Lonely Heart - Polka dot revival, and old lady rant!

Week one and five shows (plus three costumed runs) later, I have a few repairs and revivals to get through.
One of the fab finds from a run to the local Musical Theatre's wardrobe was this polka dot dress and jacket:

Not the best photo, and petticoat fail, but adorable anyway!
The trouble with it is, it is probably 30 years old, and made from cotton knit. And every night, Emma is dragged off stage by her feet while wearing it. This is causing its back to become unhappy in a fabricy way. Had it been made from a woven fabric it probably would be all right, but the "give" in the knit means it gets pulled out of shape more.
SO, I thought I'd better make her something else to wear instead. Had to be a polka dot and had to be navy. The black box which is Bats means that black costumes simply disappear on stage, and the polka dot thing matches Tash's Rainelle costume (the dots on that are really too small but there wasn't anyhting to choose from at the time).
Happily I skipped out this morning, and went to Global Fabrics. Nothing pokadotty there. Sadface. It being a Sunday this meant I had no choice but to try Spotight. How I loathe this shop. Not one single person I know enjoys going there, we grit our teeth and brave it, knowing this is a form of masochism that we would only practise for our art. Why? It's expensive, the service is lousy and the shop policies are beyond insanely, pointlessly ridiculous.
Anyway, they did have a fairly wide choice of options in navy with white or cream polka dots, but, did I mention expensive? As in, $20m for a poplin??? Sod off. So, I decided then and there that I wouldn't make a new costume, I would make an overlay back with a peplum for the existing dress, thus cutting down the amount of fabric required to 1m.
Oooh, then I remembered this crazy discount card they gave out - you get a stamp every time you buy and don't use their plastic bags. Five stamps then the 6th gets you a 20% discount. $16 bets $20, right?
Well, firstly I am told that because I don't have a shopping bag with me, I can't get a stamp. I had put the small piece in my handbag, but this didn't count. Excuse me??? Then someone else came over and told my server that I could have my stamp after all. Hallelujah. But then, it turns out that the 20% off applies at my next purchase, not this one. Really? Has any coffee or loyalty card on the planet, ever,  worked this way? You fill up the line and the special stamp whatsit is the one where you get the payoff. But not at Snotfight. You have to go in again, and only THEN can you get your discount. I think the staff have this wrong but then every other special deal thing they run is illogical, turns out not to be very special at all, and confuses their staff and customers. You gotta hand it to them, they treat their staff and customers with equal contempt, no favouritism there.
Would someone PLEASE open a sane shop on Sundays that sells stuff we need? PLEASE? Save us from this ridiculous shop once and for all.
Anyway I am off to get the overpriced polka dots out of the drier and work some juju on this dress. Photos may follow. No promises. I may throw it all out of the third story window and run off to join a monastery!