LadybugPam

Your local guild might already have a program in place - no use duplicating. But find a way to support a project of theirs and tell them.

Another place for tips is online - go to random online websites and see what their newsletter looks like - the classes they offer - pictures of the shop. Shops also like to announce their pet projects as free advertisement in the local newspapers. One of my fave shops accepts canned food for the local pantries as a trade off for discounts.

steelecg

The staff makes or breaks a great shop - Helpful but not overbearing and knowledgeable. Well stocked supplies and a willingness to get things you need but do not have - I love my LQS - My one pet peeve is too many people in classes so you don't get attention needed. I am not a crowd person.

ladydi64

I have 2 LQS that I use one is in Fredricksburg,TX and the other is in Kerrville, TX. It's a day trip to go to either of them for me but both have web sites that are real informative. The one in Kerrville is my favorite, they let me know by email when they are having a sale, and what a sale they have bags & bags of scraps of material for $3 to $4 dollars. Their staff is terrific they are very helpful and knowledgeable, they are quilters themselves and they know all the ins and outs of patterns they've made that hang on the wall. If you have a pattern they will help pick out material. If you can get all of this in your quilt shop, you will have a terrific place to go for begginers as well as experienced quilters. Good luck.

Shibori

A staging area would be nice. The few I've been in locally don't have a place for you to lay several bolts out aside from the cutting table and then they need you to move so they can cut. I'd like a cleared off table over to the side maybe next to a wall where you can stand up your choices and have some distance to back up and view them.

emarkwood

I value the employees who take their time with each customer. I know time is money, but return rate is something you really need to think about, and one way to do this is to make sure each customer finds and gets what they want and need. (Breath!!!) If you do "Make It and Take It Classes" make sure the people taking the class know ahead of time what will be made and approximately what it will cost. Use the internet with a great web site. Check out "The Glass Thimbles" web site. It is great. No I am not an employee, but I am a very satisfied customer of theirs. Good luck!!!

athenagwis

I totally agree with this, I don't want to have to drag the bolts into the classroom either. Maybe jsut a small table here and there in the store with a sign encouraging people to stage the bolts here.

Another thought too, maybe in the classroom you could turn one wall into a design wall? Hang batting up on the entire wall. This way people can use it when they are there for classes or all day quiltathons or if they are like me and don't have enough room for a design wall, they could come in and use it for a current project, take a pic and be on their merry way (with a few extra FQs tucked in for good measure! :))

Cheers!
Rachel

Karen's Kreations

I have to agree with MistyMarie -I like very organized 'hands on' classes. I've never taken a class that's provided an evaluation afterwards - that would be very helpful to instructors and shop owners.

polly13

Clerks who are welcoming, helpful when needed and yet leave me alone to browse as long as I desire. One LQS has clerks that are such snobs. Stand by your ads. This shop offers timely machine repair, yet takes forever to return it. A local shop named "Patchwork and Pies" had a corner where you could order coffee or tea with pie or pastry of some kind to enjoy as you chatted with friends or employees either before or after your purchases. Many quilting conversations took place over the small tables covered with quilted tablecloths. You never left the shop empty-handed. Their clerks also wore items they had made from the fabric offered in the store. They also offered gift items that the non-quilter might be interested in if they wanted to stop by for beverage and treat. It was so cozy and inviting. Many folks were saddened when the owner retired and moved out of the area.

mpspeedy

Where to begin. Take a look around the shop you are buying and take note of how long some of their fabrics have been on the shelf. That will tell you what doesn't sell in that area. The same goes for their samples and various quilting tools. I think some shop owners made the fatal mistake of letting their own personal taste dictate what they offer. Everyone is not madly in love with Thimbleberries. Like another poster I appreciate a little room to stand back and study the products. Like many other quilters I wear by-focals. They make it hard to see things on the bottom or top shelf easily. Lighting is important. As a handquilter for hire I belonged to a professional group of quilters. They noted that while there are quilters of every age most of us are over 40 or 50 with more time and money to spend than younger woman raising families. The children we might bring to your shop would be grandchildren. Do have daytime hours for those of us who are free in the daytime. My husband still works outside the home. I can do anything I want while he is out of the house. Evenings and weekends I am at his command. While I "rarely" take any kind of class, if I were to take one I don't want to have to bring the kitchen sink. If you plan on selling machines let your students use them. I own 4 Berninas, a serger, an embriodery machine and two sewing machines as well as a Singer Featherweight. The only time my machine leaves my home is when I go on a yearly 4 day retreat. I feel in love with Bernina when I worked for a dealer who made ends meet by doing custom dressmaking and alterations. I had to own some of the machines I used daily in the shop. As a handquilter I have discovered that the continuious line quilting stencils work as well for me as for a machine quilter. I appreciate handquilting supplies. It is always a plus if the clerks know how to sew and or quilt. They don't have to be an outstanding personality just truly interested in helping the customer or steering them to someone who can help.
I wish you much success.

JS

First of all Good Luck. It seems by the suggestions you listed in your questionnaire to us you are going to run a great store. The board comments pretty much covered all the important things required to make a perfect quilt store. Let me add just one more thing not mentioned by anyone except you. We live by all our senses. Along with the importance of sight which was mentioned The sense of touch regarding the fabrics to be displayed is also one we don't think about necessarily in a quilt store and does mean a lot. But,I am talking about the sense of smell. You did mention that and I will tell you why I think it is important too. I worked in a nursery center that had an indoor home accent dept.. The smell that became so familiar and comforting without even thinking about it as you entered the store was the candles etc. that were displayed in that dept. I experienced the same thing whenever I entered my LQS. It was a Ben Franklins and it was a fabric/ craft store. Whenever you walked in there a certain smell hit your senses (not only sight) but smell from all the different products from the craft inventory etc. The fragrance that hit your nose the minute you opened the door in both stores became associated with relaxing enjoyment.Even now when I think of those smells it makes me smile. So, you are right on with your ideas. Quilters will enjoy the important sense of smell of the fabrics once they are in the midst of all the material and ..yes I think that is addictive in quilters. But, to supply a happy feeling associated with your store (knowing they are going to spend their money) will bring peole back again and again. Perhaps not because they need something but, because it is just enjoyable to browse when you feel the need.