Have you ever dreamed of opening a quilt store? It happened to me one day...
It was a warm, late summer afternoon, perfect for my stroll through the charming seaside village. Of course, one of my destinations on this visit was the local quilting store.
As I opened the door, a small sign in the window caught my eye: "Quilt Shop For Sale, Inquire Within."
And suddenly, unexpectedly, a dream was born, as I began to imagine myself as the owner of the shop and a resident of this friendly and lively town.
Perhaps your dream of owning a quilt shop has come "out of the blue" as it did for me. Or perhaps it has been a conscious vision for expressing your love of quilting.
In any case, you are now facing the daunting challenge of bringing this dream to reality, whether in a physical or online store, or in some other idea for a starting a small business related to quilting.
On this page, I'll share the resources I find as I am learning about finding a quilt shop for sale and how to start, operate, and market a quilt store.
Explore these ideas, discussions, and recommended books and web sites ... and start bringing your dream to reality!
Reading List: Small Retail Business Books
Here are the books that are currently on my "to read" list as I look for information on starting a quilt shop. Click on each title for details.
Quilt Business Books
The first place to start is with the Fabric & Quilt Store Start Up Sample Business Plan. (It's a Kindle book, but if you don't have a Kindle e-reader, you can download the free Kindle software to read the book on your PC or smartphone.)
Although not strictly about owning a store, Make Money Quilting covers topics such as selling quilts and quilting services that I know I will need to consider for a full-service quilt shop. Related books are:
Another dimension to consider for my business: Publish Your Patterns, a guide for publishing quilt and craft designs.
A promising-looking ebook is How to Start your Own Quilt Shop, sold directly by the author (not available on Amazon).
Retailing Books
All the basics I'll need to know about being a store owner.
Specialty Shop Retailing: Everything You Need to Know to Run Your Own Store
The Specialty Shop: How to Create Your Own Unique and Profitable Retail Business
Cute Little Store: Between the entrepreneurial dream and business reality.
And the latest retailing books.
Be a Practical Dreamer
I plan to reread The Practical Dreamer's Handbook, one the many books by Paul & Sarah Edwards
Small Business Books
I will also want to review the latest small business books for information about starting a new small business.
