Benihanas - not sure if OT or not

Brian, Do you know, have you met Carolyn of the old pueblo, a lovely person on this newsgroup? She and I get together every time I come to Tucson to melt credit cards at Bella's and Quilter's Market. Would you like to join us in Jan when I fly in for the Tucson quilt show? Cyndi

Actually House of Fabrics bought out Fabricland (a very good fabric store) and then JoAnn's bought out House of Fabrics. Fabricland always carried better quality fabric and everyone in our area was really disappointed when House of Fabrics bought them out. We knew the quality was going to go down and it did and it sure didn't go up when JoAnns bought them out.

I hate the Big Guys who gobble up successful little businesses and then change the quality for greater profits and less service. Sometimes you wonder if you support the little business too much will they look attractive to the Gobblers and so long to the little guy. Must be a fine line...

The saddest day was when Fabricland closed!!! (... once the big 75 percent off sales were ended... ) I spent many happy hours there (with my kids stuffed in a shopping cart so they wouldn't run around) and certainly my sewing hobbies dwindled after that... (until the quilting bug came along....*S*)

Annie

Beni Ha Ha's is great!

I'm not sure, but the Joanne's near me was Fabricland before that, and I think it was House of Fabric when I was first in Tucson. Sadly, the quality of the fabric has (mostly) gone down though the staff remains friendly and effective. Joanne's is into so many crafting things that fabric/sewing now takes up only 2/3 of the store. There used to be a good Hancock's near me, but they closed and now the nearest is in Marana. Better quality quilting cottons than Joanne's, but not much better. I buy a little fabric at Joanne's but prefer the LQS for quality, color and selection though they are much farther to drive.

Oddly enough, each of the LQS I've visited in the past three months has different strengths, carries different lines and color choices, and has vastly different staff. Two stores are immensely friendly and helpful, one is less so, and at one store the staff are downright indifferent to customers unless they are old personal friends.

Ugh. We went once. While we waited for the cook to finish setting things up a giant roach fell out of the light fixture and hopped across the grill and onto the floor. I don't think it even wanted to eat there.

blech.

marcella

Okay, I'll take it that like anything else, YMMV

T.

Actually, it was you that I was thinking of when I made my original post - that might know or at least be familiar with Sakura's. I have only lived in Tucson (actually Oro Valley) for about four years so I don't know much about what the fabric stores were before. I think I know the Hancock's you are taliking about in Marana. I have visited Joanne's once or twice, there is one near where I take Judo lessons. The only LQS I really know is one up north of Tucson, almost all the way up to Oro Valley, that is in the same center as an Ace Hardware

Brian Christiasen

Having lived in Douglas for many years before moving here, I'll bet I can guess which store is the "indifferent" one. :S On Tanque Verde, right?

Hmmm... We have a Sakura here too. Looking at Google, though, it doesn't seem like it's a chain, or at least not one single chain. I think Sakura means cherry blossom, so it's not surprising it's a common name for Japanese restaurants here.

The web site for the one here says they have 13 locations in MD & VA - and ours was the first! I haven't had a chance to try it yet, as DW's a vegetarian. :)

JA