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Wednesday, January 22, 2014

A Day at A & E!

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Would you believe me if I told you that I was BACK in FLORIDA today!?

I WAS!!

I was joined by a group of 4 ladies from Mobile who offered to take me shopping and antiquing for my birthday ---

Today is a day “off” because the retreat I’m teaching at for the Azalea City Quilt Guild doesn’t start until tomorrow…

Let’s see….fabric shopping?  Antiquing?  NO BRAINER!  YES!

We headed out, driving past downtown Mobile, crossing the bay, and pointing ourselves East to Pensacola and pulled up in front of A & E pharmacy about an hour later.

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THIS was a QUILT STORE!?

Where is the fabric?

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It looks like an ordinary every day drug store to me!

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I see laxatives, but I don’t see fabric!

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Maybe through here?  But wait…it says appliances!

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Refrigerators and mardi gras beads?

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Stove tops and MORE mardi gras paraphenalia!

WHERE IS THE FABRIC?!?

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If there is a shortage of mardi gras beads anywhere…they’ve been hoarded in Pensacola!

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But If I go to the OTHER side….FABRIC!!  Whoowhooo!

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Miles and miles of fabric! 

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Aisles of fabric ---

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Walls of fabric!

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More and more and more fabric!

I can honestly say that I have never seen  any place as original as A & E Pharmacy in Pensacola, Florida.

You can pick up your prescription, buy your shampoo and tooth paste, order a new fridge and cook top, pack your trunk full of mardi gras beads, and buy all the quilt fabric and craft supplies your heart desires…all in one place!

Oh, and I found one of those accordion folding aluminum credit card wallets to keep my cards safe from card readers who are supposedly out to steal our numbers unbeknownst to us.  ON SALE!  Is this a gimmick?  Does it work?  Is this really a threat?  I didn’t care, it was pink and cute and on sale and I was in the mood to spend.

Am I coming home with fabrics?  YEP!  I bought myself a nice array of neutral fat quarters to add to the stash.

Which brings me to another old post I haven’t mentioned in a while.  I posted it on Facebook yesterday at the bequest of another quilter, and I can direct you to it again…she was asking about NEUTRALS and what I like to use and how I discern what is what.  Find the answer HERE!

There was some antiquing excitement too, but I’m saving that for tomorrow’s post as it’s feet up in the recliner time after a long day out and about!


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22 comments:

Karen Clark said...

I am so glad that you were able to go to A&E. It really is an experience since one would not believe what is on the inside by the outside! I'm working on my 8th BH quilt and love all of them. Thank you for being you and everything you do to help all of us become better quilters!

Angie said...

LOL Bonnie! As a former resident of Pensacola, I can't tell you how many hours and dollars I've invested at A&E! I still try to make it over for frequent visits even though I now live in New Orleans. Glad to hear you were treated to one of the most fun places on the Gu'f Coast!

Kathy ... aka Nana said...

My parents wintered on the Pensacola area for 40 years, and I would visit them every winter ... Why didn't I know about this place?!?! ;-)

Tammy said...

Oh, I love Pensacola. Lived there back in the 80s for a few years while my husband was in flight school (and have visited a few times since). I can't believe this store. Pretty much has all the essentials you'd ever need! You scored!

Cathy said...

What a great way to spend your birthday! Happy birthday Bonnie!

Ann Parks said...

Now this is my idea of "one stop shopping"!

stitchinpenny said...

I love A&E - I am glad that they took you there for your birthday. I was just there last week picking up some fabric to finish a quilt - it is always fun. Sometimes the sales are unbelievable. Hope you had a great birthday.

Unknown said...

Gee, maybe they have a MOTEL attached lol. We could just stay at A&E!!! A&E umm? I am writing this in my to-visit log.

Happy Birthday, and thanks too for the post on neutrals. I am printing it out to have handy.

Smiles, JulieinTN

Donna in NW FL said...

Isn't A & E a quilter's paradise? Pensacola is my hometown! We moved away in '87 and got to come home in '03 when we retired! I spend a lot of time and money in A & E! So glad you got to check it out. Guess a pharmacy is a good place for a fabric store - it's my drug of choice! LOL

NonnaD said...

Wow! What an awesome place! A great surprise!
Happy birthday Bonnie! I know that was the best present you've had in awhile! An awesome surprise of fabric and antiquing! Well, that's my idea of an awesome birthday anyway! Lol

SewLittleToSay said...

When I saw the title of this post, I though "Oh dear" as in the UK A&E is Accident and Emergency in a hospital - the equivalent of the Emergency Room. I'm so glad your birthday was not spent there.

Johanna said...

What a neat place A&E is. Happy Birthday to you!
Hope you enjoy the day.

Jackie said...

Holy Cow, who would of thought you could buy fabric while waiting for your prescription to be filled. I sure wish I lived there.

New Quilter in Texas said...

I used to live not far from this place and never knew it was there. It's a good thing I wasn't into quilting at the time, or else I'd have really been miserable because I was broker than broke at that point in my life. I've been here once, and since my parents live in P'cola and I visit there annually, I intend on returning there, you can bet your boots! From Gina in Texas

New Quilter in Texas said...
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Unknown said...

When you're in Kentucky, you need to check out Paul's in Somerset. Click on the crafts tab and take a gander. My sister and I went and we didn't have but a couple of hours - you need a whole lot more!! We're planning a trip back next time she comes from South Carolina for a visit. http://www.paulsdiscount.com/

Unknown said...

Bonnie, I am so glad you got to go there. What a hoot

Caryn S said...

That place looks similar to the Ace Hardware in St. George, Utah. You walk in the main door and see all the gardening and hardware items, then you go up some stairs on the far right of the store and there's the fabric department.

Happy birthday! I would love to go to Pensacola one time.

WeedyMama said...

Looks like all the quilt shops and their fabric that have disappeared from the Pacific NW have moved to Pensacola! Sniff, sniff...

Susan at TheBoredZombie.com said...

lol, very nice. I'll have to put that on my list of places to go!

Gari in AL said...

Oh, my, you found our local fun place. It is 115 miles from my house but we are in Pensacola about once a month and I usually visit there.

Shelley said...

When we lived there I could spend hours there rambling and trying to decide what I had to have! Looks like they have expanded and moved the beads even ;) Glad you made the trip to check it out!!

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