By WAYNE QUESENBERRY/Staff
Local quilters, crafters and seamstresses can stitch in peace. Their cries of distress about the potential closing of Wal-Mart’s fabric and craft department were heard.
“Wal-Mart continues to carry cut fabric in most of our stores,” stated Marisa Bluestone, media relations manger for Wal-Mart Stores Inc. in Bentonville, Ark. “Decisions about the fabric department were made in keeping with our emphasis on being a store of the community.”
Word in January that the company was considering closing some of the departments in the spring had local customers in a bind. A campaign to save the department included complaints to the Wytheville Wal-Mart Supercenter and corporate headquarters.
Customers were concerned because of the lack of other close retailers of materials and supplies. The affordability of these products was issue, too.
Becky Ritch of Wytheville is happy the store decided to keep its cut fabrics and craft supplies. She and her daughter Kristen are regular customers.
“I’m certainly glad the store reconsidered,” Ritch stated earlier this week. “Wal-Mart’s cloth is more reasonably priced. Kids just starting in sewing don’t want to pay $8 or $9 a yard for material.”
Her friend and neighbor Danielle Loomis agreed. She makes costumes and other Renaissance period wear.
“I’m so happy about it,” Loomis commented. “The store has a good selection of the things I need and its prices are reasonable.”
Bluestone added, “We encourage customer feedback. We ask them to share their concerns with the store managers.”
Wayne Quesenberry can be reached at 228-6611 or .
I too am delighted that Walmart is listening to it’s customers. Quilters just can’’t enjoy sewing when the fabric is so expensive. I thought us quilters would have to drive out’a town to purchase our supplies. Now the town of Wytheville needs to listen to it’s shopper’s needs and wonts............We need a Target, Kolh’s or good department store!
I was truly distraught when I learned of the possibility that the fabric/craft dept. of Walmart stores was considered being discontinued. However, I was equally thrilled to learn that may not be the case now. I’m a self-taught seamstress and have been sewing and designing items for decades. At one time the community I shop in had 4 fabric stores!! Now, we only have Walmart and another store that carries fabric (which is more expensive),is also contemplating closing down their fabric area. I rely on Walmart, which is 20 minutes away, as opposed to driving an hour to patronize another store. Everytime I’ve been in the fabric/craft section at ANY Walmart store it’s been busy and usually a 5-15 minute wait in line.
Please, DO NOT take away yet another convenient
store department that so many customers patronize. I also truly feel since Mr. Sam Walton died Walmart stores have not had the same zest for their customers as when Mr. Walton was alive. He genuinely “put the customer first”! I recall shortly after his death all the signs that hung over the entry doors of all Walmart stores, “Rule #1… The customer is ALWAYS right. Rule # 2...See rule #1”, were taken down. His concern was for the satisfaction of his customers/patrons, not the almighty dollar. That’s why I began patronizing Walmart, because I appreciated his old-fashioned common-sense. In this society of hi-tech and how much can “we” get out of the customers pocket, no matter how inexpensive the item, why can’t we have some good old-fashioned and sincerely genuine concern for the folks who have made corporate America what it is.
Thanks you.
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