Rethinking the way we do things

When I was a beginning sewist, fabric was available in brick and mortar stores. Not only were there several dedicated fabric stores in my home town, but there was also a selection of yard goods in major department stores. When Dad would buy tools at Sears, Mom and my sister and I would look through the pattern books. When it was time to make a dress for graduation, or a new summer outfit, or a costume, we'd tramp to the several stores and make our selections, purchasing all the notions and fabric needed.
Our beginning sewists today do not have such a luxury.......or do they? The younger, newer set of enthusiasts does not often have a local fabric store from which to choose supplies. There is no fabric department at JC Penney or Sears or Belk. Those of us who have been at this awhile look at the dearth of local supplies and wonder how the new sewist will ever survive.
Do not fret. Although the local is no longer the norm, the world has much to offer. Our new sewing friends are from a generation that knows the internet as its primary source. They are more likely to look for resources away from home, and seek information on the web with voracious appetites.
The savvy fabric vendor, notions purveyor, or pattern company knows this very well. A sewing-related supplier who does not have a marketable web presence will likely decline in this web-driven age. We may see even more brick and mortar closures (and not only in the sewing industry) in favor of web-only business. This is a sound market strategy, as the overhead costs will be much lower for a web business than for a walk-in store. More goods can be offered, and better goods, at a lower price.
I am saddened that the new sewist will never know the joys of walking into Cy Rudnick's, or Fabric Collections, or Sears fabric department. Imprinted in my memory is the excitement of looking through the newest pattern books. But with a modern, world-wide fabric and notions society, we can experience so much more! We are not bound to the whims of a local buyer. We can purchase any style of fabric. We have a wider range of quality available to us. We can purchase fabric at any price point, from nearly any location. Patterns are available from other continents; notions are wide in variety.
So while I lament the loss of the local purveyor, I am delighted with the wide range of sewing opportunity. And if you will excuse me, I'm off to see which pattern company has updated their website with new patterns today............