Growing A Quilt Shop In 2021

Most quilt shops have had to close for at least some time during the Covid pandemic. They have had to close some or all of their business: classes, sew-ins, retreats, etc. Inside, shops may offer curbside service.

When we think of Covid restrictions, we think first of masks. All the quilt shops I have visited do require them for staff and customers. If you need a mask, some will also give you one in exchange for a donation, such as to an animal shelter or food bank. Washing your hands comes second and most quilt shops have sanitizer by the door.

Third is social distancing and quilt shops have approached this in several ways. One way traffic has been established in shops with two doors. Shops have had a few creative ways to restrict the number of shoppers. One shop had a board just outside the door where shoppers could sign in and out. With only ten lines on the board, the number of shoppers was limited.

Another quilt shop used clothes pins to limit the number of shoppers. You picked up a clothespin at the entrance and surrendered it at the exit.

One suggestion that Contessa has is to separate cutting stations. Often, the cutting stations are combined in one long line in the store. To keep shoppers from crowding around the cutting stations, shops might consider breaking them up and placing them throughout the store.

Unfortunately, some quilt shops have had to limit hours because staff have encountered a possible Covid exposure and have had to quarantine for a significant time. Lack of staff means shorter hours.

One quilt shop told us that they are finally going to update their point-of-sale software to allow better inventory control. This will make it possible for them to begin online sales. To do online sales, a shop must know what they have.

Another online idea has been to post some videos from past classes. Anything that builds and preserves the relationship between customer and shop will help everyone get past these tough times. We quilters certainly don't want to lose any more shops!!