Birmingham News article about Hancock...

I saw this article today while looking at al.com. It is about the renovation of the Hancock store in Hoover. I hope that it helps. Seeing that it is one of few fabric stores where I can conveniently feed my fabric addiction AND touch the merchandise, it won't change things much. I'll still shop there, but it would be nice not to be disappointed.

The rest of the article goes on to mention that "the prototype is to help customers and free staff to help with sewing projects." Um... I shop there about once a week, and there is only one friendly AND helpful employee. Some are friendly and some are helpful, but only one is both. Some are downright rude, not to me (most of the time) but to other people.

So there will be renovations and reorganizations and remodeling and sections... that's great. I hope they hire some helpful employees. Cut the bottom twenty, as my old employer used to say. I'd like some more people working there who know about fabric. I'd also like someone who works there to know about ordering some nicer fabrics. Like this, or this, or this, just to mention the quilting ones. I asked once if they had any Amy Butler fabrics. The two women at the cutting table said "WHO!?!?!?!?!" They then proceeded to tell me how no one would buy it and what they had is great. Shocking. Really shocking. Every once in a while you can find Alexander Henry prints in there, but it is rare. And most of the fashion fabric is poly blends. There is some lovely wool suiting on sale at 60% off right now.

And one more thing... quilting cotton does not have to equal scratchy 120 thread count grossness. It could be nice. And just because it is a printed woven cotton fabric doesn't mean it is destined for a split rail quilt... you can make a cute skirt or a top or a dress out of it. It is only "quilting" cotton if you make a quilt. Otherwise, it is woven cotton fabric.

I shouldn't be too hard on them. I have found a few really cute not too juvenile or geriatric cotton prints there, but that is the exception. I have bought some decent knits there, but most are scratchy polyester or no Lycra cotton.

Perhaps they are trying to play it safe and stay middle-of-the-road. Too bad that's where you get run over.

Geez. I should get off the soapbox.

If I get any more riled up, I won't be able to go to Hancock this afternoon.