Demise of Jo-Ann Fabrics

[jruley]

Announced yesterday that US chain Jo-Ann Fabrics is closing all remaining stores and going out of business after declaring bankruptcy for the second time:

https://www.newsweek.com/joann-fabrics-closing-all-stores-timeline-what-know-2035602

While their materials were by no means top of the line they were perfectly adequate for things like toiles, pajamas, jeans, and casual clothing.  Plus it was nice to actually feel the stuff before committing to buying it.

This leaves many medium sized US cities without a brick and mortar fabric store.

[stoo23]

While their materials were by no means top of the line they were perfectly adequate for things like toiles, pajamas, jeans, and casual clothing.  Plus it was nice to actually feel the stuff before committing to buying it.

That statement reminds me of that wonderful old Brittish Sitcomm about two tailors in business together.
Manny Cohen, played by John Bluthal, was Jewish, and Patrick Kelly, played by Joe Lynch, was an Irish Catholic.
Above their shop worked Lewtas (Bernard Spear), who was also Jewish and imported cloth.

It was called;
"Never Mind the Quality, Feel the Width",..     

[spookietoo]

I live in one of those cities with no clothing fabric stores and frankly, it's no great loss.

The original JAs store opened in my city in 1973, when our first mall opened. That mall quickly became the most profitable Mall in the Southeastern US, having the highest sales per square foot in our region, outselling Malls in Atlanta and Miami. This is probably why JAs survived here. Enormous built-in foot traffic. Back then it sold almost exclusively 100% polyester at wildly inflated pricing.

Upon reading various forums over the last 15 years, it sounded as if those with other choices for fabrics could find decent fabric choices at their JAs. Their only other competition in our area closed up 15 years ago. I truly believe they've exclusively stocked virtually nothing but deadstock in our stores since then. Quality is much worse than Walmart and often, making a garment with poor quality fabrics would cost twice the price of something purchased RTW from Walmart, with horribly bad, stretchy -goo, poly or poly/rayon jersey knit being $12.99 to $14.99/ yd.

They've also practiced atrocious business principles over the years. I'll not go into much detail. But my favorite was about 10 years ago, when I wanted to make trousers and I had located a fabric that would work. They were famous for their 40% off coupons and I received one in the mail. Those coupons could only be used on regular priced merchandise. My fabric was not on sale - no signage. Had it cut, took it to the register, gave them my coupon and was only given a 25% discount "because we are having a secret sale and ALL fabrics are discounted 25% off so you can't use the coupon!" Having been well educated on consumer fraud, I calculated my 40% discount plus tax and laid exact cash on the counter with this, "I am leaving with my purchase at 40% off. If you have a problem with that, PLEASE call the police and have me arrested. I will file a $1.5 million lawsuit for fraud and false arrest. PLEASE call the police - I NEED that money!"

Of course they did not call, they've also almost always had dreadful customer service!😡

I've spent no more than $100 there over the last decade.

Joanns Fabrics? Good riddance.

Hopefully, someone else will come along.

[DrLang]

I walked into one of their close out stores a week ago. Everything was only 20% off, making it more expensive than the one store in the county that is not closing, and it was absolutely packed with people. I thought I might grab some sewing machine needles while it was convenient, but I couldn't justify waiting in line for half an hour to pay as much as I would on Wawak to buy just 5 needles with shipping included.

[Hendrick]

Sounds dreadful... Over here in EU, some wholesalers are doing quite well selling quantities starting from 12 meters. One of the best is Fabric House from Munich, mainly selling stocks an runouts from good Italian mills. There is also Nona Source, offering leftovers from French design houses, it is owned by LVMH (yes, from Vuitton...) so great quality. There are quite a few wholesalers from the Netherlands with web shops, like Quality Fabrics, Politex and Nooteboom that are more specialised in basics, jerseys and the like. Many of their fabrics are Gots certified and child safe and used by home sewists and small ateliers (or, in my case, for quick prototypes...). In Prato, Italy, there are a few cash and carry wholesalers where you can select and pick up or make a selection and have goods shipped. They offer any kind of Italian fabric with no minimum quantity required. Many British mills, like Dugdale, Abraham Moon and the like still ship suitlengths with no problem, I visited some at recent fabric fairs and did some selections.

Cheerio, Hendrick