Is Joann Fabrics going out of business? Popular craft supply retailer Jo-Ann Fabric is remaining in business. According to predictions, the year 2023 will also bring about the closure of eight stores around the country. The action takes place at the same time as similar cuts at other businesses, such as Kohl’s and Big Lots, as well as at Bed, Bath, and Beyond.
JoAnn was reportedly closing eight of its 842 stores around the US, including two in West Virginia and New Hampshire, starting on January 22. Asel Art Supply and Fabric.com, two other arts and crafts shops recently closed their doors, are contributing factors.
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Are Joann Fabric stores closing?
A crafter’s paradise, JoAnn Fabrics, is now officially known as JOANN. This well-known retail business offers anything from yarn and thread to beads and sewing designs. As a result, it turns into a one-stop shop for any new project. We could be shocked that JOANN will soon close several sites if we frequently rely on our neighborhood store for goods.
However, the situation persists because fewer people are visiting arts and crafts stores. Retailers experienced an increase in sales and foot traffic in 2020 and 2021, when the COVID-19 epidemic was at its worst. People were becoming more creative at the time and spending more time at home. But now, it seems things have “returned to normal,” and the foot traffic has returned.
Shauntine Lilly, the public relations manager for Joann Fabric, explained that not all of the retailer’s stores will be permanently shut down. In fact, the small number of store closures coincides with the company’s ongoing practice of launching secret new locations for its brick-and-mortar retail strategies.
According to Lilly, “JoAnn occasionally shutters stores while investing in brand-new opening stores to best satisfy the requirements of our customers.” They are keeping with traditional brick-and-mortar business operations.
Joann’s closures will undoubtedly impact the local communities, which value artistic and crafty activities. The following JoAnn Fabric stores will be closing in the next few months:
- Keene, New Hampshire, Located at 401 West Street., Keene, NH 03431
- Bridgeport, West Virginia, Located at 2399 Meadowbrook Mall Road., Bridgeport, WV 26330
A limited number of stores around the country will be closing. This includes the JOANN Fabrics and Crafts location in Batavia, which will do so next month. The Batavia store will close its doors on January 15, 2023.
According to Lilly, no other JOANN stores are closing in New York State. A severance payout will be given to every employee who doesn’t live less than 25 miles from another location. There are more than 800 JOANN stores around the country, including three more in Amherst, Williamsville, and Blasdell.
On January 22, 2023, a JOANN store in Bridgeport, West Virginia, will close its doors. The mall where the store is situated is undergoing renovations to make room for a new tenant.
The mall’s 11 total apartments are being destroyed, and according to Bridgeport Community Development Director Andrea Kerr, they “are spread from one end to the other.” This includes the JOANN store, which has operated at Meadowbrook Mall for more than 30 years and is “likely to be leaving.”
Is Joann Fabrics going out of business in 2023?
As of December 1, 2022, there were 842 Joann Fabric and Craft stores around the US. With 82 stores, or nearly 10% of all JoAnn Fabric and Craft locations nationwide, California is the state that has the most JoAnn Fabric and Craft locations.
Even while JOANN has enjoyed some success, there have been rumors in recent months that the company is getting ready to close its doors. Eight specific sites have lately been reported to be closing permanently, but do they truly represent the future of the entire chain?
The pandemic’s peak was described as an entity seeing a significant rise. It took place when many people stayed at home and made crafts. Since that peak, the business has taken various actions (including individual closures) that have led to the most recent round of rumors.
As those rumors persisted, “No, JOANN Fabric Isn’t Going Out of Business or Closing Most of Its Stores” appears to have obtained the final, verified word on the matter at the time being.
Despite “unproven claims,” Shauntina Lilly informed VERIFY in an email that JOANN “has no plans to close its physical sites.” A manager at a JOANN store in Spokane, Washington, confirmed that there are no plans to close the location.
The company anticipates closing eight more than 800 stores nationwide during the next three months. According to Lilly, some employees who work at those closing stores might get termination payments.
There is a page on the JOANN website dedicated to upcoming shop openings, but locations still need to be provided. Information on the company’s decision to close all its stores could only be found after searching through the news release archives, Facebook page, and Twitter account JOANN.
In late November, JOANN Fabric did reply to rumors of significant shop closures on its official Twitter account. The corporation tweeted on November 28 that “any anticipated shop closures are part of our standard business appraisal process.” The company won’t be leaving anytime soon.
VERIFY press stories about two of the eight store closings planned during the upcoming months. A JOANN store at the Meadowbrook Mall in Bridgeport, West Virginia, is scheduled to close, after more than 30 years in operation, according to the local TV news station WDTV. No explanation for the stoppage was provided.
According to the Marion Star newspaper in late November, another store in Marion, Ohio, will close in the middle of January.JoAnn Fabric is not going out of business; only some locations are being closed.
Joann Learns Customer Service Lessons from the Pandemic:
The fabric and craft company had to first hear what its consumers had to say before starting an ambitious effort to remodel its stores. Customers’ complaints about the previous stores were carefully considered by Joann, and the company is still asking for input at the new locations.
Three customer service pointers for the post-pandemic retail environment:
- Establish a procedure for routinely hearing customer feedback on their shopping experience.
- Find ways to save customers time, such as texting them to let them know when their order is ready.
- Provide customers various options for resolving their issues, from a website to customer care options on social media.
This fall, Joann, a well-known retailer of sewing supplies, textiles, and crafts with 853 locations in 49 states, started revealing remodeled stores that fit today’s shoppers’ preferences better.
Customers may engage in more hands-on activities in the redesigned stores. This includes classes, demonstrations of the newest sewing and crafting tools, and areas where they can rent time on automated equipment to finish projects. Joann has also incorporated digital tools to make it simpler for customers to learn more about items, place online purchases while in-store, or pick up curbside orders.
The pandemic struck as the retailer prepared to open its first renovated outlets. The initiative was delayed as a result, but officials at Joann were also made aware of the value of designing stores with quick changeover capabilities.
Joann had to ensure they understood what their customers wanted and how to deliver it before developing the new store models. The significant lessons discovered while creating a unique shop experience were discussed with the CO by Christopher DiTullio, chief customer officer and senior vice president at Joann.
Conclusion
Customers voiced their complaints to Joann about the outdated stores. The business is still seeking feedback and monitoring customer happiness at the remodeled locations. Thus, the company was adamant that it would continue operating, and the announcement to close the stores was made for strategic reasons.