Independent Sewing & Quilting Shops
Friday, May 18th, 2007Can you see me climbing on my soapbox? I’ve talked about this one before, and looks like it’s time again.
I had a phone call today from a lovely lady about our Nutcracker Tree Skirt pattern on our sister site Stitch Em Up. She was having a hard time finding fancy fabrics to make it and wondered if we had any suggestions.
My initial idea of checking out any local, independent sewing and quilting shops was meet with a comment that would chill the heart of any shop. “I did that and they had some wonderful fabrics, but the prices were too high. At least $1.00 a yard more then the regular stores.”
Oh boy. It was time for a short lesson in economics and options. I tried to explain that the small, individual shops didn’t have the buying power the chains did, so they couldn’t garner the same discounts (think Wal-Mart demanding specific pricing). While at the same time this allowed them a much greater freedom to pick different and unusual fabrics, trims and threads.
These shops could special order for her without jumping through hoops, most would be offering terrific classes beyond the basics, there were Quilt Hops, individual attention helping her find just the right supplies, and most employess were as fanatical about their sewing and quilting as their customers.
By the end of the conversation (bless her heart) she was going to head back out to one of the shops this afternoon and pick some fabrics.
Please, please support your independent sewing and quilting shop! I’m not suggesting you completely ignore the chains, but please make it at least a 50-50 proposition. Walking into my local store is like coming home: they all know me, ask about my projects, the fur-kids, my health, and of course what I’m hunting for that day. I’d be lost without them.
We’d be a far poorer society if all we had were big-box retailers and chain stores. Long live the Independent!
