We used to have a number of fabric stores here in town. Some high end, and then there were those that were in my price range. All of them fail.

So I asked the question at my monthly sewing clud meeting: "why do so many small fabric stores fail?" The closest fabric store I have to my house is half an hour away and half of the store is quilting cottons, and the other half is "fashion fabrics" that is entirely polyester blends. I feel like the small fabric shops I have been in have been quilt-centric. It's not that I don't like them, but they don't always make the best apparel.

I like the store that gets excited about ordering unusual, modern fabrics.

Sure, quilters buy a ton of fabric and the odd order is well just that, odd. But is it too much to ask to sell maybe I need some other garment fabric, or handbag stuff, or upholstry fabric.

A couple of years ago a "new" shop sprung up. It turns out it was from a woman that had worked in the business before. I learned that while talking to her. Anyway, she looked at me like I'm crazy when I ask the fiber content or washing instructions for the various fabrics. I would have thought that she knew what she was doing but no such luck.

Some small business owners know they are the only option and just go on that. And I wondr why they fail in today's market?

Oh, wait. I don't.