Tales Of A Fourth Generation Textile Executive: Hello Karey, Are You There? It Is The Future Calling.

Happy Monday folks! Now that many of you have had time to read my thoughts on Quilt Market (QM) and it’s future in my last blog post, I wanted to continue the discussion on how we can make QM great again…or at least try. Confirming what I said in the QM blog, based on the many comments, emails and calls that I got just this past week since the blog, it shows that people do care about QM. I know that many more of you have comments, so please share them for everyone to see.

That being said, many people are concerned, including me, and wondering why Karey of Quilts Inc. has not chimed in as of yet to say anything. Total silence. I did forward the blog to her and was assured by some of her employees that she has in fact seen the blog. She did not reply to me. So, why no comments? Why no reply? Why the silence? At our private QM meeting, Karey kindly asked me to tone down the QM negativity on my blog and I believe that I have not been too antagonistic or too negative since I returned. I have been trying to remain completely factual and believe it or not, I actually went out of my way to try to help the cause. So Karey, when are you going to reply? I am calling you out, right here and right now, to say something to the masses soon. I will be sure to post it here on my blog for everyone to read. We are all in this together and if you, as the head of QM, can’t come out with a public commentary, perhaps in there lies part of the problem. If I don’t hear from you before year end, I think I will just have to post your email address here so everyone can email you directly. Oh relax, I am joking.

While we await Karey’s reply, I wanted to make some general comments about the QM discussion.

I unfortunately did not get that many comments from shop owners on the subject. So, I am asking quilt shop owners this, what can we all do to get you to come to market? What can Quilt’s Inc. do to help to get you to market? Inquiring minds want to know. I did hear from one person that she was working on her own blog with several points encouraging people to attend market and reasons why it is worthwhile. I am looking forward to seeing that for sure.
I did hear from a couple people who hypothesized about the possibility of QM no longer being relevant in this day and age of computer sophistication. Yes, it is great for Take & Teaches and for Schoolhouses, but other than that, no one needs to travel to QM for the rest the theory goes. Sales reps are out with the lines. Social media is a buzzing away with fresh images. Websites have all the newest stuff loaded up. Need I say more. This reminds me of many years back when my father was debating about whether or not we needed our own double and rolling and printing plant anymore. In the end, the difficult choice was made and we decided to close down the plant. In hindsight, this was one of the greatest business decisions ever. I wonder if a couple years down the road we are going to be looking back and saying, “I can’t believe we used to go to QM.” I guess that time will tell. I am not wishing for this, but I am just wondering if the writing is on the wall.
Where I did hear from a couple big shots in the industry about my blog, it would be great to hear what others owners have to say. I think in my next blog that I am going to have to start calling the big fabric honchos out by name to hear what they have to say….good, bad or indifferent. We need everyone involved in the discussion. Please share. Perhaps an epiphany will evolve.
I am considering the possibility of proposing a conference call among fabric vendor owners, but not sure if I would be biting off more than I could chew or if it would in fact be worthwhile. The Jaftex Companies may just have to try some of their own promotions and such to try and get more people to attend market.

I really don’t want to belabor this QM thing much more for today. Hoping that Karey or someone at Quilts Inc. steps up and gets in on the banter. For now, I will say I will remain optimistic.

This week we will all hopefully be celebrating Thanksgiving. This is a great time to spend with family and friends. It is a great time to be thankful. It is a great time to eat a lot. Just don’t forget to do everything in moderation. I did want to say “thank you.” Thank you for reading my blah blah blah blog. Thank you for your comments. If you are a Jaftex customer, thank you for being a loyal customer. Please have a lovely holiday on behalf of me, my family and everyone at the Jaftex Companies.

Until Next Week,

This is Thankful Scott

Millie Gross

November 22, 2016 at 10:53 am

Dear Scott,
One of our reps sent us your blog which I read with interest. I stepped away after reading it, thinking about what you had to say. However, I believe that the caption of your Blog should read, “How to make our Quilt Shops Great Again”
Although, much of what you say is true (There isn’t a vendor out here who hasn’t echoed your sentiments) I believe that the greater energy of our collective focus is perhaps better placed in another, more productive direction.
I recently returned from a 7 week trek in the US working with our fabric reps and our retail partners. Nothing I did here was different than what most of my fellow sales managers do prior to or after QM. We all know what the job of a National Sales Manager entails. But on trips like these, we perform many important functions. For me, the most important are to OBSERVE, LISTEN and LEARN. Then bring back information from these activities to the management and marketing teams at my company.
Im going to bottom line this. Perhaps you are not hearing from our stores here in your blog because our stores are not thinking about Quilt Market. While I don’t intend to diminish the necessity of Quilt Market, our stores are worried over how to keep their stores open, or how to pay their staff and all the invoices that are stacking on their desks. Many of which are invoices for all the fabric and assorted product on their floors and in their shelves. The last thing on the mind of our retailers today is how to get to QM.

In my opinion, the focus of our COLLECTIVE energies then should be how to help our stores stay in business by helping them sell the fabric and assorted other products and notions which they have bought from us. To develop programs and incentives, education, events and promotions that will drive consumers to our retail partners. Helping our stores succeed so that they have the funds to be able to afford to come to a QM. Thousands of quilt shops across the US have closed and are closing daily. This is the real threat to our COLLECTIVE existence (retailers and vendors alike). Because unless we stop the retail bloodshed, Quilt Market will not be necessary.

One Comment

Millie Gross

November 22, 2016 at 10:53 am

Dear Scott,
One of our reps sent us your blog which I read with interest. I stepped away after reading it, thinking about what you had to say. However, I believe that the caption of your Blog should read, “How to make our Quilt Shops Great Again”
Although, much of what you say is true (There isn’t a vendor out here who hasn’t echoed your sentiments) I believe that the greater energy of our collective focus is perhaps better placed in another, more productive direction.
I recently returned from a 7 week trek in the US working with our fabric reps and our retail partners. Nothing I did here was different than what most of my fellow sales managers do prior to or after QM. We all know what the job of a National Sales Manager entails. But on trips like these, we perform many important functions. For me, the most important are to OBSERVE, LISTEN and LEARN. Then bring back information from these activities to the management and marketing teams at my company.
Im going to bottom line this. Perhaps you are not hearing from our stores here in your blog because our stores are not thinking about Quilt Market. While I don’t intend to diminish the necessity of Quilt Market, our stores are worried over how to keep their stores open, or how to pay their staff and all the invoices that are stacking on their desks. Many of which are invoices for all the fabric and assorted product on their floors and in their shelves. The last thing on the mind of our retailers today is how to get to QM.

In my opinion, the focus of our COLLECTIVE energies then should be how to help our stores stay in business by helping them sell the fabric and assorted other products and notions which they have bought from us. To develop programs and incentives, education, events and promotions that will drive consumers to our retail partners. Helping our stores succeed so that they have the funds to be able to afford to come to a QM. Thousands of quilt shops across the US have closed and are closing daily. This is the real threat to our COLLECTIVE existence (retailers and vendors alike). Because unless we stop the retail bloodshed, Quilt Market will not be necessary.