Likes/Dislikes in quilt shops
01-16-2011, 04:45 AM
#71
Senior Member
Join Date: Jul 2010
Location: San Antonio, TX
Posts: 465
What a juicy question! I like a good website, which posts quarterly schedule EARLY so I can plan. A great selection of fun and affordable classes. Ask your customers what kind of classes they want...and please listen! If there are sale items (and there should always be), please let us know what they are and where they are (I don't like searching for them). Send me an email so I know there's a sale. I don't buy whatever's on sale but I do come in because I'm curious and often buy other things.
Smile..be friendly...offer to help with fabric selections. Some people don't have a good eye for color and would like help.
Offer and promote a frequent buyer card/club. Put names of everyone who attends a paid club/bee or a class in for a monthly drawing for a small gift certificate. Sponsor a "charity quilt-in". Offer free "drop-in" quilting time.
I really like my local LQS. Small shops need to do a good job of self promotion. Please offer sale items. I simply cannot justify shopping at my LQS if there is a huge discrepancy in price.
Thank you for asking important questions and doing your homework before you start a business.
Smile..be friendly...offer to help with fabric selections. Some people don't have a good eye for color and would like help.
Offer and promote a frequent buyer card/club. Put names of everyone who attends a paid club/bee or a class in for a monthly drawing for a small gift certificate. Sponsor a "charity quilt-in". Offer free "drop-in" quilting time.
I really like my local LQS. Small shops need to do a good job of self promotion. Please offer sale items. I simply cannot justify shopping at my LQS if there is a huge discrepancy in price.
Thank you for asking important questions and doing your homework before you start a business.
01-16-2011, 04:47 AM
#72
Super Member
Join Date: Nov 2006
Location: Clemmons, NC
Posts: 1,055
Originally Posted by kwendt
Originally Posted by rivka
Friendliness to younger people, or those that you might not expect to be quilters! I hate walking into a quilt store, and being stared at by the older women like I'm some kind of freak.
The BEST place I like to go, is in another STATE and I go there when ever I can. They haven't forgotton me, and always have a broad smile and family chit chat when I show up. I feel like part of their family!
01-16-2011, 04:59 AM
#73
Senior Member
Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: Bloomingdale, GA
Posts: 631
Ohhh! Good Question!
1. Friendliness, down-to-earth people working there that love to help and get enthused over one's projects.
2. It's also nice when someone looks up and smiles at you when you first walk in the door, even if they are busy and cannot get to you right away, they've acknowledge that they've seen you. Bonus points if they look up, smile AND welcome you by name then go back to whatever they're doing.
3. Personally, I like to see a lot of different types of samples, colorways, etc. While Thimbleberries 'country' is a nice look, it gets boring after a while. A nice cross-section of styles, colors, quilts, options hanging on the walls and put on display get my creative 'juices' a going...
4. Sale racks, sale kits, sale things. Give aways. Freebies. Free demos' on how to use notions, etc.
5. A big back room with 8' tables for classes - or for local quilters like me who do not have the space available to spray baste, pin baste or thread baste a large quilt. Nice when I can call ahead, making sure that there's nothing else going on... and can come over and lay things out. Even get some help!
6. Dinner classes....potlucks... slumber parties... quilt-til-you-wilt events. Fun things!
Sounds like my LQS Sew Much More in Garden City, GA. Always friendly and ready to help, also plenty of classes some are free.
1. Friendliness, down-to-earth people working there that love to help and get enthused over one's projects.
2. It's also nice when someone looks up and smiles at you when you first walk in the door, even if they are busy and cannot get to you right away, they've acknowledge that they've seen you. Bonus points if they look up, smile AND welcome you by name then go back to whatever they're doing.
3. Personally, I like to see a lot of different types of samples, colorways, etc. While Thimbleberries 'country' is a nice look, it gets boring after a while. A nice cross-section of styles, colors, quilts, options hanging on the walls and put on display get my creative 'juices' a going...
4. Sale racks, sale kits, sale things. Give aways. Freebies. Free demos' on how to use notions, etc.
5. A big back room with 8' tables for classes - or for local quilters like me who do not have the space available to spray baste, pin baste or thread baste a large quilt. Nice when I can call ahead, making sure that there's nothing else going on... and can come over and lay things out. Even get some help!
6. Dinner classes....potlucks... slumber parties... quilt-til-you-wilt events. Fun things!
Sounds like my LQS Sew Much More in Garden City, GA. Always friendly and ready to help, also plenty of classes some are free.
01-16-2011, 05:01 AM
#74
Senior Member
Join Date: Nov 2010
Location: Saint Peters MO
Posts: 398
This is what I like about my LQS:
1. very friendly, a "hello" when I walk in the door
2. helpful and gives suggestions and things to think about before buying
3. lots of quilt samples, who hasn't bought a pattern/fabric after looking at the store sample
4. fabric arranged in some kind of order
5. a $5 wall (clearance)
6. provides a place for quilters to come and sew/quilt all day for a small fee ($2.00)
7. a dog (animals break down barriers immediately, a great way for people to connect)
8. inexpensive classes if you buy the pattern/fabric
1. very friendly, a "hello" when I walk in the door
2. helpful and gives suggestions and things to think about before buying
3. lots of quilt samples, who hasn't bought a pattern/fabric after looking at the store sample
4. fabric arranged in some kind of order
5. a $5 wall (clearance)
6. provides a place for quilters to come and sew/quilt all day for a small fee ($2.00)
7. a dog (animals break down barriers immediately, a great way for people to connect)
8. inexpensive classes if you buy the pattern/fabric
01-16-2011, 05:03 AM
#75
Super Member
Join Date: Nov 2006
Location: Clemmons, NC
Posts: 1,055
Originally Posted by Mitch's mom
Good lighting and a window you can get to, to be able to compare fabric in natural light. Notions. I'm a gadget junkie. I want to try the latest thing advertised in the magazines and at shows. I know it can't all be stocked, but have the tried and true things too, not just a few bobbins and needles.
Different brands of thread choices.
And last but not least: Don't be a machine snob or allow any of your employees to be one. If someone walks in the door, they sew. Period. It should not matter one whit to anyone what machine your customer uses.
Different brands of thread choices.
And last but not least: Don't be a machine snob or allow any of your employees to be one. If someone walks in the door, they sew. Period. It should not matter one whit to anyone what machine your customer uses.
01-16-2011, 05:19 AM
#76
Junior Member
Join Date: Dec 2010
Location: Sarasota, FL
Posts: 110
You are absolutely correct. I went to a quilt shop near me and NO ONE looked up when I came through the door. I had to go up to them for them to acknowledge me. NOT GOOD. I went a 2nd time and saw a different woman there and she was very helpful and I ended up buying a couple yds. of different fabric. But I still had to find her in the store. The prices are a couple dollars more for the material, but if you see something different it is worth it at times.
01-16-2011, 05:20 AM
#77
Senior Member
Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: Morganton, Ga
Posts: 944
Ahhh, my turn...GOOD LIGHTING!!! There is nothing like picking up one's mood like good lighting. When in a good mood the buying mood kicks in.
Some upbeat and contemporary projects for the younger set. I just love to see what the "youngsters" are doing.
Some upbeat and contemporary projects for the younger set. I just love to see what the "youngsters" are doing.
01-16-2011, 05:22 AM
#78
Junior Member
Join Date: Jul 2009
Location: Metro West, Massachusetts
Posts: 254
Wow together we could open the greatest store ever! Should we meet up in the middle of the country or what!
Add to the list- knowing the customer (at least enough to offer advise to family when they come in to shop for their quilter).
I love the open house with demo's that one of my stores does.
Sale night for family and friends- my LQS always does a sale for her quilters, but would love to have a wish list and send the family off to shop!
I don't like when the staff picks the fabric for me. Happened the other day- I had a block I was looking for sashing. She offered to help and did find a beautiful piece of fabric, it just wasn't what I wanted. I became her personal mission to find fabric for me. She was helpful, but too helpful- I need space to have a fabric cry out to me!
Add to the list- knowing the customer (at least enough to offer advise to family when they come in to shop for their quilter).
I love the open house with demo's that one of my stores does.
Sale night for family and friends- my LQS always does a sale for her quilters, but would love to have a wish list and send the family off to shop!
I don't like when the staff picks the fabric for me. Happened the other day- I had a block I was looking for sashing. She offered to help and did find a beautiful piece of fabric, it just wasn't what I wanted. I became her personal mission to find fabric for me. She was helpful, but too helpful- I need space to have a fabric cry out to me!
01-16-2011, 05:24 AM
#80
Super Member
Join Date: Feb 2008
Location: North Carolina
Posts: 1,925
I agree wholeheartedly with chairs/places to sit. My dh and I usually spend our free time together. The LQS is not his favorite place but he'll go and sit there with a cup of coffee while I shop.
Also, I hate running up there and the are out of neutral thread. When I run out, I need it now, not when more comes next week :thumbup:
Also, I hate running up there and the are out of neutral thread. When I run out, I need it now, not when more comes next week :thumbup:
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