Went to my neighborhood Joann's since they are closing. They are closing because they are opening a superstore. i do not like the idea because I am going to have to travel extra miles and not convenient anymore. They are putting it where the area is congested and not fun to go to. Has anyone been to a superstore and do u like it or is it to big?

About Walmart went looking through fabric dept. this storealways acarried a bunch. Asked the managet what is going on with their stock/ She said the fabric is leaving after Christmas because management does not see it as a profit maker. The reason is the $1 and $2 fabrics. Told her why carry that typs of fabric but not just stop carrying other types of fabric. She said she has told them the same. Another Walmart fabric dept. leaving :( :(

Soon all Walmarts will be emptied of fabrics. Its really sad....

I haven't been able to get anything at my walmart all summer they keep saying after inventory...........wish they would hurry

My walmart is just having a reset, no super store even though there are plenty of empty stores around ; even next door to it. At least there will be a good sale out of it :D

If WalMart chooses to dicontinue their fabrics, they will have me as a discontinued customer.

Our Wal-mart doesn't seem to be getting rid of their fabric, there is always new stuff when I go in. They did get rid of their cross stitch department which was very upsetting, but I'm hoping they continue with their fabric.

i heard that wal mart made a deal with martha stewart and that her stuff will replace the fabric department.

It's really surprising because some of the Walmart stores here have fabric and others have nothing. Go figure????

Another Walmart fabric department bites the dust. I live in Nebraska and so far the Walmarts near me have continued to have a fabric department. Now the one 40 miles from me is getting rid of theirs. The store 20 miles away still has fabric. Am hoping it will stay because there is only one other fabric store in town. Luckily it is a a nice quilt shop and they are helpful, too.

That's the way it is here...2 with, 2 without fabric. I went in one that still has fabric today (I hadn't been it there since we moved here) looking for a fabric I found at a WalMart in Houston. The fabric dept. at the one here was very small and disorganized. One of the ladies manning it quipped in a not very nice tone of voice, as she walked away from the cutting table where another employee was still working, "I'm going to go and try to do MY job for a while, if you need help, call somebody else for a change." The other lady looked a little stricken!! I felt a little sorry for both of them! I'm glad I went, because now I can mark it off my "places to look for fabric" list.

My closest Jo-Ann's is an hour away, and it is a Jo-Ann, Etc and I love it. They have a huge selection of fabric, including home dec. and lots of quilting cottons. They still have patterns at mine. All of the other sections of the store are much expanded from a regular Jo-Ann's. The scrapbooking and jewelry making sections are really nice. I think you will be happy with a Jo-Ann Etc near you.

Recently our Wal*marts here in Vancouver have been selling off all their fabric and should be finished with their fabric departments by October.... sigh. I use the flannel for the backing of baby quilts and it is within my pension budget. Oh well, I have enough for quite awhile so I will just have to be satisfied with the odd trip across the border to Joann's. I really wish I could order online from them, but they won't ship across the border.

bebe-When JoAnn's closed their stores in Visalia and Fresno and opened up a SuperStore, they do have a much much larger store, but not as much fabric as they used to. I used to find at least 1 fabric that I had to have, now it's practically a miracle if I find something I have to have. And I won't shop at Wal Mart.

Dear Bebe,
Oh wow. you are getting a double wammy.

I have been to a Joann's super store. I am handicaped. They do not provide the scooters that Walmart has. I saw the material part. There were a lot more choices, Very expensive fabrics. I had to really watch where I picked. I asked for a fleece and they cut the three yards that was a price of 75 dollars ! I told them I thought the fleece was the same as the other I had choses at 5.00/ yard, a sale - right beside the outragious priced bolt. They said no problem, took it back. I did not complain, I just said I could not buy the 75 dollar fleece.

Oh boy.. things to come. So sorry about your smaller Joanns and of course, we are all (?) feeling sad about Walmarts decision.

Ellen

Walmart

I don't think I am hording. I am buying one yard of this and that each visit. Wow ! I am stocking up and need one of you that organize to help!! Husband just rolls eyes !!!

Ellen

I live in the city and have a choice of 2 Joann ETC. One has a much better fabric section than the other (of course its the one farther from my home!! but close to work..oh for the 1 hr workday and 8 hr lunch!!) They seem to have tons of other craft stuff. The selection of fabric you might use for clothing seems to be smaller, there's lots of fleece, patterns, sewing machiines, classes home dec stuff. Sign up for their "preferred customer" list online..they occassionally send 40-50% off coupons :D :D makes that $75 worth of fleece not quite so bad.

Wally world still has fabric, but they say its going to go. I have a hard time getting any service there, although I do get fabric there once in a while. I hate going there due to traffic, and really, really, really crappy service (the last time I left melted ice cream on one of the many unattended checkout belts after 35 minutes in line.) There are never more than 5 of the 25 or more checkouts open.

I really miss the old Hancock Fabrics that used to be just down the street, the nearest one is about 90 miles away now. Many LQS, but pricey, still I go because the service and classes are great!! Online shops are great (I had an amazingly good experience with Aunt Bea's the other week), but I'm a touchy feely kind of fabric shopper 8) 8) Online shopping seems to take away some of the thrill!! What's a fabriholic to do????

The WalMarts near me close the fabric sections with no sales or markdowns at all. Currently, the store in town has taken the cutting tables and all fabric out, but left ribbon that is supposed to be sold by the yard. Notions and a few sewing machines will be staying, I guess.

There are 3 WalMarts near (within 10 miles) of where I live. The SuperStores have all shut down their fabrics. The one that is teeny-tiny is the only one that still carries material.

Go figure!

WHY WOULD WALMART HAVE MARTHA STEWART FABRIC, SHE PRACTICALLY OWNS K MART??

When I lived in Massachusetts, there was a Super JoAnn's about 12 minutes away from my house. Now I live in Oklahoma and the nearest one is in Tulsa 128 miles!! I really missed it for sometime until I got used to the fact that we have several quilt shops pretty close by.

Anne

i enjoy joanns ETC a lot - they have great selection of fabric, interfacing, notions, quilting tools, but a little lacking on the 100% cotton thread! The coupons are great, especially when you are looking to get a big ruler or cutting mat or need yards of fusible fleece! I have shopped at both a regular joanns and the ETC and I have to say that the employees sewing knowledge at the regular Joanns is more extensive then at an ETC, but I have learned whom to go to at ETC when i need some real questions answered!

I agree and I do not shop in my local wal mart anymore since they got rid of fabric. I told the store manager that over a year ago and I have not been back, and I won't shop there ever again. Maybe my loss is meaningless but if we all stopped shopping there, it would make a differance.

I used to love Joanne Etc, sadly none near where I am now. Just walking in that store would stir creative urges.

The JoAnns Superstores have much more fabric than the smaller ones. I worked in the Viking Store in a superstore. Was it ever hard to walk by all that fabric on the way to my part of the store. I think you would like it.

Yes, we have a super store near my mom's. We go there to use coupons. It is super big and super overpriced.

Their fabric is substandard and so is the service. They don't even keep an employee in the fabric department. Their cutting table just has a sign on it saying bring your fabric up front for cutting.

And, of course, the lines are awful.

It's only worth going in there when you've got half off coupons or big sale events. Otherwise, I go to a quilt store and pay for quality items and get better service.

I live 48 miles NE of San Francisco where JoAnn's closed 2 stores, each on the opposite sides of town, and put in a Superstore almost between them. I love the superstore. It went into a vacant large retail space. The only problem it brought to the location is not enough parking. The Walmart stores here have greatly downsized their choices of fabrics and craft selection. I live closer to the Joann's than the Walmart so I go to the quilt stores and Joann's.

Hi, Bebe!

We have a Walmart superstore near where I live and they are currently undergoing a remodel...don't know if there will be a fabric/crafts department when finished, but we can hope. We used to have a Jo-Ann's until Walmart came to town...I still miss it.

I have been to both the regular and super JoAnn's. The super is quite a bit bigger and sells many items not sewing related. Each category of items are housed in different sections so they aren't all mixed together. I had no trouble finding the fabric section, which was laid out with lots of space. The regular store is so cramped for space this was a refreshing change.

My local Walmart still sells fabric. I have noticed over the last 9 months or so that the quality of a lot of the merchandise in the store (not just fabric) has gone way down. I like low prices but not low quality.
Since the fabric/craft dept. takes at least 2 employees and usually 3 to keep it running that is more than other depts. require. They are all about profit and 1 cent means a lot to them when purchasing from companies. Having more employees there and making less profit than other depts. has caused them to get rid of the fabrics. I told them I never buy the $1/yd fabric as it is of "unknown origin" I have no problem spending $5/yd and if they get better quality and raise the price some sewers will
still come. They've allowed some stores to still sell it but ultimetly it will be gone from all of them. Enjoy it while you can (if you still can)

Bebe - which WalMart? The one on Fy78j near Randolph AFB doesn't think they are going to close the fabrics - but, who knows for sure.

Both the Bitters and Perrin Beitel Joanns are closing. I went to a Joanns superstore in Ft. Worth and loved it.

We sure know how you feel here in Medicine Hat, AB Canada. We are also losing our Walmart to a superstore and that leaves Fabricland. They have poor quality quilting cottons, and poor customer service. I hope walmart will keep their notions at least.

Went to a nearby Walmart today and decided to check out fabric department. Wow all the fabric was gone. The lady said 2 weeks ago it went on sale 50% off and now all gone. The department looked sad :( :cry: Another fabric depaertment bites the dust :thumbdown: :| :shock:

Some of the Wal Marts that took out the fabric dept. are bringing it back, but the store has limited the area to use. Made everything in that dept smaller. Instead of a large cutting table it is very small. Looks like who ever designed it doesn't know much about fabric. They need to visit a few other fabric shops and see how they are designed. It was most likely a man who doesn't know anything about sewing who decided the area. They made everything in all dept's smaller to fit more into the stores.

The only choice I have is a super store (second largest in the nation) and not my favorate. Bigger is not better...more customers, more lines, less employees...Been there done that, worked there....I avoid them at all costs. Our new Hobby Lobby is opening next week, I am so excited it will be like a breath of fresh air at Disneyland.....

My Super Walmart lost fabric for over a year, and it was a good size department, how ever we did get it back several months ago, smaller yes but just to be ablt to buy a spool of thread or buttons or holiday fabric....something is better than nothing !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

The one closest to me now has pre-cut fabrics as well. I don't mind it as much as I did when they had the bolts of cloth. They even have batting again which is great. My stash is too big right now for me to buy anything but I will.
You are so right about the fabric stores forcing you to stand in line for 15 minutes to get the fabric cut and then another 10 to get thru the checkout. I don't know what is wrong with the GM at JoAnn's and Hancock's but they obviously don't buy fabric from their own stores to see how painful it is.

i adore joanns, over the years they have gotten plenty of my husbands money..but i think the superstores are over kill.
even walmart cant compete.
katz

It is not uncommon at my Joann to have to wait an hour to get your fabric cut....and another 30 minutes to check out....not that busy busy, just very few very slow employees....I avoid at all costs

Our Superstore sucks. There is so much in there except fabrics. They run it like a farm where the cows have to go a certain way to check out and never have enough checkers. They never have enough people cutting fabric so everyone is standing around holding a number while the cutters are talking and not caring about anyone. If there was some where else to shop, I would. I do, I shop at quilt shops and online. That is what happens when the have the biggest share of the market, they can do what they want. Having said all that sometimes I can find what I am looking for that I hadn't found elsewhere so it is a catch 22. :D

the joanns here is set up wonderfully.

you take a number for the fabric and you go shopping around the store and they announce over the speaker system when your number is up and please come to the cutting section - no one stands in a line so who cares if it takes 15 minutes.

i do many other arts aside from quilting so i like that joanns carries everything in one location - it makes my shopping that much easier.

Our Walmart never lost fabric, just downsized the dept about three quarters the size it had been. Still have a cutting table and staff to cut fabric. I spoke to the woman there, and they are suppose to be enlarging the dept, and adding in fabrics. I only see childrens fabric (same as when dept downsized) Some new childrens. They have brought in some really nice fat quarters, which they had at the time for 97 cents.
Last time I was there, there was a bunch of fabric on a table marked 3-5 dollars, but, no cotton

I think all the Joanns in Phx are super stores. I have been to four of them.
Most of my purchases are notions that I use coupons for.
Fats when on sale for 99 cents.
Books with coupons.
Take a piece of quilt shop quality fabric to a Joanns and try to find a matching fabric for it. A real eye opener.
The colors are not as rich and look so awful next to a good fabric. Now they think they can charge as much as a quilt shop for fabric. They are not fooling me.
Walmart just put back its fabric but the area is so small it is not going to work. It is only three very short isles and the fabric is as ugly as the precuts and less choice.
I now shop online mostly and get good fabric at good prices.