A trip to my local quilt shop is a treat I never take for granted. I can list here some I used to visit but cannot now because they closed their doors: Idle Hours, Stitches, Squash Blossoms and Just for Fun. Knowing how vital having a local quilt shop is to quilters, Jamie Guthals, publicist for The Fabric Shop Network, is getting the word out about a campaign to honor the LQS. Here’s their official press release:
VANCOUVER, Wash., Sept. 19, 2012— This January 24, 2013, quilters and fabric lovers around the country are encouraged to show their support for local, independent quilt shops on the inaugural “Visit Your Local Quilt Shop Day”—an event promoted by The Fabric Shop Network with industry support to raise awareness for the importance of these businesses in their local economy and in the creative pursuits of quilters, sewists, fabric enthusiasts, and crafters everywhere.
The Fabric Shop Network President Laurie Harsh will launch the nationwide program at the International Quilt Market this October in Houston, Texas and is asking consumers and industry peers to mark their calendars and save the date for January 24, 2013. Harsh has developed many fabric shop hop campaigns over the last several years, but this is the first initiative designed to drive foot traffic into independent quilt retailers on a single day.
“Quilt shops are vital to our industry and are much more than a retail venue. They are a place where sewists and quilters meet and connect, trade stories about their latest projects, take classes, and learn new techniques, and are inspired to work with fabric in exciting new ways,” says Harsh.
“By spreading the word about “Visit Your Local Quilt Shop Day,” we can show our support to these businesses at a time when they need it the most,” adds Harsh.
The Fabric Shop Network is offering local quilt shops free online promotional materials and a number of social media tools to promote the inaugural event on the official website, www.quiltshopday.com.
There are thousands of independent, local quilt and fabric shops around the country, according to The Fabric Shop Network. Shops will be joining the celebration for the January 24 event by offering special classes, demos, trunk shows, author book signings, savings, and more. The event website,www.quiltshopday.com, will be a hub for information and will feature the stories of many independent shops around the country.
Social media also will be a vital part of raising awareness about the importance of Visit Your Local Quilt Shop Day and The Fabric Shop Network will be launching campaigns on Facebook, Pinterest, Twitter, YouTube, and Instagram to drive consumers to their local shops on January 24. The event’s official Facebook page is: www.facebook.com/QuiltShopDay
Details on these promotions will be announced at International Quilt Market; in the meantime, The Fabric Shop Network is encouraging everyone to spread the word about the day and grab the “I Love My Local Quilt Shop” and “Visit Your Local Quilt Shop Day” widgets and button from the official website to show their support.
