This morning I took advantage of my new found freedom (read: part-time baby sitter) to visit a bookstore and swing by my second favorite quilt shop on the way home. I say "second favorite" because there are exactly two quilt shops within a decent driving distance, and it sure as hell ain't my favorite.
It does have a huge selection of fabrics, and nearly every quilt on display has the pattern or a kit right next to it. The fat quarters are to die for, and I love the little room in the back that is devoted to kid and baby fabrics. It's located in a quaint section of town, and unlike many other shops in that area, it has good parking available.
But it's the staff that bugs me. I walked in at 2 minutes after 10, and already the two women on duty were sitting at the cutting table, and they looked at me like, "Oh, fuck. A customer?" They said a cursory hello, and I went off to look for the black Moda Marbles fabric I just assumed a store like this would carry. As I scanned the shelves, I heard one woman talking the other one's ear off about every boring detail of her previous day, which apparently included eating some questionable shrimp. When I couldn't find what I wanted, I asked the Wonder Twins if they carry it, and they both looked perfectly bewildered, and one even said they don't carry that line at all, even though I noticed they had it IN EVERY OTHER COLOR BUT BLACK. Then they waited for me to go away again, so they could, I don't know, compare bunions or something.
Despite myself, I ended up buying a bunch of fat quarters. (They had bundles of the Baby Geniuses Grow Up line, which I plan to use for a quilt for my landlords' baby boy, and lovely batiks for my future batik quilt.) It's just a shame that they had to hire such duds, and I'll have to pay a visit to my No. 1 quilt shop to make up for having given my money to the competition.
And when I do, if they don't have what I am looking for, I know they will do their best to help me find a substitute. And if that doesn't pan out, they'll probably offer me a cookie. ("Helen! Bring me my purse! We don't have the Moda Marbles in stock, but I'm pretty sure I've got me some Fig Newtons in there!")
7 comments:
When will business owners learn? Imagine what you would have bought if it had been a good store! I think service brings down most businesses quicker than anything.
Megan,
I love you blog, Do we live in the same town, because I swear I have that same store with the same employees, I just don't understand when I walk into a store ready to spend big bucks, why they have to be snotty and convince me to keep my money!
I just hate it when that happens!!!!! When I'm in the mood to spend, I want help. My number 1 quilt shop in Indy has the best ladies. Everytime I go in there they help me put together the fabric for my entire quilt. They are fab!!
Karen in IN
My LQS even called the factory trying to get more of a certain fabric. That's what I call service.
I have been in more than one quilt shop like that and you are way better than me cause I don't drop any money there if they act like that.
I can't understand why shop owners allow their staff to treat customers like that! I avoid those stores like the plague -- would rather shop online than give a store with staff like that one penny!
It's beyond me why people who don't like waiting on customers are in the SERVICE industry!
Hey -- Quilter's THread is going out of business, and they have some batik packs left...
http://www.quiltersthread.com/store/fabric-ss2.html
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