CraftGossip sewing editor Anne Weaver and I are old friends. We live in the same town in Central Arkansas, USA. We both have Southern accents. So when she told me about a fabulous quilt shop that she and our mutual friend, Scarlett, had discovered, I was excited but confused. “It’s in Rogers, Arkansas,” Anne said, “and it’s called The Rabbit Slayer.” Really? What a bizarre name for a quilt shop.
Recently, Anne and I drove up to Northwest Arkansas to visit Scarlett, who took us on a field trip to the shop. We pulled into a parking space facing the store (a former bank building) in Rogers’ charming old downtown district, and I saw the sign on the door. “The Rabbit’s Lair.” Ohhhhhhh.
The store was appealing from the outside. But when we opened the doors, I was transported to quilters’ heaven. Just inside were bolts of Lizzy House’s new line, Lizzy Dish, and Valori Wells’ Urban Flannels. These trendy fabrics aren’t available in Arkansas’s capital city, so I started grabbing fat quarters left and right. Gradually, we worked our way through the store, awed by the enormous current collection and excellent prices.
My shopping bag was already nearly full when we came to…the bargain basement! Tucked into a cozy downstairs nook were the clearance fabrics – fat quarters and yardage at half price. See all those Strawberry Lemonade, Mary Engelbreit, and woven-plaid fat quarters in my stack of purchases? Half price. Really.
And there was so much more than quilt fabric: patterns, notions, quilting threads, embroidery threads, button collections, felted wool. I wanted to lie down on the displays and roll around. I wanted to live there.
And to top it off, everyone in the store was friendly and helpful. The staff was welcoming, knowledgeable, and service-oriented. And the other customers were kind, chatty, and full of ideas. The shop is clearly a gathering place for quilters from all over the region. If you live or visit near Northwest Arkansas, you have to stop by this shop.
And if you can’t get to this region in person, you’re still in luck. The Rabbit’s Lair has an online storefront! It’s not quite the same thrill as being able to touch all these beautiful wares, but it’s still pretty awesome. The free newsletter alerts you to current bargains. For example, today’s in-store Superbowl Sale includes 20 fat quarters for US $25.00!
Many, many thanks to shop owner Mary Elizabeth Schopp for making this resource available to quilters.
Kara says
February 1, 2009 at 12:35 pmHey! That’s my LQS! They are really helpful and nice, but my favorite thing about the store (after the selection) is the frequent shopper card.;)