Joann Fabric Closing - How Will it Affect You and Yours

[y_p_w]

No impact.

All of my daughters can knit, they can actually dye yarn too. None of them took to sewing.

They sold a lot of yarn and knitting/crochet supplies.

This was probably a showcase store. Not sure where, but it’s definitely a photo from corporate. I don’t think they typically allow customers to take photos from ladders.

This was more a typical display.

 

[BHopkins]

Making things from fabrics was a generation back in my family

My wife has mentioned to me that she has noticed this to be the case in a lot of families. Our daughter loves to sew, and is often working on a project. And she has a few friends that also sew. But I think fewer people sew any more, and that surely has to be at least a factor in Joann choosing to close up.

 

[y_p_w]

My wife has mentioned to me that she has noticed this to be the case in a lot of families. Our daughter loves to sew, and is often working on a project. And she has a few friends that also sew. But I think fewer people sew any more, and that surely has to be at least a factor in Joann choosing to close up.

They’ve tried to branch out. Their crafts supplies might take up about as much area as sewing.

As a guy who didn’t do much sewing (replacing/fixing a button is the extent of my sewing skills), they had other stuff. A halfway decent selection of art supplies, which came in handy for my kid’s art classes. One aisle was just Crayola. Craft supplies of course. They had toys, although fairly limited. And any number of random things like scissors, adhesives, etc. where the location of my closest store was better than Home Depot or Lowe’s. If all I needed was some Shoe Goo, a single item (30-50% off) coupon could come in handy.

 

[rijndael]

They sold a lot of yarn and knitting/crochet supplies.

Yea, but they're yarn snobs.

The kind of yarn they use would run $250 (in a sweater quantity) if they were to buy it. Instead they buy that base, blank, and dye it. They're using the HPL equivalent of yarn. They're next level on this stuff. I have a 6' tall food warmer in the basement, to support a massive dye operation.

On the plus side, whenever they see something they love, they just go dye and make it.

 

[Reggaemon]

Every store closing, regardless of type, affects all of us.

 

[nwjones18]

I've purchased headliner material from them, for a couple of cars. Other than that, I've never been in one.

Same here

 

[eljefino]

Wife is a recipient of "old lady yarn." The kind that's bought on "a major sale" (aren't they all?) then hoarded for 40 years and finally passed down. She doesn't need more, she has a stash that puts my oil to shame.

Joann's should do an inventory blowout like Advanced Auto did two months ago. Absolute no-nonsense liquidation.

 

[Snagglefoot]

Wife is a recipient of "old lady yarn." The kind that's bought on "a major sale" (aren't they all?) then hoarded for 40 years and finally passed down. She doesn't need more, she has a stash that puts my oil to shame.

Joann's should do an inventory blowout like Advanced Auto did two months ago. Absolute no-nonsense liquidation.

Beaver Lumber in Canada had a going out of business liquidation around 1988. I had just purchased a “fixer upper” house so I filled up a shopping cart load of nails, fixtures etc. This was a time when China had not yet gotten big in exporting to North America and also they still had individual price tags. I still have a box with some of the left over stuff. The regular price of every item I purchased back then is cheaper today than it was in 1988 due to Chinese imports.

 

[PF52]

This was a time when China had not yet gotten big in exporting to North America and also they still had individual price tags. I still have a box with some of the left over stuff. The regular price of every item I purchased back then is cheaper today than it was in 1988 due to Chinese imports.

+2

I've told the story here before, about the time I needed to buy an iron (the kind you use to iron clothes with). I don't know anything about ironing, so I just wandered into Walmart and checked out the appliance section and saw about a half-dozen different models. I was amazed prices started at just $9. I remember thinking, they probably didn't even cost that little fifty years ago.

 

[hank2]

With Joann Fabric closing, there is only one of what had been, three similar chain brands left in my county. Michaels, which actually has two local stores. They seem to be mostly overpriced low end crafting materials.

My wife had been an active knitter and crocheter for many years. Until she couldn't do it any longer. As a result, I occasionally got drug into yarn stores. There also had been three independent yarn stores within 10 miles of our home. A couple of them had very active knitting classes at night and all sorts of meet ups. Each one failed after a few years. There must have been some huge yarn thing going on about 5-20 years ago. I'm sure that it's still popular. Although a lot of yarns can get pretty pricey, I can't imagine how much of it you would have to move to make lease, energy and payroll.

I'd also agree that sewing and the making of your own clothes must have faded quite a lot. My mother and many of my friend's mothers did a good bit of that. Some amazing quality of work as well. Those folks would all be well over 100 if they were still around.

 

[ripcord]

For me, Joanne Fabrics is a place of lamentation and woe... A house of angst and dispare, lol. My mother used to drag us kids there and expect us to stand there quietly for eons as she looked at fabric and patterns and chatted with strange women about "women stuff." And heaven help the poor child who acted like one. The worst part was she never even sewed!!

Joanne Fabrics is already the 3rd level of Hades as far my childhood trauma is concerned so good riddance!

 

[Dave Hess]

With Joann Fabric closing, there is only one of what had been, three similar chain brands left in my county. Michaels, which actually has two local stores. They seem to be mostly overpriced low end crafting materials.

My wife had been an active knitter and crocheter for many years. Until she couldn't do it any longer. As a result, I occasionally got drug into yarn stores. There also had been three independent yarn stores within 10 miles of our home. A couple of them had very active knitting classes at night and all sorts of meet ups. Each one failed after a few years. There must have been some huge yarn thing going on about 5-20 years ago. I'm sure that it's still popular. Although a lot of yarns can get pretty pricey, I can't imagine how much of it you would have to move to make lease, energy and payroll.

I'd also agree that sewing and the making of your own clothes must have faded quite a lot. My mother and many of my friend's mothers did a good bit of that. Some amazing quality of work as well. Those folks would all be well over 100 if they were still around.

Yep. My mom was a seamstress and made clothes, even wedding dresses.

 

[97prizm]

My wife just shared an article with me, where the owners of Joann Fabric and Crafts is closing all their stores in the U.S.

My wife makes a few blankets each year, and by far, Joann is her go-to source for her fabrics and sewing supplies. There are three other nearby stores that sell fabrics, a Hobby Lobby and two independent fabric stores. But none of these have the selection, that always drew my wife to the Joann store. I think another thing that attracted my wife to Joann for her fabrics, was she could almost always find a sale or coupon, saving her money.

I'm sure my wife will adapt, and start shopping at one of the other fabric stores. But for now, having all Joann stores close, seems like a hard thing for many in our area.

Do any of you have anyone in your household, that will be impacted by the closing of all Joann stores?

I saw the article but couldn't remember the reason for closing. Is crocheting and knitting not as popular as it once was? I am starting to see younger women knit again now, maybe it's making a comeback? Wasn't JoAnn Fabric mostly just that? Hobby Lobby used to have a large rocketry section, a whole shelf now just a small segment. They have other items as well.

 

[Lubener]

I hate to see a long standing store fold up. I wasn't a frequent customer but they came in handy when I needed some remnant material to fix a chair.

 

[99Saturn]

Disappointing as my wife likes to go for fabric quarters (usually on a holiday sale). Checked online, doesn't look like it is back up the truck prices yes.

I can't say I'm surprised though.

 

[BHopkins]

I saw the article but couldn't remember the reason for closing. Is crocheting and knitting not as popular as it once was? I am starting to see younger women knit again now, maybe it's making a comeback? Wasn't JoAnn Fabric mostly just that? Hobby Lobby used to have a large rocketry section, a whole shelf now just a small segment. They have other items as well.

I can't say specifically why JoAnn has chosen to close, but they are coming out of their second bankruptcy. So I suspect the current owners don't think the company has a financially viable future.

JoAnn and Hobby Lobby are somewhat the inverse of each other. Every JoAnn that I have been in is primarily a fabric store, with fabric, yarn and related sewing items taking up perhaps 2/3 of the store, and the rest of the store being other craft items. Hobby Lobby is more of a craft store, and among the craft sections is fabric, yarn and related sewing items. The fabric section is typically not much more than 1/10 of their floor space.

 

[y_p_w]

I can't say specifically why JoAnn has chosen to close, but they are coming out of their second bankruptcy. So I suspect the current owners don't think the company has a financially viable future.

JoAnn and Hobby Lobby are somewhat the inverse of each other. Every JoAnn that I have been in is primarily a fabric store, with fabric, yarn and related sewing items taking up perhaps 2/3 of the store, and the rest of the store being other craft items. Hobby Lobby is more of a craft store, and among the craft sections is fabric, yarn and related sewing items. The fabric section is typically not much more than 1/10 of their floor space.

It's a combination of things, including competition from online sellers where people can price shop easily. I think a lot of American retailers are going to be looking at inflationary pressures too.

 

[PandaBear]

My daughters go there to buy fabrics for crafts often, probably not enough to keep the store open but I guess she have to go to Walmart or Michael's now.

 

[benjamming]

Yea, but they're yarn snobs.

The kind of yarn they use would run $250 (in a sweater quantity) if they were to buy it. Instead they buy that base, blank, and dye it. They're using the HPL equivalent of yarn. They're next level on this stuff. I have a 6' tall food warmer in the basement, to support a massive dye operation.

On the plus side, whenever they see something they love, they just go dye and make it.

What brand yarn do they use?

 

[rijndael]

What brand yarn do they use?

https://www.wool2dye4.com/

I just got a 14# box from them today.