The (male) store manager of the Dade City, Florida WalMart said he begged and pleaded to keep the fabric department there. He said he and his wife would both buy bolts of fabric to support their hobby.
The best his pleadings did was to get a stay-of-execution. The fabric department was closed in January 2010.
Anyway, that's what he told me when I wanted to speak to a manager about why the fabric department was taken away.
I also called 1-800-WALMART about four times to register my dismay.