The Laurel Leaf

The store is closed. I happened to walk by it and even tho it still had big sale banner on the window, the store is empty and a note on the door says its closed for good. Love the store that u can always talk to talented ladies and sewing fellows. Sad about its close.

Not really a review, but I’ve been noticing ads on Craig;s list saying the store has lost it’s lease and is closing. If you are going, call first.

Let me start by praising the people who work there – they have been welcoming and helpful, and kind.
As a long time quilter, I strongly believe in supporting independent local quilt stores – that is the best source for quality fabrics, tools, expertise in craftsmanship, exposure to new techniques and most of all inspiration. It saddens me to leave a less than stellar review because there is an incredible amount of potential at the Laurel Leaf. I have patronized the Laurel Leaf for about 3 years off and on. The reason it’s been off and on because of the difficulty that the owner has in maintaining inventory of basic supplies – most notably batting and thread, although the fabric inventory is also a bit stale. The shop is often out of white thread. White thread! This is like being out of nails at the hardware store. There is no attempt to move the fabric, for example having putting the oldest and dusty stuff on sale – this is standard practice in quilt stores that actually want to move inventory and restock with current lines as a consistent business practice. There is an ebb and flow to the fabric selection and after a while, the shelves look a bit bare. Then the big order is placed and the shelves are overflowing. To my taste, I don’t find the fabric collection especially well curated; a bit of focus would be nice. There is a very nice selection of patterns – if you can find them – as others have noted, the store is cluttered, ill-​organized and a bit dusty.

Friendly, helpful. They spent a lot of time with me helping to find just the right fabric to go with my existing pieces. When I ask naïve questions about quilting, they are always patient and clear with their replies – they give a level of wisdom and attention that I am not used to in shops. Thank you!

I won’t be returning to the Laurel Leaf because of one reason only: The owner is extremely unpleasant. I didn’t just catch her on a bad day; I’ve interacted with her on three occasions and encountered varying degrees of rudeness each time. I won’t do business with rude people.
Oh, and the $ 7000+ Bernina I’ll be purchasing? Guess where I’m not getting it.

Went in for Shop Hop this morning. Was told they would stamp my card after looking around. I explained that this morning I really do not have time. Thinking I can always come back when I do have time. The woman SNAPPED at me saying you are supposed to look around that is the whole point of a Shop Hop. Went on and on ver angry. Well no problem, I guess I will not be coming back or recommend this place to NO ONE. WOW! Still shocked. There was even a costumer in there when she snapped! Not good business at all. And here I thought Shop Hop was to see all of the different quilt shops around here and you can always go back to them. They will not get my business!

When I come into this store I feel like I am interrupting the salesclerk who is usually in the back quilting. It is very squishy in the store so it isn’t for the claustrophobic folks and it seems dusty as well. I have gotten some personal assistance in picking out fabric but I had to really ask for it. The lighting isn’t perfect but you can take the bolts to the front of the store to hold up next to the window.

When I first started quilting 5 or 6 years ago, I really liked this store. It had a good selection of fabrics, but it wasn’t overwhelming for someone who was just learning. I was greeted and offered help promptly. I would usually find something that fit my needs.
Recently, though, I’ve seen a change in this store and its employees. The store feels dark, overcrowded and disorganized. There are bolts of fabric leaning against the bookcases that are filled with fabric, which just makes it feel even more crowded. When there’s more than 1 person shopping in the store with me I feel claustrophobic.
The patterns are piled in a few baskets. I know how hard it is to keep a basket organized, but the baskets themselves are hidden behind other things. I found their clearance pattern basket (I love a good deal) and was immediately turned off — the patterns were yellowed and smelled musty.
The employees are another issue too. I’ve noticed on my last few visits that if I am greeted, it’s never with a smile. And I’m never offered assistance any more.
Whenever I have a consistently negative experience in a store, I think about what I would do to improve it if I were the owner:
–I know it’s expensive, but spend the money to improve the lighting. It’s hard to choose fabric if it’s too dark to see the patterns/​colors.
–Cull the fabric. Have some kind of massive sale to reduce the amount of fabric in the store. I know it sounds like an oxymoron (a fabric store with too much fabric), but you can’t stock more than you can fit/​display well in your store. It would also help open the place up and keep people from stepping on the fabric!
–Keeping the quilting patterns and books in baskets is fine, but don’t hide them! Have one special section where they’re kept with a small chair (doesn’t have to be a comfy one!) so that your customers can take the time to flip through the baskets.
–Smile, be welcoming, thank people for their business. It’s not hard. It costs you nothing. It inspires goodwill and will make people want to come back for more.

Good selection of fabrics, lots of pre-​cut quarters, and a varying amount of jelly rolls, charm packs, and fat quarters. The women working yesterday were very friendly and helpful. It’s my first quilting project, and this was a good way to start it!

This place is AMAZING! For me this place has been extremely helpful. I came in not having a clue how to make my first quilt for my babies, and each step of the way there was someone there to help me and show me what to do. Everyone there is so very helpful and they have a great assortment of fabrics.
Totally go there for fabric and any one-​on-​one help you may need. Compared to Joannes and Beverlys you actually get friendly help here, they cut the fabric even (making it so easy to cut squares out of), and they take care of their fabric rolls so the fabric you buy isnt wrinkled and uneven (making cutting squares more difficult). Overall though, its the personal help that will keep me coming by.

I bought my Bernina 440QE sewing machine at the Laurel Leaf and I’m so glad that I did! This machine is so easy to use and sews perfectly.
I have enjoyed the personalized one-​on-​one training they provide on using the machine for sewing and quilting. I also know that if I ever need to learn a new technique or have any questions, I can stop by anytime for a demo or to have them troubleshoot my machine.
I will happily trust my Bernina to them for servicing as long as I have it (hopefully for life!).
The store has a broad selection of black and white fabrics, 1940’s prints, batiks, and flannels. I do wish they had a few more modern fabrics for younger quilters (I love quirky prints, like those from Kokka, Echino, & Heather Ross), but I often find cottons that are perfect for my projects and always find great tools on the notions wall.
The staff are quite knowledgeable and they have many inspiration quilts all over the shop.
Stop by. Parking is easy and FREE!

What can I say… I buy quilt fabric all over the Bay Area and this was one of the worst experiences I’ve had. I have gone into the Laurel Leaf several times and been disappointed with their customer service each time.
This is the visit that broke the camels back.
Dim lighting, overcrowded store with not much room to move around, no smiles or «hey thanks for shopping at our store» attitude (I felt like I was intruding on the grumpy salesladies day), VERY poorly cut fabric (cut so off the straight grain that I lost 2″ per side as I trued it up). No thanks…
They do have a large selection of fabrics, but with such a large variety of stores in the Bay Area, I will be shopping somewhere else.

Kind people who stock everything you might need for your Bernina (and will special-​order the rest). They repair mine whenever I need it; at least once they figured out that I’d misadjusted and didn’t charge me. They also have a good range of quilting fabrics –I never leave without a yard or two — and will quilt your finished piece to order. I always enjoy talking to the staff. My only complaint is that their quilting patterns run toward the cutesy/​country side.

After having a lousy experience with repairs/​service at Eddie’s and ABC, (and just so-​so at Ralph’s), I located The Laurel Leaf randomly on-​line and what a gem it has turned out to be. I retired my old Necchi and purchased a new, silky, strong Bernina 1008 from them. Thumbs up to Margie (pron. with a hard «G»): her passion for sewing is infectious. I haven’t met the owner (Julie) but she must be a decent boss in order to have buoyant staff who know how to support a customer. Keep it up!