Fabric giant Joann is closing down. What happens to those who relied on the retailer?
NPRFabric giant Joann is closing down. "At the time, we were testing and rolling out, sort of, super stores — meaning 30- to 40,000 square foot fabric stores," said Mike Edwards, a former Vice President at Joann in the early 2000s. The specialty retail chain wasn't able to stay at the top of the fabric industry, however, as it began to lose market share to online retailers and struggled with intense competition from brick-and-mortar retailers like Hobby Lobby and Michaels. Allison Lince Bentley, a sewing instructor in Brentwood, Md., also said it's hard to shop for fabric online. "A lot of online retailers have gotten a lot savvier about how to communicate fabrics, showing videos of things, showing people stretching the fabric or moving the fabric … so that you can see it more clearly online," Bentley said.
History of this topic
Fabric and crafts retailer Joann closing all stores
Salon
Craft retailer to close all 800 stores after 80 years
The Independent
Joann, fabrics retailer, to go out of business and close all of its stores
CNN
Fabric And Craft Retailer Joann To Go Out Of Business, Close All Of Its Stores
Huff Post
Fabric and craft retailer Joann to go out of business and close all of its stores
Associated Press
Joann fabrics closing more than 500 stores in 49 states — see the full list of locations
The Independent
Joann plans to close roughly half its stores after bankruptcy filing
LA Times
Joann moves to close 500 of its stores across the US amid bankruptcy
Associated Press
Hugely popular craft store chain will shut 500 of its 800 shops amid bankruptcy
Daily Mail
Craft supplies retailer Joann declares bankruptcy for the second time in a year
LA Times
Joann files for bankruptcy — again
CNN
Crafts retailer Joann files for Chapter 11 bankruptcy as consumers cut back on pandemic-era hobbies
Associated Press
The arts and crafts giant Joann files for bankruptcy, but stores will remain open
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