I don’t have a Pfaff or Bernina and don’t have the money to upgrade to one. I understand that machines are expensive, so they probably are great for a store’s bottom line, but there needs to be some accommodation for sewists who can’t or won’t be purchasing a machine any time soon.
Michelle says
I agree with Felice. I love the staff at a few of my LQS, but they don’t often carry modern fabrics. or if they do only bits and pieces of a line. Some of the other LQS look at me like I don’t belong there and ignore me. I would be willing to pay a little more to get fabrics right away if they carried the fabrics I really wanted. I buy what I can locally and order the rest online so I can get the lines I really want.
Melisa Hart says
I can completely relate to the frustration of not being taken seriously because you are young. I’m 32, have a degree in fashion design, own a fabric store, and have my own line of sewing patterns, and often when I’m traveling and visit other quilt stores I get talked down to. On the bright side, these negative experiences teach me what NOT to do in my own store, and my employees are trained to treat all customers with the same respect regardless of age, gender or race.
Sharon | the teacup incident says
Hi Abby,
This is such a good discussion about LQS vs. online. For me, just like the people commenting above, its about selection and service more than price. There are two specialty stores and a JoAnn’s craft store in my town. If I only care about price, I go to JoAnn’s, coupons in hand. Of the other stores, one is really for the fashion sewer with high end fabrics in stock. The (older) staff mainly focuses on dressmaking sewers and seems to have little patience or help for quilters which are usually the younger customers. They offer one advanced dress-making class a month on Sundays.
The other store bends over backwards to welcome all sewers, including kids, and offers classes day and night to accommodate many different sewing levels and interests. Their clients tend to be younger and their modern fabric selection and quilting classes reflect this. This is the store I like to spend time in because I not only feel welcome but I feel like my “tribe” hangs out there. If brick and mortar stores are to survive, customer service has be their top priority.
Abby says
Amen! I know you’re based in Denver and I’m wondering if the store where your tribe hangs out might be Fancy Tiger?
Sharon | the teacup incident says
Hi Abby,
I live in Boulder which is about 45 minutes from Denver. Fabricate in Boulder is comparable to the Fancy Tiger, and both offer great customer service and fun classes. For us Boulderites, Fabricate is the logical choice for classes and fabric unless we want to go into Denver. Plus we have more say over what’s on offer because its easy to pop into the store to see/discuss what’s new.
Abby says
Ah, sorry! And good to know 🙂
Daryl says
Fabricate in Boulder is fantastic. I agree, they bend over backwards to make you feel welcome and they have a really great selection.
Sara says
I live in a London suburb in the UK. You might think I have lots of crafting material choices. Well I don’t have. There are hardly any fabric shops or yarn stores and no quilting ones at all that I can think of but I am not a quilter although some of the techniques I use are the same. We are not so much into crafting culture in the UK as the US and it is not a mainstream thing. It is one of those things that has fads and fashions and so availability waxes and wanes. The internet is an absolute godsend to me, along with the recommendations of bloggers who have sent me in the right direction with purchases, so I have rarely been disappointed. Actually never with fabric but it does occasionally happen with yarn.
Crafting tends to cater for the higher end of things in London so you find that it is all about life style, with style over substance and that there isn’t actually much to buy in the shops here. So while shops like Liberty and Loop look amazing, they are for special times only and can be very frustrating. Shops tend to sell a premium rate product and at a premium rate price. Well as a modest income person, I can’t afford to buy into that and nor would I want to. I suppose that is why I am attracted to recycling etc. to bypass my difficulties in finding what I want and because I like to make pretty things out of the non pretty as part of my challenge. I do still require new fabrics though.
I do have a local fabric shop, the only one left around here for probably 15 years now. They are not a quilting shop as quilting is not really a big thing here. It is loaded to the brim with fabric (mostly dressmaking, but some crafting fabrics like faux fur and felt) which is good and they have a good choice, but it’s displayed in ways which if you touch it, will fall down and you will be reprimanded by the staff. The logistics of purchasing are also beyond fathoming and not user friendly at all. You are supposed to ask the staff for help but there aren’t enough of them and they are very offhand and rude and you will be waiting around forever, only to be treated in an entirely offhand and sometimes ignorant way when it is your turn. There are lots of things actually that make buying there a really stressful thing. It is my only choice though if I want to buy in person.
Sometimes with things like notions, I have just straight away ordered online, rather than have to ask for everything I want as it is behind the counter, or be sold the only version they have at a price that is more expensive than online and all in a way that is impatient and rude and pretty much without any knowledgeable staff at all to advise.
I always order quilting fabric (which I use for small projects like bags or cushions) online when I require it and love to buy fat quarters from time to time. Buying online has been a joy. Customer service is excellent and the owners friendly and knowledgeable while providing a personal touch. They show that they value my custom. This has been from small etsy type sellers to those who have bigger independent shops. I suppose that occasionally I have waited too long for dispatch and delivery, but in compensation the prices and availability were good. I want to be able to buy in person, but I don’t want it to be stressful and I want to be able to get what I want and talk to people who have at least a cursory knowledge of the products that they sell. That currently doesn’t exist for me so I buy online. My local fabric shop makes me shudder when I think of them and I will put off going in there.
Many years ago, my favourite place to buy fabric was within a department store, which has now gone along with many others. It is apparently very hard to sustain any kind of crafting B & M store here in the UK. As a chain store, I can only think of Hobby craft which is not in my locality and not really selling products that I want. Even in these times where crafting is currently trending, although I live right by a busy shopping centre, no one has tried to open a crafting shop in a good many years. I remember a long time back, when they did try, and they all closed within a couple of years. There was a stitching shop, a stencil shop and a picture framers, all of which had an initial flurry of activity which died away. No fabric shops though and no yarn ones either.
I will not give my loyalty to a shop which treats me rudely. Fabric in the UK is very expensive and at times prohibitive. It is often far more expensive to make than to buy and not ‘make do and mend’ at all. If you don’t try and compensate for that, by at least giving me good service, then of course I will go online!
Erica says
I commented on your Instagram that I really enjoyed the people at my local quilt/fabric/craft store. However, I knew I wasn’t being very precise with my comment; it was some time before I felt comfortable going to the cutting table and interacting with the ladies there. Part of it was just my own confidence in what I was looking for. But I wholeheartedly agree with the idea that there seems to be an “in crowd” at many of these stores. If you aren’t one of the regulars, it’s very likely that staff will spend time chatting with each other than with you. However, I don’t think fabric stores are alone in this unfortunate pattern of service. I see it in many places where specialized knowledge is being referenced – running stores/clubs and music stores also come to mind. Perhaps because people are drawn to the products being sold, staff feel that their customer service doesn’t have to focus on being welcoming. Or perhaps that their expertise and opinions are an important element of service.
Ultimately I choose to go to my preferred store because I like the combination of product and personalities, now that I have gotten to know them. The cutting table staff are a few years younger than me, but are passionate about crafting and interested in unique ways of doing things.
Great post!
Rae says
Thanks for prompting another great discussion, Abby.
I’ve always tried to walk the fine line of supporting the local shops while balancing a budget and finding fabrics I actually want to purchase (ending up online for the latter and sometimes in a box store for notions for the former).
I can’t complain much about the shops in my current area—they have a good selection of modern fabrics with mostly helpful staff (although I’ve been completely ignored by the owner of one, multiple times). Even in my last town, while the selection wasn’t awesome, the staff was always helpful (again, one owner liked to run her mouth about online shoppers, young shoppers, customers being annoying, etc…) and I found a community with some of the classes and events they’d run, although it was only after I became part of the local guild and was seemingly vouched for by the older quilters in the area.
My biggest disappointments have been while traveling. I love visiting new shops as I travel, but as an under-30 quilter (even if I like buying traditional fabrics sometimes, nevermind that I’ve been sewing things for 3/4 of my life), I’ve encountered so much indifference, and sometimes outright hostility. At one shop in Lee’s Summit, MO (a few years ago, the same week coincidentally that Quilt Market was in KCMO), the owner followed me around the entire time I was in the store, particularly when I was in the thread section—I got the distinct feeling she thought I was trying to steal things! It certainly wasn’t because she was trying to be helpful, as she barely answered the questions I had and didn’t ask if I needed help or had questions.
When my first encounter at a local store is bad (whether traveling or not), it doesn’t inspire me to support the shop or work to foster that relationship from my end. Great customer service should not be a benefit given only to the known, repeat customers—if quilt shop owners and staff continue to treat younger (possibly more Modern, beginner, whatever) quilters as disloyal, untrustworthy, non-“true” quilters, it’s easily going to become a self-fulfilling prophesy for their own store, and propagate out as we are trained to distrust all the brick and mortar stores we enter due to a string of bad experiences. I expect to be just another order number at a box store or discount online store—but I’d rather be an order number than a doormat to hostile shop owners just in the name of supporting local businesses.
Booth Kittson says
As on online merchant I cannot imagine ignoring or somehow mistreating a potential customer regardless of their “quilting creds”- besides being a terrible business practice it’s just rude! I’m hearing these stories and am gobsmacked/astonished/shocked.
All I can say is vote with your dollar and your recommendation.
Kristin Link says
You said, “Combine this with space limitations and overhead costs and online retail wins out every time.:”
My pet project is educating people about the overhead of online shops. 😉 It is a common misconception that online shops have lower overhead, and almost an excuse for consumers to expect lower prices. And it always comes up in the local vs online argument, so I think it’s important to talk about the reality. I honestly feel that an established online shop has all the expenses of a brick and mortar, including rent. Perhaps it is a commercial space rather than a retail space, which has lower rent, but I am confident that the online store spends all of that “savings” and then some in all the IT and labor costs associated with running a busy website.
Abby says
Kristin, great point. Last year when I was doing my quarterly income reports here on the blog I tried to be sure to emphasize how expensive it is to run an online business. If you’re doing it right and have a popular and well-run website, you’re paying significant overhead in hosting and other digital services. It’s actually really expensive! And that on top of renting warehouse space and hiring employees I imagine could add up to roughly the same costs as running a brick-and-mortar shop.
peppermintpenguin says
I agree – same applies in UK, the cliqueyness, the limitations on style and merchandise vs the modern and/or inclusive.
the other thing, about shops and about classes, is Accessibility – this is a term used in British English to mean disability accessible, don’t know if there is a commonly used term in US English?
There is a sewing school in Glasgow (the stitchery studio) on the 3rd floor of a tenement with no lift. Impossible for anyone with mobility issues (that’s Ground, 1, 2, 3 btw). Mandor’s is one of the biggest fabric shops and is up a very steep ramp, so equally impossible for physically disabled people – the owners of these businesses aren’t trying to exclude the disabled, they just never thought of it.
My gripe – and I’m wondering how common this is in the US – is that they should say how accessible their shop or class venue is as a matter of course. Not all venues can be, or even need to be, you should just be able to see it on the website without needing to phone and ask. and no, accessibility doesn’t just mean a wheelchair ramp!
The chronically ill do a lot of crafts – of all kinds. they are (I believe) a major customer, especially online, for knitting, sewing, papercrafts you name it, they have tried it. So visiting a shop in person or attending a class becomes a feasibility study and quite often you end up feeling unwelcome.
Rae says
Accessibility works for US English as well.
I had a related discussion with a member of my MQG the other day—the majority of our local shops are not accessible (even in the simplest wheelchair-ramp-available way), which is a concern because our guild hosts meetings in one (on the second floor [first to you]), and is planning a sew-in in another (where the classroom is in a basement).
I’m sad to say it’s the first time I’d thought about it because it means we’re likely discriminating against potential members, but it causes even more problems for the other member as she also plans things for the larger, more traditional guild with many members who have mobility issues.
Laura McGrath says
Well, I’m one of those older quilters, but I don’t feel I conform to your stereotypes. I belong to a guild, with membership of over 150, mostly who are into traditional quilting patterns and fabrics. I learned how to dye my own fabrics because I got tired of trying to find what I wanted on-line or at my LQS. The prices have also gotten too high for me to buy as much as I’d like to. I support local shops by buying high quality threads like Aurifil, or by taking classes whenever I find something interesting. Otherwise, they have little that interests me. I don’t understand the fascination with certain designers or fabric lines that younger quilters seem to have, and I don’t understand the rigid conformity that seems to be a trait of my own age quilting peers. I’ll continue to make my own fabric because it makes me happy, and make the quilts I want to make. Isn’t that what everyone should do, instead of worrying about everyone else?
Victoria says
Fantastic article!
I have worked in a local quilt shop for 4 years now. I agree with the whole article. There aren’t enough of us younger people speaking up about the ageism that occurs in our local shops. I’m 20 and my customers don’t trust me unless they see the regulars interact with me. Although it was a hard long road starting to work in a LQS at 16, I had to earn their respect even though I had been sewing for 10 years already.
We have a dozen shops in a 30 mile radius, and boy do I hear about the way some of our customers get treated. I rarely hear about what kind of fabric they have but I definitely hear “I’m never going back there again the way they treated me!”
Thank you for writing your article:)
Barb says
I have a love/hate relationship with LQS in my area. I still go back and usually spend a small fortune, but I am never comfortable there. I am chronically ill, which is neither here nor there. But where and when I go out requires planning to use my time most efficiently. I have not been back to the one shop since my last bad experience. The store was hot, I was pushing myself too hard and ended up in tears in my hubby’s arms. I needed fabric, I wanted to be there and I was not going to give in and leave empty handed. It was the third time I approached a salesperson (this time with tears in my eyes) and begged her to help me as I was “crashing.” I was completely overwhelmed by the colors, the selection and having to pull the bolts down off the wall. i recieved the help I desperately needed and did find end up getting gorgeous fabrics. Aaah my trip was saved. Until I went to the register where there was a beautiful class quilt hanging. I said to my husband, “Oh! I wlould love to take that class.” He agreed as he knows I need the encouragement and that I know my own limitations and frankly he can never say no to me. But the salesperson did. She looked at me as though I were crazy and said, “You could never do that!” Well I paid for my fabrics and left the store, head down, clutching my husband’s hand, my tail down and definitely between my legs. I haven’t been back since! It is so much easier to shop on the internet on my schedule and I enjoy the experience so much more. I have become fond of net celebrities and their online stores and dream of one day traveling to their b and m stores.
Jim Carnevale says
Ah, G Street Fabrics – brings back memories. I know I’m dating myself when I admit to first going to G St Fabrics when it was actually on G St NW in downtown Washington! I sure miss DC.
As for local shops vs online ordering… I find myself doing both. I now live in New Mexico and there are two shops here that I’m very loyal to. I visit them on a regular basis and do my share to keep them in business.
However, my online shopping isn’t necessarily to save a couple dollars but usually to find fabrics that my local shops don’t carry. By going online you can find just about any fabric that’s available. On one particular quilt I was making a few years ago, I had to get all of the fabric I wanted for it online. Some of it was so scarce that one piece of it had to come from a quilt shop in London.
There are two online shop owners that I have actually gotten to know personally. They are family run online shops that are small to medium businesses just like a local store. They both offer personal service and they provide a livelihood for real people just like a local shop. As a matter of fact, after placing an order I received a phone call from the owner of one online shop. She called to ask if I wanted my quarter yard selections cut straight or fat. Now that’s personal service. So, not all online businesses are gigantic impersonal operations. Many of them are actually in back rooms of small local quilt shops somewhere.
By the way Abby I really like your blog. I’ll be following you in the future.
Jim
Laura Bullinger says
As a professional sewing contractor I believe that a generic product like cotton quilting fabric CAN be purchased online without loss of quality. As long as the fabric is “real” quilt cloth, not the test runs & unfinished junk that is sold in Joann’s, then it’s really just a matter of choosing the print or the artist that you prefer.
This is a far different experience than garment fabric, which often must be seen in hand when deciding between types of materials.
My personal experience in a quilt shop was terrible. The owners and staff completely ignored me while I browsed, and tried to ask questions. Even when I was ready to purchase, they were too busy swooning over the quilt groupies who were showing off their latest blocks and walking all around shouting out to each other. It was clearly a private environment which did not welcome any outsiders. I never went back and felt so resentful, that I secretly wished them to go out of business!
Shelly says
I utilize all the resources available to me. Online, local shops, big box stores, and usually look up any local shops during my travels. I regularly purchase from all of them. I don’t think any shop owner should ever be angry at their customers for doing so. There are so many different genres of quilters! My mom and I are perfect examples. She loves appliqué and I’m a bag maker, but we love quilt shop shopping together and usually end up meeting in the middle at each shop. My favorite LQS offers quality designer fabric at almost every level. She carries fabric from and for the younger more modern quilter to all the traditional fabrics for others. They are on top of everything there! Often you may have to wait a bit to have your fabric cut because there is a line. That’s how popular this place is. I do love ordering on line as well, but more often than not, I will run up to my favorite quilt shop so I can feel and see the fabric in person and head home to get started on my project that same day. Great topic! I love your blog, so informative!
Stephanie says
This post had me cracking up because I feel like I could have written it! I DREAD going to my local quilting/sewing shops. The first time I went to my LQS I was looking for a picot machine (which I knew was a long shot) but I wanted to check out the shop anyway. The clerk spent the whole time telling me that “no one uses those machines anymore” and tried to sell me a cover stitch machine instead.
The second time I went to a different LQS, to get my machine repaired/serviced. My machine had a few specific issues that I wanted addressed, and I tried to speak with the staff about them, both when I dropped it off and when I picked it up. Both times I felt a weird mix of dismissiveness and hostility. It was confusing and upsetting.
At both shops I felt like they thought I was new to sewing and couldn’t possibly have known what I needed or wanted, but by the time I visited the second shop I had been sewing for over 15 years.
I didn’t voice any of my feelings at the time, I’m not a big fan of confrontation, lol…
I haven’t been back to either shop since.
Cherry says
I am in the Midlands in the UK and I say hooray for online stores and etsy. My nearest ‘good’ quilt shop is a one and a half hour to two hour drive if traffic is ok, so it takes a whole day. It doesn’t stock everything I need but they have great customer service including the time that a staff member dropped off a length of wadding at my house herself because the store did not have what I wanted on a visit. How amazing is that? They also have a significant online presence. I would love to have a B and M shop near me but I don’t and have found a wealth of great online stores (including ones in the USA in the past). Unfortunately changes in postal rates now make US postage too high to contemplate except for tiny buys.
Great post as always Abby!
Anna says
I agree with your assessment about the community that can be generated from a Local Quilt Shop because it does allow for that interaction that can’t be found online (no matter how hard I’ve tried). I had a sewing studio (a popular model for a few years but most of them closed for some reason or another) where my goal was to provide classes taught in evening and weekend hours when the working professionals would be able to attend, in addition to studio time during the day if needed. I had a pretty successful online shop as well which is where I sold the majority of my fabric and that actually paid my rent for my shop! Unfortunately, due to life happening, I had to close the studio and the online shop. But I’ve been in both situations. I feel for the B&M shop owners, but instead of getting angry and frustrated, they should stretch their wings and consider ways to reach out to people! I hear stories all the time about shops not being friendly or welcoming. My closest LQS has actually moved to within 3 miles of my house! I’m dying to go visit them but they didn’t really communicate much about their move or that they are actually open and they don’t have proper signage in front of their suite yet. I contacted them through their website and have to admit their reply wasn’t overly friendly although they agreed to consider purchasing the new BOM from Carolyn Freidlander (very modern hand applique). I’ve actually been unable to participate with my local modern quilt guild since about February and I’ve been craving the interaction with people in real life. I was really hoping that the LQS that I now pass twice a day would be able to provide something like that. I also personally feel that every B&M shop should have their fabric online. It would be a super easy way to move the merchandise instead of hoping that people walk in and find them. Although, there is a shop I love that is a few hours away and because they don’t sell online I’ve been able to find some “gems” there after they were sold out of most online shops.
Terri Ann says
I am absolutely one of those “younger, more modern quilters” that my LQS probably assumes I have no loyalty and that’s not the case. Do I buy fabric online? Yes, usually it’s because few of the shops near me carry specific brands, obscure lines or the full variety I’m looking for. I also have 3-6 shops “near” me (within 1hr drive) that I rotate between. One has AMAZING thread selection, another has AMAZING customer service and the others are kind of hit or miss. The brick and mortar shops need to learn to identify their strategic advantage over online shops and really own it. For most of them that advantage is: in person contact. The shop go to most frequently is out of my way but as my fabric is cut they ask what I’m making or if I have pictures of any of my recent projects on my phone (which I always do and am dying to tell them about but I’m shy in person). I’m a captive audience in your shop, engage with me, please!!
It also drives me a bit bonkers that most of the shops are only open “bankers” hours; I work full time, that’s how I make the money to spend at your shop. The shop closest to my home is open from 10-4 and closed on Sundays. I’ve lived 15 minutes away from them for 6 months now and have only gone in once because of those hours. I know they can’t be open 24 hrs a day like the online shops but extended hours are a great way to get the customers who work during the day to wait till Wednesday or Thursday evening to go to the shop instead of hopping online. The other key to the extended hours is engaging on the platform to reach the customers you are missing. If you post extended hours on the door of your shop I won’t see it cause I think you’re not open, make sure you update Facebook, Google Business, put it in an Instagram account and update your website and newsletter. Evolving with the market is hard and scary but your customers want to support you even if you think they are without loyalty.
Samantha says
Interesting discussion. I think I must be lucky I am from the UK and my local quilt shop is modern, and friendly. I visit a couple of time a month, have gone to classes there too. I’m in my thirties and feel very welcome when ever I visit. Classes are of a mixed age range although I generally find I’m the youngest. I buy my fabric from there and online it does really depend on what I’m after. I would love them do more classes on a weekend as I have to take time off work to go or social event centred around quilting.
Alli says
I love your advice to brick and mortar shops that sewing community-building is a great way to earn loyalty! I would love to support a lqs that made an effort to do that.
When I had first started quilting, I visited a local quilt shop very close to my house, and the staff there was so condescending and dismissive when I asked if they had something I was looking for (while also buying a bunch of other stuff). I just couldn’t believe they’d behave so meanly to a customer — how is that good business practice?
Barb says
This is great article and so timely. I’ve been quilting for decades and have a lot of experience AND a lot of money to spend. I try to spend it locally but end up doing more on line than at LQS. I am fortunate to live in a metro area with four LQSs ranging from 2 miles to 20 miles from my house so I should be able to keep more money local than I do.
The one I like the best because of fabric selection and the physical space is so frustrating to me that I’ve vowed to stop going there. The website looks like they are out of business with no current classes or events listed and they refer you to Facebook (which I hate). I’ve spoken with the owner about my frustration at being unable to reliably find information about classes or the various clubs they run and she acknowledges that keeping their online information up to date is a struggle for them. I’ve requested even just an emailed list of classes but that seems to be beyond their technical capabilities! They do post a bit of info on FB but it is always last minute reminders of classes being held that day.
I will be sad if the LQS model of business disappears but I won’t be surprised. A quilting friend and I try to go shopping for fabrics and quilt supplies every few weeks and we have a day trip within a couple hours drive from our homes. We have the opportunity to sample many different stores. On one of our recent trips to a LQS that we hadn’t been to before, we were ignored even though they were not busy and my friend tried asking questions about buying a particular line of fabric they carried. She tried to buy two half-yard cuts and the staff person cut a yard of each fabric and insisted my friend purchase it (which she did) since it was “already cut” and she didn’t apologize for cutting it incorrectly. Just an “oops”. I had a frustrating attempt to buy a several fat quarters for cash as a different person ringing them up couldn’t figure out how to use the register and never managed to provide me with a receipt even though I asked for it. She explained that she wasn’t very “techie” and that was just over her head. This is a large quilt store that also carries a pricey line of sewing machines and long arm machines. It isn’t grandmas store out of her garage! The attitude of staff was that we were bothering them. Guess what…we will never bother them again.
It seems to me that my local modern art guild is serving the function that LQSs used to serve: offering sew-in days, classes, demos, retreats and most importantly, offering an opportunity to form friendships and community. Why would I subject myself to poor customer service when I can find anything I need online? By the way, I second the praises for Hawthorne Threads…I have had outstanding customer service from them and they carry an extensive line of products..
Marianne says
I used to have 5 LQS in my area of Florida, but now have 2 and I’m not nuts about either one. I shop online mainly because I can’t find what I want locally. Plus the closest shop to me, 6 miles, has everything marked up, whether it’s fabric or patterns or thread the price is an extra two to three dollars than what I find at other quilt shops not within my area. That makes me feel that the owner is trying to gouge me. Not a pleasant feeling. But mainly, I simply do not find what I want fabric-wise. The close shop stocks a lot of cutesy fabrics, or beach-themed fabrics which I do not sew with. And as many others mentioned, they are not very customer oriented, not friendly in the least.
Jennie says
Oh, to have an actual quilt shop again, it would be wonderful. I only quilt for myself. My Etsy shop is more on the order of jewelry and art.
We have a sewing machine and vacuum shop that carries really beautiful fabric. I rarely go in, even though I love their fabric selection. I’m treated like a thief in their midst. They follow me and if I touch a bolt of fabric they straighten it as I take my hand off of it, and I worked retail a long time, I know not to be a messy shopper. I’ve bought 2 baby lock machines from them. I won’t take any classes from them because the lady who teaches them is so rude to her students. There is never a reason to yell and belittle people.
The other shop near me was a quilt, yarn, needlework shop. Honestly I think it died from a personality conflict. They never had enough of anything because they were trying to wear too many hats. Their fabric line was blah, and not great quality, but the ladies that worked there knew what they were talking about and would help figure out anything that wasn’t working in a pattern, and they were so nice. I did take a class from them and really learned how to figure yardage, read the patterns, and how to hand quilt, which I may never do again. It went out of business about 5 years ago.
Even our sort of locally owned fabric shop that I shopped at regularly, went out of business 2 years ago. I must say though I did buy a lot of fabric at fabulous prices. Made my husband get in the cutting line and cash out line while I shopped. I looked up at the line to get the fabric cut so I wouldn’t miss my turn and there were all men in the line. We all had the same idea.
So that leaves us with Joanns, hobby lobby, or Walmart. So you take your chances online, sight unseen, and sometimes it’s great and sometimes what looks green on the computer is actually teal and doesn’t go to anything you have. I’m saving those pieces for a crazy quilt.
Kitty Ann says
The two LQS in my city of 100,000 depend upon sewing machine sales & maintenance, class fees, clubs and BOMs to keep them afloat. Fabric sales are not a realistic nor viable option as in the past for a means to revenue for a BM store. My LQS are not my choice to shop however as I do not find them very welcoming unless you purchased your machine from them! So sad! I feel they lose customers with this attitude. I drive 200 miles about 4 times a year to shop in another city whose LQS is wonderful in every way. I prefer to buy fabric in person even at a higher cost. Ann in NC
Sandy says
I’m a believer in wonderful customer service. That’s what separates you from the rest. Anyone can buy products wholesale with the right papers, but not everyone can sell it. If customer service would return to mom and pop stores, so would business.
I teach children to sew. We make things by hand and machine. I want the kids to love the art of sewing, the feel of fabric and the joy of putting it all together. I’ve taken the kids (4 at a time) on field trips to fabric and quilting stores. Well let’s just say we aren’t always welcome ( they fit in the under 50 group!). The girls are usually well behaved and use their manners. I had on sales clerk actually take a bolt of fabric out of one of their hands and told her, “We don’t touch the fabric”! Well we didn’t touch anymore and we left . We went to another store and we all bought 6 yards of fabric for a blanket project. That sales clerk not only lost a sale on 30 yards, she lost a potential customer. That experience will most likely will be they will always remember. I teach my girls that they don’t have to have the most expensive fabric but good quality and most of their parents don’t mind paying for it!
A group of us do monthly fabric shopping trips. We all have our favorites but we are always open to new shops.
I only hope that as time goes by and things change, there will always be wonderful mom and pop fabric stores.
Jaime Johnson says
What a great conversation. I feel conflicted for sure. I used to work at one of our LQS before kids and before I was very aware of the online blogosphere or fabric stores. At that time, there were 3 Quilt Stores plus JoAnns, Beverly’s & Hancock’s. The three stores were very different, at least from what I heard. But each owner had a very strong personality and there were rumors of rivalry. I didn’t care to be dragged into the drama, so I mostly shopped only at the store where I worked. Before that, and as primarily a garment sewer, Joann’s was all I knew but I was quickly indoctrinated against their “quilt fabrics” which were touted as far inferior to quilt store quality fabrics. As a young married, I did not have much money so when I left my employment there, I shopped where I could get the best deal for the project I was making.
Fast forward to recent years, that quilt shop is gone and another has come and gone. Still another has come on the scene so there are now two shops (one has remained through all these years, and they are the best). Both are at least 30 minutes from my home. I go in once a month for our Modern Quilt Guild Friendship Group and I try to make a purchase if I know of something I need, but online shopping with all it’s convenience (no kids screaming at me in the store), coupons and selection is hard to beat. I want to have a local quilt shop, but being so far away and not really needing the classes along with my stage of life with young kids, online shopping wins.
Leslie R. says
A couple of years ago I was in a local store that had a lot of a particular fabric that I needed in order to make a quilt to that would blend and match a previous quilt. I went in to purchase all that I needed to make a quilt for a twin bed. At the time I was an inexperienced quilter and needed a little help. The lady cutting said she couldn’t help me and the person who could help was talking with the fabric wholesaler. I’d have to wait until they were through! The irony here still amazes me.
I should’ve left right then and there but I waited, then said I really needed to go, could they please help me. After spending almost $200 on fabric and supplies I left and have never been back. I still kick myself for not leaving right away (and flipping them off!)
This experience and other recent experiences at local stores caused me to write a similar article about Finding an Awesome Sewing Store (http://www.seasonedhomemaker.com/secrets-to-finding-an-awesome-sewing-store/). I am still astonished at how local owners can be so uninviting and unhelpful.
Recently my best friend and her hubby retired to an RV and I tasked her with visiting quilting stores around the country as she travels. (http://www.seasonedhomemaker.com/searching-for-the-best-sewing-stores/) I am hoping to compile a list of Amazing Sewing & Quilting stores that people will love to visit.
At the end of the day, I believe sewists are really looking for a sewing community. A place where they can find like-minded sewists, share talents, and learn from each other. Some stores get this, and sadly, some are totally in the dark.
Lindy says
I have occasionally shopped for fabric online but I much prefer being able to browse in a shop – nothing beats being able to look at the fabrics in person especially if you want to match certain colours. I made a rag doll last year and gave her hair made from brightly multi-coloured wool, it took me months and visits to every fabric shop (some were more helpful than others) I knew of to find the right fabric for her clothes but I’m so glad I stuck with it. If I’d tried to match that online I couldn’t have been sure if the photographs were accurate depictions of the colours, also even if the photos show rulers or coins to give you an idea of the scale of a pattern, nothing beats seeing it in person and being able to feel the weight and quality of the fabric.
I live in a small seaside town in the UK so I do purchase some crafting items online but given the choice I would rather buy fabric in person every time.
Ann Hudson says
I wanted to follow up my earlier comment, didn’t have time to finish as I was on my lunch break at work! 🙂 I do shop quite frequently online for items not carried by the LQS. Online stores provide a way for people who don’t live anywhere near stores to participate in a hobby/craft/art they love. Just last night I ordered a specialty ruler that I couldn’t find locally. I feel there is room for both online and BM shoppes. I wholeheartedly agree with many previous comments re *good customer service*, or as I prefer to call it: *customer CARE*, take care of your customer’s – it is a MUST! With our society so *me* centric these days, it is more important than ever to make the person who steps into a store feel like they are *special* just for being there. Great discussion! Ann in NC
Teri Lynn says
Thank you for inspiring such a thoughtful conversation.
Not formally quilting for an entire year yet, I have experienced all the positive and negative experiences described. Sadly, in the back of my mind I felt “poor small business owner,” when service or selection were not as expected. There are 5 LQS in town, I gave myself a budget of $25 at each to see what treasure would be unlocked. One of the five fit the bill of finding treasure, it had service, atmosphere and integrity. The other four fit the descriptors of what others mention; cliquishness, bad talking competitors, blah collection, and creepy-old-man putting down my sewing machine.
My first trip into each shop was daunting and stressful. Would they “see” I was a newbie? Would they think I was cheap with my small budget? Would they look down upon me because I was not part of their inner circle? Things that should not matter but yet I feared and rightfully so in 4 of the shops. Since these experiences I have favored a regional craft chain (which shuttered its doors in May after 20 years) and Joanns. Both places I found friendly ladies who quilted, who answered any of my newbie questions.
Margaret says
Just want to add that it isn’t just the young that are ignored in LQS . I didn’t start quilting till I retired at 60 . Now age 71 I do all my fabric shopping online. It doesn’t seem to make any difference which country you’re in- UK Sweden – I’ve been ignored in both.
Ellen says
I confess that I buy supplies and notions at the local big box craft store, and sometimes fabric, too. I would like to buy more at the local fabric store, but the store hours are very unfriendly for me. It closes at 6 pm on weekdays and 4pm on Saturdays and is closed on sundays and holidays. I understand that the people who work there like to have time off, too, but if they expect working people to shop there it might be worthwhile to have limited Sunday hours or a couple of evenings.
Abby says
What’s striking me most after reading through all of these comments is how many of us have had the experience of feeling excluded or ignored at an independent quilt shop. Negative experiences do tend to stand out in our memories and perhaps that partially explains why there are so many stories like these, but I think there’s more going on here.
The feeling of not being good enough at quilting, not knowing enough about it, not being an insider is something that a local quilt shop can help to rectify. To me that’s their role, in fact. “We’ll teach you! You’re welcome here. Your creativity and unique point of view is what we crave. Become part of our community.”
I feel like the online sewing community, for the most part, has that attitude as a whole. It’s okay if you’ve never done this before or if you aren’t sure what the difference is between these two types of thread or you don’t know how to use a rotary cutter. It’s okay if your fabric choices are totally different from anything we’ve seen or if you want to use the fabric in a way that’s entirely new. Perhaps over time the approach of the online community will spread.
peppermintpenguin says
Havin said my piece about disability access – which dictates where I can go. – I haven’t said about my local independant.
It’s out in the country, small, 3 rooms in a cottage packed with books and fabric. They don’t have the ubermodern, but they sell solids (the changeover from Kona to Bella with huge gaps in the colour range was annoying, but still) they had the complete collection of road15 and usually have Bonnie and Camille. They sell Japanese homespuns at a good price.
they have a ton of batiks and repro fabrics I’m not interested in, but that’s about choice for many customers. I can find something I want to buy. Going with a list is usually pointless and I’ll have to order online.
the staff are variable. There is one lady that is often on at weekends (open 7 days, closed bank holidays and only 12-4 on Sundays) and she is just so warm and welcoming to me. She made a point of learning my name and greets me like a long lost friend and asks how I am. What have I been making. Says hello to whoever I’ve conned into taking me.
I was once sat on the floor in the other room, using the shop’s Moda Marbles and Bella shadecards to match some stuff and a newbie was bein served – thoroughly. She didn’t just sell her a mat and a cutter and ruler, but explained her selections, how to use them, safety, the lot. She teased out the lady’s tastes and steered her toward a fat quarter set she’d be happy with – even though it wasn’t what was listed in the pattern she’d brought. She spent a LOT of money that day and would be back.
and she said, come back and show me what you’ve made – and she meant it.
you can’t buy that.
I mostly shop online because I don’t get out much, but if I know my local will have it, I buy it there, simply because I want them to be there so I can go look at stuff and have a nice Out.
They also sell online. their books prices are cheaper online than in the shop, with free postage. foot and shooting oneself springs to mind!
They don’t order in what you need/want. they take a note of it and you’ll never hear of it again. which is frustrating. But I know this, and just don’t bother now, I’ll shop online. I treat the UK online businesses the same, I value those sites and want them to continue. Buying from US online is an exercise in managing postage and import VAT so I dont’ do it that often and I’ve had excellent service from many shops, most of the small, but some of them quite big ones (like webfabrics.net) the emails can fly back and forth solving a problem.
I buy way too much fabric!
Kylie says
Just felt I needed to say that I am extremely shocked to see you point your finger directly at one particular shop. Nothing positive comes from shaming anyone, and public call-outs hurt people very deeply. I definitely hope Chio from Llama Fabrics never comes across this post. She has a great shop, better customer service than any other I’ve been in physically or purchased from online. She supports her family with what she does. It isn’t a hobby for her and MSRP is exactly that. A suggested price. If the fabric companies want to put a stop to people offering more affordable prices, then they can do what Cloud 9 does and forbid presales and require shops to sell at MSRP for the first 30 days. I quit selling fabric because in order to compete with larger shops, you HAVE to drop prices. It’s next to impossible to compete with large shops with large selection. I agree that it should be harder for people to get a shop, it should require a larger financial investment to open an account and things really should be tidied up by companies like Free Spirit and Moda for example. Hopefully they get some pricing regulations in place and get some money back into the pockets of ALL shop owners of ALL types. No one enjoys taking less profit than they should. People do what they have to in order to keep their families going. For some it’s just a fun hobby, but for Chio at Llama Fabrics it’s an income her family depends on and I am sad to see her shop being thrown out there like this.
Daryl says
Hi Abby,
Thanks for your article. I think it’s a really interesting discussion. I have an online fabric shop that was started about 18 months ago. I live in a big city and there are two really good quilt shops within about a 30 minute drive of me but I most often didn’t find what I wanted so I started my own online business. (I also have a digital background so this was a natural choice for me).
There are a couple of things I’d like to add to your observations.
Online Costs –
Online shops that intend to run as sustainable businesses have much higher costs than people realize, building your site is just the beginning, getting people there is a whole other obligation for time, money and focus. I invest in a lot of marketing activity just to ensure there is a steady flow of traffic to my site – I sponsor blogs, regularly run give-aways, often pay for search and make many other significant investments. A good retail location can replace all of that with visibility and pedestrian traffic. We have to generate it all the time. And, depending on where online sellers are located, they are also probably subsidizing shipping, I know I do.
Hosting Classes –
The other thing I’ve learned from my B&M friends in other markets is that running courses has become a critical and very lucrative part of their business model and isn’t available to the online shops. There is a multiplier effect to these courses too – students need materials for their projects so not only are the stores making money from the course they’re selling fabric, patterns and creating new customer relationships.
Competitive Pricing –
On the pricing front, I share Booth’s frustration with the buying coops. It’s shameful how little attention some manufacturers pay to who they’re selling to, I think the good ones understand the value of their brand and their designer’s brand, and know that if customers can always find it at a discount price, it sets a new “normal” in the pricing world that no one wants. Unfortunately, we can’t have a robust honest and open conversation about this because of competition laws so a lot of bad behavior goes unchecked. We know the designers hate it too. Coops and FB groups are short sited and damaging but I don’t see them going away.
Building Relationships –
Last, I’d like to add a thought that relates to your excellent question, “Do you feel like you belong?” We live in a digital age. Belonging and connecting can take new forms. I want everyone who comes to my shop/site to not only feel like they belong, I want them to feel like they’ve had a personal experience, like they’ve found someone who shares their passion for great design and love of fabric. Even if they don’t find what they wanted, I want them to feel that the assortment comes from a real person and maybe they’ll come back.
I wish there weren’t so many competitors offline or on but I can’t do anything about that (I think there are twice as many online shops vs. when I launched 18 months ago). In the end customers are going to choose the shops that give them the best product, experience, and value, where ever they are. They always do.
Thanks for starting such a great discussion.
Debbie says
Great Article as always. I don’t have the need to visit the LQS as frequently as would be good for their business. Yet when I need quality quilting fabric I do go to the LQS. Living in the Minneapolis/St. Paul area leaves lots of LQS options within a 30 minute drive. My favorite shop (millie p’s) carries an amazing selection – the #1 reason for going there. The other thing I love about them is that they hold great events! They recently had a Tula Pink event after spring market. Really fantastic! They worked hard to get her and it really elevates them – in my opinion – by having special events like these to attract the modern quilters.
Colleen Streetman says
I shop at a local quilt store in Columbus, OH, Quilt Trends. it is my favorite store for many reasons. The main reason is that when I arrive at the store, everyone is happy to see me, to view my latest project, to give me help if I have run into a problem. I have many friends with whom I go to Friday sew-ins, in store quilt retreats and classes. I have become friends with the owners and love spending time in their shop. The fabric might be a little more expensive, but when I am working on a project and make a mistake, I can go there for additional fabric and they will go out of their way to find something suitable that will work for me. The store is always beautiful and has so many wonderful quilts on display to give me ideas. Do I occasionally purchase things from an online retailer, yes, but when I need something special or want to connect with my quilting peeps, I go to my local quilt store. Their row by row experience row is absolutely beautiful and I went there first to make sure I had it. I am sorry you had a bad experience with a small quilt shop. They aren’t all welcoming, but the one I frequent certainly is.
peppermintpenguin says
events and newsletters to get people to come to your shop. A guide how NOT to do it…
My local shop sent me an email on Friday 21st Aug, telling me that a fairly well-known author/teacher would be visiting the shop – the following day. Said Saturday would also be the final day of their summer sale with all sale fabrics reduced to £6/m.
there was no email at any point telling me the summer sale had started.
and I’m not sure how many people are able to drop everything with less than 24hours notice to go to an event (or in my case arrange transport and companion).
if poorly attended this will no doubt be seen as proof that events and newsletters are pointless. If well attended (because of usual Saturday shoppers or the author doing her own publicity) this will be proof that they do events and newsletters just right.
*sigh*
Peggy Welchert says
As a former quilt shop owner and worker in two other fabric shops, I totally agree with this post. I had young, old, black, white, female and male, Japanese, American and many other nationalities customers. Many are still my friends after closing my shop 13 years ago. My teaching staff or I taught many how to quilt, but more importantly many of the customers taught us their methods, likes and dislikes etc.
It was difficult to be a small shop back then and today it is harder with more happening on the Internet, but the personality of the staff can make or break a business like a quilt shop. Classes are important and offering them on different days and times are important.
Barbara Lemire-Higley says
I sent a link to your post to a quilt shop near me. I thought perhaps it might help them understand what a customer feels like when
they go to the shop. I have been stopping there (infrequently) for years and finally decided not to go there again. I never felt like I was
going “home”. I have never had a staff member welcome me, ask if I needed assistance, nothing. Perhaps I was not “dressed” to their standards,
perhaps I didn’t look like I had money to spend. A shop is not just about product. It is about atmosphere.
Sewing, of any kind, is a wonderful community to belong to. And I never have felt welcome here. Perhaps part of people going to
the internet to buy fabric is because they feel so uncomfortable in these places. It is almost humiliating and who would want to keep
facing the same thing every time they visit?
Thanks for writing this post. It resonated with me so much.
Bobby says
As a young gay male quilter, your last paragraph struck a chord with me… almost every time I walk into a quilt shop, eyebrows raise… the people in there, whether it be employees or other customers, look at me as if I somehow accidentally went into the wrong store…. it makes me very uncomfortable and not likely to spend money… also, as the person you quoted motioned, the classes are always when I’m working. I went to one shop and I just needed a 15 dollar spool of Aurifil… the owner spent 30 minutes telling me howhat much she hates her customers and then when I tried to buy the thread, she said that I had to spend 30 dollars minimum to use a credit or debit card… I left with nothing despite my best intenions to support a small and local quilt shop… another time, an owner told.me that she couldn’t understand why I was upset with the service because she’d always gone out of her way to be nice to me… if she has to go out of her way to be nice to someone who is giving her money and supporting her business, perhaps she shouldnt have one! As a busiess owner, “nice” should be her default setting anyway, shouldn’t it?
Jill Guinn says
I found your article after having an interesting experience Saturday. Your article is very helpful. I think it is about customer service. I went to a well known shop Saturday. It was a beautiful shop in a historic building. Since I have never quilted I just wanted to know where to start. The owner told me to contact Missouri Star Quilt Company, “that lady is helpful”. It seemed odd, but I did buy some fabric which I regret. Experiences like this are for a reason, which for me I think I see owning a quilt shop in my future.
Have a great day.
Toni says
“…local quilt shops are equally responsible for embracing their customer, even if the person who walks in the door is young, or a man, or black, or gay, or has tattoos…”
You nailed it! I have two local quilt shops that I probably would shop at if I weren’t rejected on sight. I took a few classes at one shop despite this and finally was “accepted” but no customer (person willingly paying money to a business) should have to do that. I am not talking about the cranky staff member who is having a one off bad day, I am talking about a consistent unwelcoming attitude by multiple staff members and even business owners over months. Since discovering online education and supplies, I don’t go to the locals anymore. I’m in my mid-50’s but look younger and I’ve been sewing and quilting since childhood. My current quilting project is already a $300 investment and yes, all of it was spent online. I also make my own clothing including coats and lingerie. I put a substantial amount of money into my hobby but not with businesses that are run like private clubs with all the old race, gender, sexuality, age and class stereotypes from the 1950’s. I know I am not the only person having these experiences with local shops. Online education and shopping offers more variety and, in some ways, is more convenient and efficient. But I suspect the poor treatment that many people receive (for whatever reason) in brick-and-mortar stores is a large, unexpressed factor contributing to the economic struggles local retailers complain of.
Donna F says
A bit late but- During the summer is the Row by Row shop hop event . I have my favorite once a year shops to get to near my mom. This year I added a couple. One I will not be going back to. They paid more time to the local, regular consumer than one who dropped in for a minute. It is very important the staff to friendly to everyone who walks into their shop.
Dyann Cox says
Great topic! The practice of friendly and helpful staff as a service should be any businesses mandatory practice. When I go into a store whether it is a quilt store, clothing store or otherwise the way I am greeted and treated is the reason I go back or not……especially these smaller shops. I owned my own business for over 22 years and greeting anyone that came in the door was top priority. Everyone wants to be acknowledged and made to feel that the business is happy to have them there. It is what starts the customer service experience. When shops don’t follow this easy rule they suffer. I was in a quilt shop once and there were 2 people working. One kept her back to me at a table the other kept quilting…..never acknowledged my presence even when I went to the cutting table with fabric to be cut and purchased. I stood there for several minutes and ended up walking out leaving the fabric on the table. I have never gone back. Customer service, customer service, customer service!!! I realize it is costly to have a large selection of fabrics on hand but if you don’t have stock people aren’t going to visit your store. Classes need to be available and with that generally product is purchased in the same shop, even if it isn’t you don’t ignore that person because they don’t purchase in your shop…..eventually they will. We talk about a quilting family, well it starts in the quilt shops that make you feel like you are part of their family. I think we all return to any business that makes us feel welcome and wanted. It is sad to me that ALL businesses don’t feel it is necessary, where has customer service gone?
Angel Tindall says
HI Abby, I have been reading your comment for a long time now. I am an avid quilter and thinking of opening a store in my hometown. We used to have quilt store here but it closed due to the owners retiring. So I am thinking there is a niche for it here. Do you have any advice for a first time quilt store owner?
Abby says
Do you subscribe to Fab Shop News? If not, I recommend joining the Fab Shop Network. It’s for quilt shop owners and I think you’ll get a lot of value there.
Olivia Pearson says
I appreciate how you mentioned that it’s important to find a quilt shop with employees that help you feel like you belong. I’m looking for an activity that I can do with my kids to help them explore their creative sides while still learning new skills. I’ll have to find a quilt shop that can work closely with me to help me find the supplies I need to get started on this fun new project with my kids. Thanks!
David Norriss says
I like how you said that local quilt shops are great because of the in-person interactions and one-on-one help. I think a lot of people spend so much time shopping online that they forget what it’s like to spend time in an actual store. I would love to find a local quilt shop near me so that I can actually meet the person who is going to make my quilt for me and not just buy it online.