[Update] Joann Fabrics shutting down

[barkley]

But I do remember the local chain New York Fabrics.

I can still hear the jingle for their commercials in my head ('i love New York fabric, New York Fabrics, Neeeeeeeeeeew York Fabrics the fabulous fabric store').

 

[NYCgrrl]

tend to get into a "zone" while sewing

Yeah to the zone! Whilst doing machine maintenance I definitely tranced out listening to the hum of the motor, lol.
Hong Kong seams? Now that’s a term you don’t hear much anymore

 

[mousefan73]

It’s really getting difficult for people who sew to purchase fabric in person. I don’t like to purchase fabric online because you can’t really tell what you are getting a lot of the time. I need to know how heavy a fabric is, does it have any give or stretch, what does it feel like against my skin, etc., plus so many places sell it in precut or yard only increments when my pattern may call for a quarter yard or a half yard. I also miss going through the remnant bins and finding treasures. I have done a lot of shopping at Joann over the years and it makes me sad to see them closing.

I am also not a big sewer but I have a friend who is. I have ordered stuff offline for craft stuff but if making clothing a challenge. What they do here in germany is they have fabric shows kinda like a convention and she goes there for her supplies. These are like a couple times a years but better than nothing.. I have found memories of handing out in the fabric sections of a department store with my grandma back in the day...

 

[QueenIsabella]

Yeah, that's weaponized helplessness. I always offer to teach those people how, and somehow the response is always feeble excuses accompanied by a plaintive, "It would be so much easier if you could just do it for me." Show me the money.

One thing is for sure: run for the hills the minute any of these people approach you asking for something and using the word "simple" -- it's guaranteed not to be.

It's all good. Your average performance/rehearsal would be thick with helicopter moms, fussing to be sure their little Snookie got her moment in the spotlight. As soon as they realized that Wardrobe would put them to work, they'd find an excuse to scurry off. It was (comparatively) quiet and peaceful in there. And we had the best snacks. By show weekend, it was mostly about repairs versus putting costumes together.

 

[bcla]

My aunt also did crafts even when she was pregnant with my cousins and when she needed craft supplies she would go to Joann's or Michael's and my aunt would buy anything she could to make crafts like ceramic banks and she would paint them and give them to my cousins teachers and wreaths for her house's door. Why I also think Joann Fabrics is going broke is because I think they opened too many stores in the cities that could've been popular. But when you are looking at it from a different vision there really isn't any other craft store chains besides Michael's and Hobby Lobby but I think a store will buy the Joann name and sell it to a store like Walmart and Target

They’re not going out of business. At least not yet. But their footprint is shrinking substantially.

But yeah I’ve seen otherwise defunct retail brands being used as you noted. Toys R Us has been licensed to Macy’s. And the Gymboree kids clothing brand is now a sub-brand for A Children's Place.

 

[cabanafrau]

The list I saw of Michigan locations closing seemed to all be in the larger cities, with the locations remaining open as of this point being in more remote and rural areas. I know my daughter said the one in her college town was the best location and is slated to remain open. I'm guessing those might be the more fully-fleshed out selections since they're likely the only game in town unless the local Walmarts in those areas also have beefed up departments.

 

[Mouse Tracker]

Joann isn’t closing because they are scared of the competition. It is all about profitability.

Horrible experience shopping online early December. Ordered something "at a great price", waited a week for "confirmation", finally got a reply after numerous attempts with CS, it was cancelled- without giving me notice - "no longer available" yet was still advertised on website.

Poor communication, I felt like they didn't want to honor the price and just cancelled it. Never again.

 

[bcla]

The list I saw of Michigan locations closing seemed to all be in the larger cities, with the locations remaining open as of this point being in more remote and rural areas. I know my daughter said the one in her college town was the best location and is slated to remain open. I'm guessing those might be the more fully-fleshed out selections since they're likely the only game in town unless the local Walmarts in those areas also have beefed up departments.

I'm guessing that a lot of that has to do with real estate costs and possibly that removing stores will shift to more online retail. It's still a strong brand regardless of how people think about their store experiences.

I noted that all but one of 13 stores in the San Francisco Bay Area is slated to close. The remaining one is in a remote part of San Jose. and the footprint seems to be about half the area as my closest one (that's on the closure list). I'm just guessing that some of this is a trial run to see if one store in a region becomes a destination. If not they might just close whatever is left and shift to just online sales.

I'm certainly not in their target demographic (women who regularly sew/knit), but for they were convenient if I ever needed to repair clothing (even with my atrocious sewing skills) or buy glue. I've bought buttons, patches, needles, and thread, as well as art supplies for my kid. They tried to diversify by stocking items like children's toys.

 

[sarahann77]

I was happy to see our local one will remain. Michaels has always been in the same complex but they don't have any fabrics. Hobby Lobby opened up in the recent years. I haven't been inside to know if they have fabric. We haven't been frequent customers of Joann Fabrics for a long time unless there was a special project. The last major project we tried them first but they didn't have what we were wanting for making a coat. We had to order from an online company. I think we have one small fabric store but Joann's was the main one. The local Walmart removed fabrics a long time ago. One across town still does though. I was surprised to see the section still. I just might have to go in and buy something on a regular basis from Joann's now.

 

[disneyseniors]

Yeah, that's weaponized helplessness. I always offer to teach those people how, and somehow the response is always feeble excuses accompanied by a plaintive, "It would be so much easier if you could just do it for me." Show me the money.

One thing is for sure: run for the hills the minute any of these people approach you asking for something and using the word "simple" -- it's guaranteed not to be.

I think a lot of the reason that there aren't that many modern sewers is that it is not being taught in school anymore, at least not on the ciriculum (sp). We had to take home ec in high school, and had the option of taking advanced courses every year after 9th grade. We learned how to bake, how to balance a checkbook , and how to sew. We even had a fashion show at the end of the year and we had to make a straight skirt and a blouse with buttons and a collar and puff sleeves! I wish they would make it mandatory in schools again.

 

[disneyseniors]

the primary fabric store I recall growing up in the bay area was hancock's fabrics-seemed they were everywhere.



I think this is in part why we still have so many dedicated fabric stores here. outlying Mennonite communities, a good number of homesteaders that operate handmade item buisnesses as well (we went to a homestead conference this past summer and the wealth of handmade sewn/knitted/crocheted products was amazing-and stunning, they sold like crazy). quilting is also very popular to the extent that in the last few years it seems like we've started growing some kind of quilting retreat economy. I routinely see these getaways being promoted at some of the more rustic local lodgings.

We have a large Mennonite population in our town, and you are right. I have seen them buying fabrics and patterns in Hobby Lobby. BTW, I can't believe the price of patterns!!!! I haven't bought patterns for a long time, so it was sticker shock!

 

[BayouQueen]

So will notions. Unless you want black, white, yellow or pink, good luck finding a zipper without paying full retail plus some ridiculous shipping price. And you'll have to wait until USPS decides to actually get it to your door.

This is a real problem. You can't tell the color of things when shopping online. If you need a certain color of zipper or thread or button, you have to see it in person.
When I was a kid, there was a standalone "notions" shop in town. You could find amazing trims and buttons and other clothing adornments. It was a sad day when they closed. The closing of Joann is doubly awful

 

[barkley]

We have a large Mennonite population in our town, and you are right. I have seen them buying fabrics and patterns in Hobby Lobby. BTW, I can't believe the price of patterns!!!! I haven't bought patterns for a long time, so it was sticker shock!

the women at the fabric stores and the men at any sale that involves older office equipment or supplies. the local university has an off-site building that they use for storage and when they do periodic clear out sales that parking lot is filled with the men buying the oldest office stuff esp. old school metal filing cabinets. they were in hog heaven when an ancient local bank of america closed and they cleared out the building-they bought all the old manual adding machines and blank accounting ledgers they could get their hands on.

 

[QueenIsabella]

We have a large Mennonite population in our town, and you are right. I have seen them buying fabrics and patterns in Hobby Lobby. BTW, I can't believe the price of patterns!!!! I haven't bought patterns for a long time, so it was sticker shock!

Patterns have always been pricey, but JoAnne's used to put them on sale for $1 periodically (one brand at a time). Or 5/$5, that kind of thing. I would stock up on, say, Disney princesses or Halloween costumes or whatever during the sales. My kids liked picking out a pattern, then picking their own fabric. So, our "Snow Queen"--made before "Frozen" came out--doesn't look like Elsa exactly, but was very impressive--white crushed velveteen with an insert (shimmery blue over white satin), and 8 yards of white feather boa trim that I had to sew on by hand.

These days, I have a pattern for an organizer that goes on the front of a walker. How times have changed!

 

[barkley]

there's a funky little thrift store in a very small town we occasionally vacation in. I love going there and just wandering around because I think everybody in the remote outlying areas donates when they clear a late family member's home-there are always a wealth of old patterns to look through. talk about a walk down memory lane-loads of the old 'holly hobby' little girl's dresses

 

[Mirabell Rose]

I sew a lot. At Joann’s at least three to four times a month. When I checkout, the vast majority are buying fabric, sewing supplies, and yarn. That’s all they used to be. Now at least half the store is different types of crafts. Those are much easier to buy online. I wonder where they are losing money the most, sewing and yarns or crafts.

I’m in an urban area and neither of our stores are on the list to close. However, as the manager told me today, unless they get a buyer for the smaller set of stores they don’t have on the list to close, they will have to totally liquidate and all the stores -even those not on the list - will close. I hope they find a buyer.

 

[RangerPooh]

Haven’t shopped at JoAnn’s regularly in a decade. Their sales were better than Hobby Lobby but it’s a much longer drive for me. The ones near where we use to live are slated to close. The store closest to us these days is also closing.

Walmarts craft selection is a joke. With their remodel I don’t know if they even have fabric. They haven’t appreciated me cutting my own fabric when their employees are not capable of assisting. Hobby Lovby was grumpy too when I corrected their staff member about properly measuring and cutting fabric.

I worked for Beverly’s Fabric 20+ years ago. I appreciate fabric and craft stores, especially those who serve smaller communities. Having lived in many small or rural communities it’s sad to see these stores close. As others have said, Ben Franklin Crafts and Hancock Fabrics have also closed. Michaels does not entirely fill the void, nor does Hobby Lobby. Especially being closed Sunday or their religious stance that not all customers choose to support.

 

[hardcorestitch]

One less place. One less place for crafts. Thanks a lot Amazon.

 

[MillauFr]

One less place. One less place for crafts. Thanks a lot Amazon.

Shouldn't you thank the people who don't want to spend money on gas to drive to a store?

 

[jdb in AZ]

Joann's has decided to close all their stores. RIP

https://www.msn.com/en-us/money/com...r&cvid=f8051b55cf9c45c8ab6801408fb0066e&ei=22