[Loch-soilleir] fabric stores closing

[Michael Silverhands]

On Aug 17, 2007, at 3:12 PM, Geneva Tanner wrote:

> Okay found out from my mom that if you want to prevent the fabric  
> portion of walmart closiing then call write or e-mail the below  
> addresses. they will take into consideration public sentiment and  
> refused to close one in Kansas. Just get your local wally world  
> store number and get every one you know to call or write :-) spread  
> the word. I Know I do not want the one in my area to close the  
> fabric dept.
>   Just a sugestion since getting fabric for Garb is becomeing more  
> difficult as more fabric stores are going out of business
>
>   the web site is....www.walmart.com   address is walmart 702 S.W. 
> 8th st.
>   bentonville, ar.72716  phone is 1 800 925 6278.
>

1) Mom and Pop fabric(*) stores develop an area market. They make a  
slim but sustainable profit by offering variety (such as  specialty  
items) and by providing personal service which justifies slightly  
higher markups.

2) Walmart builds a store in the area, offering no personal service  
and very little variety but cheap prices on the fabric, patterns and  
sundries that they do offer -- "standard stuff" that they can buy and  
sell in large volumes.

3) Mom and Pop fabric stores in the area still win on service and  
variety, but lose most of their "standard stuff" business to Walmart.  
Unable to survive without their "bread and butter" sales, they go out  
of business en masse.

4) Walmart realizes they can't make much money on such thin margins,  
so they quit selling fabric.

???

Personally, I'd be delighted if Walmart would get completely out of  
the fabric market, and stay out. Then there'd be a market available  
for Mom and Pop stores to open again. I think it's better to have a  
bunch of small stores competing for your business.

My $.02.

On the other hand, if you really want your local Walmart to keep  
selling fabric... then more power to you. Who knows... maybe it's  
easier to convince Walmart to keep selling fabric, than it is to  
encourage new Mom and Pop fabric stores to open (or re-open) in your  
area. Call, write... they really do listen to public opinion  
(sometimes). Thanks for providing the information, Geneva! :-)

Michael

(*) substitute any product name in place of "fabric", it's the same  
picture