I have a Joanns and a Hancocks right down the street where I work. I have only been quilting/shopping these for just a few months so I can't really say if prices have gone up.
My Joanns gripes:
They keep moving stuff around. The batiks, muslin, and homespuns have had about 3 different racks since I've started shopping there. They also don't always mark things on-sale. I don't bring my flyer so I don't always know what's on-sale. I had waited to get a certain cut of fabric I wanted with the 40% off. They told me after it was cut that it was already on-sale, 25% off. So I paid more for it than I wanted. There is also another Joanns across town that I go to once in a while. They carry the 'off-brand' sewing machine feet. The one by work, doesn't. They have a Viking dealer and when I asked for a low shank foot for a Brother, she says that they don't carry those to fit a Brother. I would think that each store would have the same. So I have to make a trip to the one on the other side of town. Also, when both Hancocks and Joanns has 50% off notions, Hancock includes the sewing feet and thread, Joanns doesn't.

I noticed some white fabric I have been buying went up 2.00. I am going to start checking the quilt stores. The fabrics have less space and are stacked so high its like going in a tunnel...creepy to me. They don't have the batting they used to have. They buy a big roll and don't get in another till one is gone. I can go on and on.....just not happy after the remodel :?

Hi all,

Joanns is basically the only game in town where I live. THe prices are going up but they suffer from the same rise in transportation costs as every other business. THey have gotten in a selection of better quality quilting material. I am a hand quilter so I tend to shop by feel as much as color or pattern. I figure I will be touching the fabric up close and personal for a long time. THe two Walmarts nearest to me have both gotten rid of their fabric departments.
I used to work for a Bernina dealer who was inside of our local JoAnns. They gave us the same discount as they did their JoAnn's employees. 15%. What was really nice is that they gave it to us on even the clearance items. I once paid 50 cents for a candy making kit that retailed for $8.95. THat part was nice. The employees restroom was in the storage area. It was always piled to the ceiling with boxes of merchandise from China. I can only imagine how much the stuff cost to produce if they could still sell it so cheaply here in this country. The rise in petroleum products is trickling down to everything including packaging. So many synthetic materials are also petroleum based, "fleece" . That same Bernina dealer, who now has a shop elsewhere told me that the rigid plastic tubes that embroidery stabilizers from OESD came in are going to be a thing of the past. I used one of those coupons at JoAnns this past week to purchase a plastic storage box. I think the price was several dollars more than when I purchased the exact same one a year ago. The coupon might have saved me the difference in the current price.

My JoAnn's "supersized" a couple of years ago and I hate it now!! The service is terrible both at the cutting tables and the checkout -- you stand in line at both places until you feel faint! They must not pay their employees very much as you rarely see the same people twice. If you ask for a specific item, they either send you on a wild goose chase or tell me they don't carry that item.

On the plus side, the store is huge and has lots of quilting fabric (even if I can't afford it), the store is clean and what employees they do have are mostly pleasant.

However, I now find most of my sewing needs either at my local quilt shop, WalMart or online.

About a 18 months ago they stopped doing that.I don't like it!!! It makes it harder to get good deals, especially when you need thread and they are only 10% off.

Did anyone else notice that their magazines were marked at 10% this week at the most opportune time for them to NOT have to sell them at 40% off!!??

And, I found out that a triangle ruler is NOT considered a cutting item!! I tried to used the 40% cutting item coupon for the ruler and it wouldn't work. The only stuff covered under the cutting items are actual scissors or rotary cutters! :shock:

I talked to the manager about it and the only stuff covered under "craft" that can be used for the craft coupons are the unpainted wood stuff, paint, projects that are pre-boxed. All scrapbooking stuff and even the beads and all the sewing stuff is NOT considered craft items! :x

I used my cutting item coupon for a set of the square rulers. I had wondered if they would let me but at the checkout the girl put it thru. Sorry to hear you couldn't.

My Joanns is great. The same employees since they opened and they are very helpful. Of course there is lots of competition here in Phx. Lots of quilting stores and Walmarts and other Joanns. So I have no complaints.

I did find those craft item coupons, right there with the flyer, three of them. I'd never seen them before. At least they don't force the scrapbooking down our throats here. It has the front 1/8 of the store on the right side. So I just don't start on the right, I head left! :D

Went to JoAnns today!
I only shop there if the items I need are on sale. Most of the time the coupons are worthless because what I need is on sale.
However, I did get some muslin for 40% off and I use that to test stitch my machine emb. designs.
I used the craft coupons for some jingle bells for Xmas door hangers.
I try and get all my large purchasing done when they have their holiday sale that is like 10-15% off your entire purchase and this includes sale items.
I also noted that depending on where you are the selection can be bigger.
Kirsten