Welcome to blog 1 where we discuss: Where to even start? (Read blog 0 for an intro).
Store Name
It was a bit overwhelming trying to figure out where to start. The obvious choice was the name for the store. I wanted it to be meaningful, but also obvious that it was a fabric store AND sewing studio space. The problem with thinking of a name was also thinking of the vibe I wanted for the store. I had to think of values I wanted to implement in the store and to pick a name that was unique and attention-grabbing. This process was actually pretty difficult. It took me months to try and come up with a name. I decided to honor my paternal grandmother as she was the one who taught me to hand sew at a young age. We didn’t have much time together once I really picked up machine sewing in my early 20s. Her initials were MAD, and I thought that it would be a fun attention-getting store name that also honored her. Henceforth, MAD Fabrics + Studio was born. Next step was to do market research.
Research
As a crafter, I had a pretty good idea of what I wanted out of a fabric store and sewing studio. The thing is, with a business, I needed to know what other people wanted. I decided to research two groups: nationally and locally.
Nationally – Enter Facebook sewing groups. I found a Facebook group, Young & Millennials Quilters, where there were numerous posts about local quilt stores (LQS) and what people liked and didn’t like. I read every comment on every post. There were people who also wanted to start their own fabric stores after Joann closed and so I perused each post and comments to see what opinions and advice I could find. I would take screenshots of comments that stuck out and post them into PowerPoint under general category slides. This process helped me narrow down major topics (visual help having them on slides) and these topics helped steer decisions for my store. Here are a couple topics that came across as very important during my 2025 research:
1. Hours. The next generation of sewists are younger with families. These individuals tend to have full-time jobs and are unable to shop in-store during typical quilt shop hours. In 2025, quilt shops tend to be open from 10am to 4pm. The ask for hours is to be open later in the evening during the week. Weekend hours that are later into the afternoon are also desirable for families who have events in the morning and want to shop later in the afternoon.
- I also have a full-time job, and it was important for me to maintain that job while starting the fabric store. I determined 6pm – 9pm Monday thru Thursday to work best for my schedule.
2. “Vibes”. Quilt shops tend to be stereotypically run by older women. The sewing community is filled with individuals of varying ages, races, gender, and personal identifications. There is a desire for fabric stores to cater more openly to those who enter their doors. I found countless stories where people have felt judged, belittled, and disrespected in their local fabric stores. They want stores that have a more modern outlook on sewing. For instance, men who go into quilt stores are pegged as the non-sewist and are ignored. Other individuals recounted mentioning different sewing techniques or projects and are met with judgement or unsolicited comments on sewing “rules”. Finally, the queer community expressed uncomfortable experiences when shopping at fabric stores run by older individuals who make comments on their appearance or would ignore them.
- This area of research helped me identify my store’s values.
3. Pricing. Every area is going to have their own idea of ideal price points. I found when I visited fabric shops in wealthy areas in northern IL, people wouldn’t bat an eye at $13 to $16 per yard. I keep an eye on local social media pages and have come to understand what people are or are not willing to spend. My community is not one where I can have solely $16/yard fabric. I found it interesting to read comments in national sewing groups about their ideal price points. I took that information and paired it with my understanding of my local community’s outlook to come up with an average price point for items in my store. It’ll be important to figure out what people are willing to spend and ensure you carry inventory around that range. Otherwise, you’ll sink a bunch of money in inventory that won’t move. Also consider the economy. In 2025, and now in 2026, tariffs have hit the textile industry hard. Fabric is much more expensive to import which is raising the costs for businesses to stock inventory. Shoppers are looking for affordable options but business aren’t able to necessarily meet that right now. It is a super fine balance and having business price points will be critical for making inventory decisions.
4. Inventory. Classic versus modern was a common theme in my research. I found the stereotype that older sewists prefer traditional prints to have some truth to it. Younger individuals tended to share their love for modern and bold prints. Knowing who your audience will be helps determine what kinds of fabric you will want to carry. There was also a lot of discussion on certain designers/manufacturers. Art Gallery Fabrics, Tula Pink, Timeless Treasures, Moda, Riley Blake, and Ruby Star all came up multiple times. What I found to be tricky as a business newbie was the “new inventory” thread. As a sewist, I completely agree – we want to come in and see new fabrics from big brands every time we shop. As a small business owner with limited funds, getting new inventory when you aren’t really moving current stock is TRICKY. I think there is a disconnect with shoppers and small businesses, and I mean SMALL. These businesses just don’t have the capacity to bring on new inventory when their current inventory isn’t moving fast enough. There are a lot of upfront costs and slow return for profits. The big box stores were great – they could shuffle inventory around and had the funds to hold it and still get new inventory in. My experience (now 7 months in) is that is super unrealistic for small (1 owner, no employee) businesses. As you consider opening a store (online, in-person, or both), just keep in mind that the inventory you start with may be with you a while. Budget accordingly.
- Side note: I decided to focus on new, recovered, and vintage fabrics as a way to spruce up my offerings while giving me the chance to offer fabrics in a sustainable and cost-effective manner. If you decide you want to carry only new fabric lines, be aware that new lines will open for pre-order around 4-6 months in advance. If you are buying for a season, you’ll want to stock those early. People sewing holiday gifts will usually start long before that holiday. Also, fabric lines can range from a couple bolts to 10+. I’ve found that I could spend from $5,000 to $10,000 on just one line. For me, that isn’t feasible, so I tend to buy what’s on sale or I don’t buy the entire line. These are things to keep in mind with your inventory selections.
It is super important to do your market research before deciding to open a store. Financial analysis isn’t the only area to focus on. Be sure to identify your target audience, determine if there are enough sewists/shoppers in your location, identify local preferences (hours, vibes, classes, inventory), etc. Keep in mind that you may get a ton of interest at first. I was overwhelmed with community excitement when I first started local research, but now that I’m seven months in, it’s a lot of crickets. Every area will be different. Rural areas may tend to be hit and miss with in-store shoppers. It’s important to be objective. If the business is looking like it won’t be feasible at the moment, that’s okay. I knew going into this adventure that the economy wasn’t great. I’m giving it a go anyway. I’ll self-fund, so if I need to close, I can, but we don’t learn if we don’t try.
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I hope this gives a bit of direction for where the heck to even start! Keep an eye out for blog 2 in this series. I’ll be talking about my next steps and sharing resources that I’ve found to be super helpful!
Thanks for being here!
Rachael
