Local Quilt shop went to M*

[Eriepatch]

I was happy to receive an email from my nearest quilt shop saying they had spent a
weekend at M* learning from them!
They are starting a Daily Deal and have reduced fabric and have ordered more Charm packs
and other pre-cuts. That will be great! I rarely found much that I liked and when I did
I realized even with shipping I could order online and save money. Hated not supporting
them but it just wasn't practical. Hopefully their business will increase. I will try to
support them the best I can. They are also going to demo designs they learned from Jenny.

Have others found their LQS to be so overpriced you can't buy from them?

[tiffanym]

The one that I go to tends to be reasonable with their prices but not a lot of pre-cuts available. Since that's all I use, I only shop there for small amounts of yardage or to match colors that can't be done accurately online.
I haven't even asked them if they've heard of or been to M*QC. :|

[Kgrammiecaz]

Yes, the one I go to is severely overpriced and it makes me sad because I want to support them. I will buy from them, but it will be no where near what it could be if there prices were a somewhat lower. Somehow I miss something in this because wouldn't all people spend way more if they could get it for a bit less.

They will do a quilt class for free but you have to buy your fabric from them. At 10-12 dollars a yard, its killing me. I can get double the fabric and sometimes more shopping elsewhere (mostly online). I would rather pay for the class and buy a bit from them and the rest elsewhere or from my stash which is plentiful.

I am wordy these days. Sorry.

[Amy R]

They do have higher prices but the stores I've been to have really nice fabric. Being a newer quilter I would rather not cut my teeth on the highest price stuff as I'm learning.
I'd rather do more quilts at medium grade fabric to practice and then would be more than happy to spend more and support locally when my skill level warrants.

[verenaerin]

The closest store to me does have precuts. You can find a good selection of civil war prints and they have bundles of batiks. But they dont have many precuts other then charm packs, and all the fabric, while beautiful, is traditional. I am not 100% modern, but there is more to life then florals. I would say the prices are about 10/yd. There aren't any classes, which is a shame.

When I was in the Lancaster area, at least at the stores I went to, there wasn't a precut or even a FQ bundle to be found. I was almost scared to ask in case I got thrown out.

I think it was a wise decision for your LQS. I hope this helps update them in the market and brings in more quilters. I am also proud of M* for helping stores like this, even at the cost of a little business. It's a great attitude to have.

[Racing Nana]

Try $17 - $22/meter up here for good cotton.
This is the same fabric I go across the line for at $6 - $9/yrd.

I too have a tough time supporting my LQS with these kind of prices. Their thread pricing is through the roof too, so that I order online.

Sometimes we just can't afford to shop local.

[Carrie J]

One of the LQS I go to is just starting up and her fabric/notion prices are very reasonable. But fabric inventory is small, that's not a bad thing, as she grows (and she will, the word has spread!), so will her inventory. Very outgoing, friendly ladies which is awesome! Classes are exceptionally reasonable as well. Another LQS about 30 minutes from me is like walking into an ice castle! Fabric pricing is outrageous, as are the notions! However, that particular town (which we lived in for over ten years) is notoriously clique-y. More of an "exclusive" LQS for the generational founding families..................don't get that, nor do they get my, or my GF's (and clubs) business!

[Sylvia H]

My favorite LQS went out of business in August. I have only been quilting for a little less that 4 years, but in that time, 7 shops have gone out of business. Most of them for reasonable reasons - retirement, moving, and so on. But for the rest, I guess they just could not keep up with the online competition. I believe the LQS can't compete with the prices from online shops. They don't have the volume to do so. And when these local shops go out of business, we don't just lose a place to purchase material, we lose all the human resources affiliated with the shop.

[GrammaBabs]

I think it's a smart business person that takes the time to check out "what's working" and see how they can incorporate some of the successful moves into their storefront!!!!

[sassygranny]

When I'm looking for high quality fabric, my LQS is pretty competitive. Prices are similar to online. I have to pay tax, which pretty much offsets shipping costs. It's a wash, usually.

But, I often just throw a quilt together for a not-very-special purpose, in which case I use Hobby Lobby or JoAnns fabrics, and a quilt shop can't compete with those prices. But then again...HL and JA can't compete with the amazing selection and quality that my LQS offers.