Here are the comments that I just sent to Walmart:
It is my understanding that Walmart is planning on closing the fabric departments in all or most of their stores over a period of time. I sincerely hope that this is not true. Many of us in rural, outlying areas depend on Walmart for all of our fabric and sewing needs. Not only does Walmart carry a good selection, the quality has continued to improve. I purchased fabric, patterns, notions, other quilting and sewing supplies, as well as yarn on a regular basis from Walmart. Not only for my personal sewing and quilting, but also for charity quilts that I make.

If the fabric section of my Walmart store closes, I will have to travel about 60 miles to get to the next closest fabric store. In addition, when I come in for fabric I always buy other merchandise as well. When I no longer have the draw of the fabric section to draw me in to the store and I am traveling to a large city for my fabric, the other purchases will end up being made elsewhere as well.

The impacts of the alleged closures, due to lack of access to decent quality/affordable fabrics and related supplies, are: 1)personal - I won't be able to sew as much or as often; 2)community - I won't be making as many charity quilts; and my overall shopping at Walmart will significantly decrease.

If it is due to lack of robust sales in this department, it may be that there hasn't been targeted marketing...Walmart, in our area, doesn't do any advertising for fabric, and certainly has not tooted it's own horn about the improving quality of fabrics and sewing supplies.

Please, if this is the direction that Walmart is planning to take, rethink this decision. Do some outreach to local sewing/quilting guilds and find a way to continue to serve those of us in otherwise underserved areas.

Thank you.

Excellent letter Heidi!!! Thanks so much! Hopefully if they hear from enough of us, it will make them rethink their decision. I am the same way. Many times I would drive past other grocery stores to go to WalMart solely because of their fabric department. Without that, I have little reason to go to WalMart. I've found that I can many times do better shopping the sales at other grocery stores, plus I like giving them the support. Thanks again for writing!

With possible lawsuits in the future for WM over selling 'counterfeit' fabric, I don't think this will help your case any.

I used to email them each and every week voicing my complaints about their plan to remove the fabric department. They really don't care what their customers want. Someone somewhere with some letters behind their name came up with a hairbrained scheme and they went with it. They've invested so much money in doing away with what customers want that they are finally starting to realize through nosediving sales figures that what they actually did away with are their customers.

The only way I can imagine that they would change their minds is if you all boycotted them and they lost enough money. Other than that I can't see them changing their minds, but wish you good luck. It will all depend on their profit or lack of...

Try writing to Oprah!

I have been told that the reason Wal Mart is facing out the fabric dept. is because the cost of fabric has gone up and will increase again. They cannot afford to sell their fabric at low prices as before.

Wal-Mart began phasing out fabric way before prices started increasing.

You should write letters to Oprah, that is a great idea. I am not a fan of hers, but she does get things done.

I was at a wal-mart that had pre-cut yardages of fabric. They also had quilt kits and panels, fat quarters and jellyrolls etc. They weren't on the bolt but they still had fabric. I think they are trying to cut out the need to have a person in the fabric section.

I've seen some of JoAnn's fabric for as much as $12 a yard!
:shock: If you've noticed that the prices for many things they sell are more expensive than other stores. When things go on sale, they are now at what everyone else sells for the regular price. :thumbdown: