I have been rolling an article around in my head for a while now but have been unsure at best how it would go over since the truth is I am very vested in the outcome. I had kept it under my hat for a while but after reading this article about the deceptive front that comes part and parcel with the career as a writer I thought I would take a stab at it.
Here goes nothing…..
Please note, this is by no means a definitive piece on this topic, if anything it is an opening volley in a conversation that I think needs to take place and is part of the larger We Are Sew Worth It conversation. <– go ahead pop over for a read and then come back.
We own a small quilt shop, SPOOL it is new ( 1.5 years old) and by all indications it is doing really well. We are having lots of fun, we have some really amazing customers, and the reviews and feedback we get about our carefully cultivated selection of bright, happy, modern fabrics has been nothing short of amazing ( really you people make me cry with happiness sometimes) but amidst all that happy there is something lurking that most quilt shop owners will only talk about after you really get to know them or you get a couple glasses of wine in them. The fact is that in the current model of business brick and mortar quilt shops are dying, and they are dying fast.
I thought I knew what I was getting into
I really thought I had done my due diligence when investigating owning a shop. In my case it was a not a rash choice but it was one that once set in motion happened quickly when my favorte and large LQS closed up shop ( Hello hint number 1). I spoke with quite a few shop owners, financial people and more and yet the truth somehow eluded me. The fact is that very few quilt shops are able to produce enough profit to provide a comfortable/livable income for an average sized family even after multiple years in business.
Yes, there are those shops that are doing this ( So don’t flood my mail box with angry letters) but the fact is that they are rare and in the minority to those who are just hanging on or who are running and covering their costs but only because it is not important for them to turn a liveable profit due to living expenses being covered by other means.
The truth came slowly
After becoming a part of the industry the truth came seeping in and I am not sure that every quilt shop owner will be happy for me talking about this but the fact is that for as important as quilt shops are to our communities they are not charitable endeavors, they are businesses and we should expect a business at some point to provide a living for all the work we have put into it over the years.
I have spoken in confidence with many shop owners about the fact that while they might not be going under a whole hell of a lot of owners are not even taking a living wage salary for themselves even 5-10 years into owning a shop. Yes they are paying the bills, they are paying their employees, the taxes etc… but they are able to take little or nothing for themselves for what is one hell of a hard job no matter how fun it looks from the outside.
Snuggling up with the truth
Many quilt shops run on the direct benevolence of spouses with full time (good) jobs, or due to a healthy pension. So if you ever wonder why you see so many quilt shops owned by older couples the fact is that you are looking a second career that is mostly afforded by one of both of the owners doing their 40 years on the job and funding their life with retirement and running the store for the joy of it and this makes me really uncomfortable.
Again, not all quilt shops are in this boat but I have spoken to enough who have been honest with me to be really disturbed by what I now know and am not sure that I even know how to make it better for myself or my industry but that does not mean I am not going to give it a try.
What’s next?
Perhaps at one time owning a quilt shop would have been enough to put bacon on the table and some fancy forensic accounting and history sleuthing would tell the tale but in the face of today’s economy I am sad but not surprised with each announcement of a quilt shop closing. I am very honest when people come to me asking about opening up their own shop. I have busted more than one bubble already and anyone who knows me knows that is hard for me to do. I am a born cheerleader, I love to root for the underdog and I think entrepreneurship can be an amazing experience for those who have what it takes and yet if you want to make money I cannot recommend owning a quilt shop.
I think that this topic hits hardest in the world of the modern quilt shop since demographically it is younger owners opening these shops – I hope to talk further about this very soon.
As to what all of this means for our tiny shop, I just don’t know and I am guessing that only time will tell.
But each time you you go to your local quilt shop remember that there is most likely someone behind the scenes making it all possible. They might not be cutting your fabric ( but then again they might be), just send up a silent thank-you and buy that extra 1/2 yard so maybe, just maybe your favorite shop owner can at least take a vacation this year.
I look forward to your thoughts on this matter.
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I am a fabric junkie. I only have one quilt shop 40 miles away that I love going to. The owner is sweet as pie. Sometimes I go just to chat with her. There are other stores near and far but I like this one.
Also, I buy fabric online. As you’ve mentioned, it’s convenient. This is why I like online shopping. I’m busy working, etc… I’ve read your articles. I was wanting to open a brick and mortar store; however, I am rethinking that option.
Your advise of starting small is a great tip. The challenge is selling or keeping it. 😀 Remember, I said I was a fabric junkie. I could be my own dealer. lol!
Thank you for this article!!!!!! I WILL buy that extra 1/2 yard from my local store and feel GREAT about it. I WILL buy that kit that I LOVE knowing that I am helping my neighbor. I WILL take that class I was only thinking about!
I am pondering the idea of opening a quilt shop within my quilt retreat. I have interviewed many of my guests on this topic and they are all very excited about the possibility. Even though quilters come with a list of UFO’s they often have forgotten something or need just a little more fabric, thread or some accessory. I find that most groups are curious about the surrounding quilt stores and enjoy a little retail therapy break in between their long hours of crafting.
I would love to hear from others on their thoughts about this.
Excellent article. There’s nothing like a quaint quilt shop for eye candy, a day out just getting inspiration for that next quilt project from the displayed store samples, from the colorful fabrics, or from the sweet and kind workers’ encouragement to try new classes and ideas. But here’s the thing: This is a service business; owners need good people to work for them with great social skills to attract repeat buyers. My experience finds that quilters are happy and sweet….old time sewers have excellent sewing skills but are grumpy and shouldn’t be store workers. At the same time, the shops need loyal buyers to frequent their shops; and the kind of quilters who appreciate good quality fabrics and notions. Sewing/quilting needs to be introduced to younger women. We need to teach our daughters and grand daughters to sew, or this hobby is going to fade away. Brick and mortar stores are having a tough time of it because online buying is more convenient for those of us living in big cities fighting the traffic, living in areas where people are rushed and rude at times, and sewing time is valuable so we prefer online shopping. We wish we could visit your charming shops, but it just isn’t possible.
My love for quilting is more a hobby. I do love to free motion quilt but my passion is in the pattern. That works out for me as an online business. My daughter is a web designer, so she is currently working on a website for me while I am putting my patterns in an organized manner to retail. I am not sure I want my business to go any further than that. If it evolves into something more, I am happy. If it doesn’t go past pattern making I am good with that also. As long as I am doing what I love I might be able to survive menopause!!!!
I feel you. When I started my business I thought long and hard about the brick and mortar and decided to start with the on-line side first. I wanted to master the on-line because I knew this is where a lot of people I know shop, including myself. This is very true that most quilt shops are owned and operated by people just for the love of it. There is a lot of competition but there is also a lot of diversity. It used to be you went to the quilt shop. Now you need to know if you are going to a ‘modern quilt shop’, a ‘primitives quilt shop’, a ‘brights quilt shop’, a ‘woolies quilt shop’ and so on. There is just so much out there that finding the right niche is really important. Fabric, patterns, rulers and all of it wholesale is really expensive so the profit margin for a shop is really really low. You have to sell A LOT just to make a decent wage for yourself. Sad, but true. Thank you for the article, so much to think about.
Thank you for sharing your thoughts. I too opened a modern shop only two years ago. I’m witnessing shops closing all around me. Although shops are collapsing all around us, the customers aren’t coming to us. Why? They have limitless shelves online to choose from. I’m constantly reinventing our business to survive. I wish any small shop owner well. How sad it will be when we all disappear like hardware stores.
Thank you for writing this. We have a (working) plan to open a quilt shop in about 8 years. My husband will retire from the military and we will be purchasing our forever home.
The plan is to buy the building (now) once we find one that appeals to us. Rent it out until we are closer to needing it. Then I’ll open and run the shop. My husband will do machine repair and offer longarm services, including teaching & renting out time. Which we have found is not as common as we thought it was.
Luckily we are as you mentioned and will not be completely dependent on the quilt shop for a living. I would love to see some of your original business plan… I am trying to work on mine but keep drawing a blank :/
A very well written comment. This is very sad to hear. We still need the brick and Moyer shops. Many still enjoy and prefer the “touch & see” for quality before we buy. I always buy that extra 1/2 yard. I know They need the sale and I will probably need the extra fabric. You may only buy a machine once or twice in your life but will always need good quality fabric. It’s odd that the city that holds the largest quilt show every year has very few brick and mortar sewing centers (fabric shops). Thank you for sharing. This helps the loyal customers “know” how to help store owners.
Thank you l was thinking of starting a quilt store business . This made my decision.
I wish I knew what your decision was. I live in a fabric-poor zone. The closest quilt shop is 30+ miles in any direction. I love fabric, but I’m not very good at quilting. The area is full of re-enactors in full costume. Again, no fabric suppliers. It’s something I’ve thought of for years, but I’m completely unsure about. Just watch though. If I don’t open a business, someone else will and will do well.
Perhaps a weekend space in your converted garage?
I too, was a former quilt shop owner. The hours were grueling. The work never ended. Yes, I loved it and was fortunate to sell my shop to my employees. I studied the business of quilting for the next 30 years and I can tell you this: the shops that make it usually sell sewing machines or have a pattern line. They must have either a large ticket item or passive income that requires less time. They also own the building. Then I learned from the best–the shop that learned to leverage. She only ordered fabric that made a quilt, so she could make a kit, sell the class, and later sell the quilt. She did not order more fabric beyond a certain point and she had quilting machines running (by themselves) all day long (Gamill with Statler). It still wasn’t easy, but she made a living. Her forte, though was customer service and special orders. She had a system and within two days, the customer had the item. She ordered everyday. EVERY DAY. Her store was a business, not a hobby, not an escape and certainly not a second career. It’s gotten even harder with online shops and any brick and mortar that isn’t online is missing the boat. You have to have so much more than simply a love of quilting to make it in this business.
All brick and mortar retail face an uncertain future. Many of the successful shop owners tell me that sewing machine sales keep the business going, but fabric attracts the shoppers. The other phenom is that people who love quilting think opening a shop is the next logical step. Fact is that few shop owners get to do a lot of quilting themselves. Running the shop is a demanding business that leaves little time for hobby quilting.
Thank you so much for this article as I ponder my future~ N
Ditto here in OK! Thank you, Lord, for letting me enjoy “retirement” (yeah, right) so much! Our little shop warms our hearts & apparently our visitors’ hearts, too. We’re supported more by out-of-towners than local people!