Blog - Page 21 of 33 - American Quilt Retailer

Posted on May 9, 2019November 30, 2019 by AQR Piece by Piece — Leave a comment

Meet Back Door Quilts

Store name: The Back Door, Inc, DBA Back Door Quilts

Linda (left) and Teri in the front of the shop

Owners: Linda Hale and Teri Dougherty
Store location: 2503 Fairview Rd, Greenwood, IN 46142
Phone: (317) 882-2120

Greenwood is a suburb of Indianapolis, and we are located in a strip mall

Region of the country: North East Central. Midwest
Years in business: 46 in May 2019
Types of special services offered: Longarm Quilting, plus the usual quilt shop expertise on all things creative!

Number of employees: 19 including the two owners, mostly part time, plus Club Hostesses and teachers
Continue reading Meet Back Door Quilts

Posted on May 1, 2019April 29, 2019 by AQR Piece by Piece — 1 Comment

Schoolhouse Series

Have you heard the news? American Quilt Retailer is hosting the premier and opening session of the Schoolhouse Series at spring Quilt Market in Kansas City.

This year’s quilt market officially runs May 17 – May 19, but the Schoolhouse Series starts May 16 at 10:00 a.m. Be sure to check in before, and breakout sessions begin immediately after.

The goal of the Schoolhouse Series is to provide quilt industry professionals opportunities for increased profitability through education.

Five business experts will help present during AQR’s session over topics including marketing, branding, social media, business coaching, and finance. The goal of this premiere session is to get you started with a mindset inspired to move to action.

Schoolhouse Experts

Here is a breakdown of the opening session presenters:

Life coach Beth Montpas. Beth spent 20 years as a small business owner and now helps women regain confidence saying, “if you don’t like the part you’re playing in your life story, you can write a new script!” Certified by the John Maxwell Team, Beth is a frequent public speaker and contributor to AQR.
Consumer anthropologists Rich Kizer and Georgeanne Bender. This duo has been helping businesses since 1990 while making appearances on MSNBC’s Your Business. They’ve also been named two of Retailing’s Most Influential People saying “Consumers can buy what you sell in any number of places so the experience with you has to be a stand out, every time.”
CEO Leann Pressly. This self-proclaimed #bosslady is CEO of Stitchcraft Marketing and does consulting for craft companies. Leann pulls from her over 20 years of experience to give tips on both Stitchcraft’s blog and podcast and has spoke at such conferences as AFCI.
Consultant Sommer Sharon. Sommer is a long-time business owner who’s company, Sleigh Consulting, specializes in search engine optimization and digital marketing.
Business savvy Tom Shay. Tom offers business help and advice through a variety of platforms including through his website, podcast, speaking engagements, and articles. Tom gets more than anyone what it’s like to own a small business, so that’s why he created Profits Plus, a tool to help small business owners everywhere.

Register Today

The first 800 attendees get an exclusive article by American Quilt Retailer (available only after quilt market for purchase) and 400 blue bags stocked full of giveaways. Check out the link in the signature to register today.

Have you heard the news? American Quilt Retailer is hosting the opening session at spring Quilt Market in Kansas City! Their Schoolhouse Series includes breakout sessions and an opportunity to gain firsthand knowledge from the people who make, design, or write about the products you sell. Register to attend today.

Posted on April 24, 2019April 26, 2019 by AQR Piece by Piece — Leave a comment

Declutter Your Digital Space

It’s easy to remember to declutter your home when it’s a daily reminder, and easier to ignore one of the tools you use everyday—your computer.

Plan some time this Friday afternoon to clean up your digital space, within one day you’ll notice how less stressful your life feels.

Tips to declutter

Unsubscribe from emails you never read. Even notifications can be distracting and contribute to the everyday stress you feel. When you check your email you won’t even notice those subscriptions are gone.
Clean your desktop. That’s right, you should actually be able to see the background image on your desktop. It may have been years since you’ve been able to do this, but an organized desktop is the best time saver you can do for yourself.
Turn off notifications. If it really is important enough to check, you will.
Upgrade your systems. That’s right, the next time a reminder to upgrade pops up on your computer, don’t press ignore. Upgrading makes sure your computer has the best and safest software.
Download screen time monitoring apps. The nice things about these apps is they allow you to specify how much time you spend on what sorts of things, ie social media, learning, work, etc. We all know blue light isn’t good for our eyes so try to make the most of the time spent looking at it productive.

Increase digital space

Uninstall software. The easiest way to figure out how to do this is to Google it, this trick is more preventative as it will free space down the road.
Delete your downloads. Continuing on with the preventative tips, delete your download folder. This will save open up even more space and may also speed up your system.

Decluttering your digital space will make you feel more organized than you realize. Nothing is better than knowing exactly where something is, and these tips will help you get there.

Posted on April 17, 2019April 15, 2019 by AQR Piece by Piece — Leave a comment

Think Outside the Box

Is it difficult for you to decide what classes your quilt shop should offer? This blog post is all about outside-the-box class ideas your community is guaranteed to love.

Class Ideas Everyone Will Love

Flower arranging. There is beauty in every day things and flowers are full of that beauty. This craft is sure to attract both current creative customers and new creatives too. I remember this class being a hit back in my university days and currently with the Minneapolis Institute of Art offering a similar event with a twist. Invite your local greenhouse gardeners to help make this class a hit.
Cocktail lab. With opportunities to make this class seasonal, this also provides another way to get outside community business owners involved. Have bartenders from your favorite local restaurant help attendees learn about flavors and pairings, how to make their most-sold drinks, and more.
Watercolor. This craft is a great entry for those wanting to learn how to paint. This class could be a series, or a girls night out. With minimal set up and supplies needed, a quick rearrangement of your shop makes your business the perfect venue.
Dancing. When was the last time you and your partner danced? After a class of movement (and remembering how to waltz), you’ll also remember how much fun it used to be for you. This course is great for all ages—consider pairing youth with elderly, or having a couple classes for different age groups.

What classes have worked for you? Share in the comments below what continues to be a hit for your shop!

Posted on April 10, 2019April 8, 2019 by AQR Piece by Piece — Leave a comment

Why You Should Shop at Small Businesses

I know I’m preaching to the choir here, but this post serves as a reminder to how supporting small and local businesses impacts you and your community. Feel free to share with your customers the next time the topic comes up!

Small businesses define communities

Think back to when you were a child – what stores do you remember and why do you remember them? Likely these stores were a staple of your community, that also happened to have great products. Local businesses add character to a neighborhood, and provide it’s employees freedom that large companies stifle. Thanks to this, innovation is more likely to thrive in a small business. Do you remember the last time you were sad hearing of a business that closed down? Small businesses become more than just an economic driver and add to the well-being of a community.

Small businesses have better service

Local businesses face many challenges to stay afloat in their respective marketplaces, marketplaces that are only becoming increasingly more competitive. Because of this, you’re likely to receive better and more personalized service; this means you’ll never be put on hold when you call and they’re going to know your name when you walk in. You’ll never have to worry about who’s interests are being met, whether it be stockholders, boards, or an algorithm, small businesses have your needs in mind.

According to Forbes, shopping at small businesses is a sign of respect, not only for the product but for the owners, too. It takes a lot of work and heart to get something going, and supporting that benefits all parties involved. Share your tips below on how you encourage others to support local businesses, and what small businesses have inspired you.

Posted on April 3, 2019April 1, 2019 by AQR Piece by Piece — Leave a comment

Check Out Your Checkout

Have you ever thought about what your checkout counter should or shouldn’t have? When you think about it, it’s the most important part of your store (aside from the window display, but that’s encouraging business from the outside in). By the time customers make it to checkout, they’re ready to spend their hard earned cash on the products you’ve provided. Here are some ideas to make the most of that space.

Encourage impulse buys. This is a great place to put gift cards and small, must need items. Examples include thimbles, rotary cutters, needles, and other quilting notions. Anything you can think of that would nicely round out a crafting project should be placed here.
Spice up the place. Adding a plant to the counter or quotes that inspire you are easy ways to do this. This is also a great place to put seasonal decorations, and to make a statement with your personal style. Having art on the counter can transform the entire room. Also make sure you have great lighting here, too.
Advertise. This is the one place in the store customers are static and attentive. If you’ve been thinking about adding a TV to your store, behind the checkout counter is the perfect place to do it. Have a slideshow of different store products run all day. If you’d rather skip this, then definitely put your social media handles in the vicinity to grow your social following.

What else can I add to my checkout?

If you contribute to a charitable cause, your checkout is a perfect place to display that, and to encourage others to donate. Every business has a checkout counter, so take note of what they include and what you’ve bought last second. Talking to other business owners is always a great way to get ideas. Share your thoughts by commenting below; let us know what has worked for you.

Posted on March 27, 2019March 25, 2019 by AQR Piece by Piece — Leave a comment

Industry Changes

The quilting industry, like anything, is constantly changing. These changes vary from learning how to promote your business on social media or building a website, but there are still trends that affect your brick-and-mortar store.

A Sustainable Industry

Consumers are becoming more aware of where their products come from and how they are made. Nobody feels happy about giving money to a company who makes goods out of sweat shops, or a company with blatant disregard on their waste. How much do you know about the products you carry? How could you go about finding out more about their carbon footprint?

Payment

Consider how many customers wrote you checks this month, compared to 10 years ago. I would guess the amount of electronic transactions your business receives (and let’s be honest, gives) has drastically declined. Look into different payment options; does your store have an iPad that could benefit from Square? Has anyone asked you recently if you accept Apple pay? Does setting up direct deposit to pay your employees make more sense?

Customer Data

Online customers and in-store customers are equally important. How much do you know about the purchasing history of people who walk into your store? What customers prefer shopping online? Who does both? With multiple ways to get to your product, it’s important to keep tabs on this information so you can tailor an amplified experience when a customer comes in your door.

People who say retail is dying is missing the point; what is retail but an experience? Those who can maximize the experience for the customer while maintaining their brand are the retail stores that will continue to thrive.

Of course, there are many trends that effect the way customers shop, and how stores can meet their needs. Leave a comment if you’ve noticed any changes or have any suggestions.

If you’re looking for more information to guide you in owning a retail business, subscribe to American Quilt Retailer today. Already a subscriber? No worries—join our Facebook group for insights and dialogue from industry specialists like you.

Posted on March 20, 2019November 30, 2019 by AQR Piece by Piece — 1 Comment

Meet Apron Strings Quilt Shop

Apron Strings Quilt Shop
Located in historic downtown Maysville, Kentucky, Apron Strings Quilt Shop is a 2017 Better Homes & Gardens Quilt Sampler Featured Shop. In 2013, Apron Strings relocated their shop to Maysville, a traditional small town “river town” with a charming historic downtown area.
Continue reading Meet Apron Strings Quilt Shop

Posted on March 20, 2019March 18, 2019 by AQR Piece by Piece — Leave a comment

Inspiring the Next Generation

How can quilters inspire the next generation?

When I started thinking about this topic I imagined kids, young girls (or boys) around eight to 14 who like to spend time with grandma and want to learn some of the things grandma can do.

As I started researching this project, I soon found out my idea of the “next generation” needed to be much broader.

As it turns out, many young people—think ages eight to late 20s—want to learn how to quilt but don’t know how to start.

Young Adults

There are many obstacles preventing these young adults from taking the next step; they don’t have access to a sewing machine, they weren’t introduced to the craft until they received a baby blanket for their first child, etc.

But there are many ways quilt retailers can help. Having classes where everyone is a beginner is a good place to start.

Also reaching out to this audience where they already are is a good idea. This social media-saavy demographic can even help you, if you don’t feel comfortable with Instagram take a poll at one of your events to find out what content your audience would like to see, then cater to that. As with anything, the more you use something, the easier it will become.

Youth

As for youth, it turns out classes are a good way to reach them too. Consider having a mother/daughter event that goes over the basics of sewing, and have easy projects so attendees can leave feeling accomplished.

The DIY industry is bigger than ever, it’s just up to us to tap into new talent.

Leave a comment below of your favorite children-inspired or quilting for beginners products and media.

Posted on March 13, 2019March 11, 2019 by AQR Piece by Piece — Leave a comment

History of Quilting

The history of quilting; one subject I had never considered even though I have been quilting nearly all my life.

The question came to mind as I thought about best practices to influence younger generations into the art form (that post to come). What makes people like quilting? When and where did it start?

And that’s when I realized, I had no idea what the history was. I had always assumed it was a tradition passed generation from generation, but how did the tradition begin?

Origin

Although an exact date is not known, quilting is thought to have begun sometime between the first century B.C. to second century A.D. and the oldest quilt was found on the carved figure of a Pharaoh who ruled during Egypt’s First Dynasty, 3400 B.C.

Quilts were also found useful during the Middle Ages—knights would wear them beneath armor for comfort and throw quilts over armor to protect from the elements.

The New World

Flash forward to settlers coming to the new world, although no quilts can be found from this time, the art of quilt making likely arrived with the inhabitants.

The reason why no quilts could be found makes sense; quilts were utilitarian. They became useful, everyday tools: to provide warmth on a bed, mats for children, walls in one room houses, and more.

The earliest surviving American quilt is dated at 1704, thanks to an exposed newspaper clipping used as padding.

Modern Traditions

Quilting transformed into a social event during the settlement of the Great Plains as a way for women to socialize. Quilts also transformed into heirlooms and a form of fundraising, especially during the World Wars, and even continuing into today.

So why did quilts survive the test of time? Because the problem they solve still exists—protection from the elements—and as it turns out quilts are a great way to do just that.

*To dive deeper into these subjects, check out these websites.