Thursday, May 24, 2007

Buying fabric in an in-ground pool

Ok …. Some of you folks think I’m really pulling your leg about the pool bit. I really wasn’t kidding about that …. it is true!

There was a quilt store out in the middle of nowhere west of Toronto and it was on a huge dairy farm. The store was actually in an enclosed in-ground pool (no water, of course). It was lovingly known as the “pool place” but actually had a proper quilt store name.

The store owner had used their pool for years until their children grew up and moved away and the pool wasn’t getting much use. So, she converted it into a quilt store. It was neat! You entered into the store and then walked down steps into the pool where there were shelves of fabric, a cutting table and quilts hanging above the pool. There were also fabric all around the pool surround on the main level. There was a railing all around the pool so that no one would take a tumble into the pool. Ah .... shoppers would ramble around on the main level but eventually everyone was tempted to take a dip!

Unfortunately (for quilters), her children had children and the store owner decided to close the quilt store and convert the pool back to what it was. Darn! It was such a lovely drive to visit the store out in the country. A nice day’s outing, on a warm summer day. Oh … those were the days!

So, I can say without batting an eye, that I bought fabric in an in-ground pool!

I wonder if any of you have an interesting store where you bought fabric and would you share the story?

Have a great day!

5 comments:

Quilts And Pieces said...

Oh my gosh, this is a great story and what a fun thing to say you've done! I can't top that one!

I've bought fabric in an old church that is converted into a quilt store.

CONNIE W said...

I can't think of any place that would be more interesting than your experience was. I find it hard to imagine even!

Diana said...

Sounds like a very interesting store!

Pam said...

That certainly would be an intersting venue for a quilt store. It would be worth the trip just to say you were there - even if you never bought anything :))

atet said...

Sorry, no exotic locales for my quilt shopping (the converted corn shed sounds like it -- but really, you've seen one converted barn, you've seen 'em all). Most of the shops I go into are either converted farm houses and/or strip malls. Love your story!