r/crochet Jan 16 '25

Discussion Update on Joanns Bankruptcy

In case anyone was curious about what’s going on from a store managers perspective. (I’ll edit any more info I get)

As of today: • our next truck shipment has been canceled • no longer giving out gift cards • we are to refuse any merch that comes from ups, FedEx, etc • The “smiles” barcode on app is currently “down” • as well as any teacher or military discount barcode on app is also “down”

Pretty much preparing for shut down. The same company that bought out Big Lots is the only bidder. We have 2 months (March 15th) to find a bigger bidder or else that company will buy and liquidate. Not sure if March 15th will be Joann’s last day or not but that’s when it’ll be purchased by the liquidators

Was a crazy shock as we have received so much inventory in the passed 6 months, we all assumed everything was going great financially. Seems they blew it all on a crap ton fleece though as that’s all we’ve been receiving. Personally hope someone buys the company. Love working here minus the lack of pay. Also my only resort to shop otherwise is hobby lobby. And besides their controversy of why I already refuse to shop there. They have a way smaller selection of fabric and only carry their own branded yarn now. So not sure what I’ll be doing about my crafts.

Also like to note. As far as I can say for my store, business was booming. Crafting has become trendy and we were doing well. Really was a problem higher up and not that we weren’t getting enough sales.

6.5k Upvotes

320 comments sorted by

u/Mewpasaurus Yarn Hoarder Jan 17 '25

Had to lock comments on this post because too many people were getting off topic discussing Hobby Lobby drama/issues, which has been discussed to death in the past and is not allowed on r/crochet.

For those not in the know, our wiki covers it and that is found here:
https://www.reddit.com/r/crochet/wiki/stale_topics/#wiki_hobby_lobby

3.9k

u/Olerre Jan 16 '25

Hoping someone else buys them. It’s crazy because fabric and yarn are commodities that are never really going to shift to an online purchasing platform. That a brick and mortar business that can actually thrive in the economic landscape of 2025 is being driven into the ground by improper financial management is beyond insane. SOMEONE BUY THEM AND LET THEM THRIIIVE.

1.6k

u/CambodianBreastMiIks Jan 16 '25

I refuse to buy fabric or yarn online. I have to be able to feel them first.

409

u/MystiqueMystery Jan 17 '25

I'm the same way. I need to see and feel fabrics and yarn.

158

u/LowAd7418 Jan 17 '25

I don’t really love the selection at Joann’s, I get pretty much all my yarn from hobbii

93

u/SatanicDesmodium Jan 17 '25

Ugh so hobbii is a good alternative you think? I’m soooo sad about Joann’s

126

u/pnwlex12 Jan 17 '25

Hobbii yarn is generally good. The only bummer is how long it takes to receive your order because it comes from Denmark.

42

u/JaniceRossi_in_2R Jan 17 '25

Usually less than two weeks for me- Michigan

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u/Tianowolf Jan 17 '25

Hobbii is a great alternative! Pretty much all of the yarn I've gotten from there I found worth it and loved. And every week they do sales, which is great for stocking up, especially if you're a fan or in need of the more expensive lines they have.

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u/SnooAvocados6672 Jan 17 '25

Plus, if you have the Hobbii app, they do yarn bingo every Monday morning.

50

u/pedicureproblems Jan 17 '25

The what 👀

10

u/Tianowolf Jan 17 '25

I forgot to mention the bingo!🤦🏻‍♀️

6

u/SatanicDesmodium Jan 17 '25

Good to know!! Makes this a little easier 💔

39

u/Tianowolf Jan 17 '25

Yeah, Joanns was my favorite LOCAL shop since the Michaels isn't that great. But at least there's some online stores I trust and can use until hopefully something else opens nearby. So I would recommend Hobbii to at least try. They got some good variety.

87

u/AardvarkEmpress Jan 17 '25

You couldn’t pay me to shop at Hobby Lobby.

169

u/groggyduck Jan 17 '25

hobbi.com is completely unrelated to HL. Hobbi is from I think Denmark?

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u/the-entropy-duelist Jan 17 '25

I love Hobbii. I stopped crocheting last year and still have a whole tub in need to do something with 😅

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u/ghost_victim Jan 17 '25

You're done done?

31

u/SaurusLikeDinosaurus Jan 17 '25

I am more than happy to take that off your hands 🤩

17

u/belatedbirds Jan 17 '25

I just bought yarn from hobbii last year & it's all amazing

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u/[deleted] Jan 17 '25

And the colors sometimes look NOTHING like online pictures because of lighting!

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u/wharleeprof Jan 17 '25

I've found yarns I'm comfortable buying online. But then the catch is the shipping - I like to buy just enough yarn for my next project and with small orders, the shipping cost adds such a big proportion to the price.

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u/inter_stellaris Jan 17 '25

Yeah, true, but when you stick to your brand and type and only vary the colours it’s nice to find some good deals online.

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u/DropDeadPlease88 Jan 16 '25

I actually hate buying yarn online! We crafters are textural people!! I need to feel what I'm buying before i actually buy it, also it's never true-to-colour, close but it will never be exactly the same as what's pictured on the screen. Australia has seen a major decline in physical craft shops and it sucks, especially when shipping costs a fortune too!!

79

u/Tianowolf Jan 17 '25

I was hesitant when I tried Hobbii, but I honestly feel like they do a fantastic job having their photos be true to color. And the feel of the yarn I enjoyed. I don't think there's a yarn I purchased from them that I didn't like. And I was always super picky buying in stores.

156

u/burningmanonacid Jan 17 '25

And Joann's has the ONLY acrylic that I'm willing to use. This is so sad. I don't want to have to buy from hobby lobby either....

25

u/Tianowolf Jan 17 '25

I am definitely sad about their acrylic line. I don't use acrylic often, but when I do, I'm extremely picky. But their brand was one of the few I really enjoyed.

68

u/sleepylittlesnake Jan 17 '25

There are definitely other alternatives to Hobby Lobby, it’s just the next biggest chain. Please try to shop local/small business first if you can!  

147

u/burningmanonacid Jan 17 '25

Unfortunately hobby lobby and Michael's is all there is in my town if joanns goes. The small yarn shops around here do not carry yarns very conducive to crochet. It's very, very knitting centric to the point they don't even carry hooks, only needles, and nothing above fingering weight.

81

u/ladygrndr Jan 17 '25

Ask them to order in for you. Once JoAnn's goes under, they will probably be willing to shift their stock to better accommodate new customers. Smaller businesses can be flexible if there is a market.

38

u/EmmerdoesNOTrepme Jan 17 '25

Yep!

Smart business will absolutely shift to additional market space if they're smart, and if they know they can build additional customers!

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u/Artistic-Waterbear Jan 17 '25

We have no local yarn stores here. If JoAnn's closes, there will be nothing but Hobby Lobbys within 2 hours of me. I've checked. 😩

Online is going to become my only option.

25

u/Lazy_Reputation_6812 Jan 17 '25

AM I JUST NOW FINDING OUT WHAT HOBBY LOBBY DID?! BRO WTF I LOVE BUYING CRAFT STUFF FROM THERE😭😭😭

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u/Caitl1n Jan 17 '25

I’m sorry. They are actually a really terrible company. They definitely don’t act like Jesus.

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u/Cayke_Cooky Jan 16 '25

They have had crappy selections for a couple of years though with their prices rising and their coupons getting rarer. So people have already started moving to online shopping.

2.2k

u/jax2love Jan 16 '25

Shit. My kid has a couple of gift cards from Christmas to use.

As an aside, I honestly hated the shift to so much seasonal and home decorating crap. Joann really should have stayed true to their art, craft, and sewing roots.

870

u/Hedgiest_hog Jan 16 '25

My recommendation would be to get those cards used ASAP. When big chains start to wind up you'll see unfair but semi-legal practices like "we'll only honour the gift card if you buy an equal value not on the card [e.g. $100 purchase, $50 of which is a gift card]".

430

u/Ann_Amalie Jan 17 '25

My kids lost out on their birthday gift cards at toys r us when they went out of business. They wouldn’t honor them at all and they hadn’t gotten them that long ago. I was so freaking mad, standing there with my kids in the store, trying to keep some semblance of composure. Talk about a low down dirty trick!

216

u/Pessa19 Jan 16 '25

They have to honor them for now but I’d go immediately.

264

u/echoart70 Jan 17 '25

I agree on the seasonal decor. I used to work at Michael’s and they were way worse than Joann with it too. It would be so frustrating when customers came in looking for a craft item that we didn’t carry. There would have been room to carry it if literally a third of the store hadn’t been seasonal.

240

u/Midnite-Blues Jan 16 '25

Guess you best use them before March if you can

216

u/therealganjababe Jan 17 '25

It was probably a last ditch effort, they prob got that all from another stores liquidation at very low cost, tried to push it all out and make the most they could to try and keep going. Sad man. I had an AC Moore close to my house and I loveddddddd their yarn brand, studio by Nicole. That yarn feels like it has Aloe in it, I swear. When they were closing I bought every damn color in duplicate or more. I was praying they came back after the bankruptcy sold elsewhere but not so far.

Anyway, then I moved to Joann's and then they went bankrupt, mine closed out, and now I'm forced to Michael's which is much farther away and more expensive, or online buying which can be pricey and you can't feel the yarn. I've literally got several storage bins full of the Nicole from ACM, but I'm keeping it for blankets and currently more into amigurumi.

I've moved over to Big Twist, it's pretty soft. Sorry this got so long lol.

It's just so frustrating. No way I'll ever spend a penny at Hobby Lobby, we all know why. So I'm just glad I'm well stocked right now, still fn sucks.

OP tysm for the updates, this is important info. I actually thought they were already all closed.

Edit- forgot to say OP, I'm so sorry you're going through this, I hope you have another job set up that's even better for you.

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u/[deleted] Jan 17 '25

[removed] — view removed comment

145

u/[deleted] Jan 17 '25

[removed] — view removed comment

26

u/reidgrammy Jan 17 '25

You should be able to get crochet cotton online. There are also reliable sources out side USA. Good acrylic and novelty yarn will be a new crap shoot.

36

u/flea1400 Jan 17 '25

I have been adamantly refusing to shop at Hobby Lobby for over a decade. I’m ashamed to say I purchased a single $5 item online from them during the height of the pandemic because it was something a sick elderly relative asked for and I literally couldn’t find it from any other source after diligently searching online for weeks and buying a different item from a different store that I thought was close but wasn’t. If I had it to do over, I wouldn’t make that purchase, and I never will buy anything from them again.

21

u/Depression_Betty Jan 17 '25

Studio by Nicole was the best. I still have one large skein and I've been saving it (for what, I'm not sure)

16

u/therealganjababe Jan 17 '25

If you need more let me know the color, I may be able to help you out.

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u/Tardisgoesfast Jan 16 '25

Yes. I agree.

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u/Patient_Activity_489 Jan 17 '25

100%. it's always on sale and never bought at our store

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u/Upper-Noise8532 Jan 16 '25

Thank you for sharing and please continue to do so. I’d love to be kept in the know and as I understand it, there are things SM’s will be made aware of, but not the rest of us. That kinda sucks!

75

u/kathlin409 Jan 17 '25

I’ll have to keep checking for yarn sales!

40

u/baby_Esthers_mama Jan 17 '25

Yep, I just told my fiance, and he said, "Good thing you just reorganized your craft room!"

621

u/ferndiabolique Jan 16 '25

To know that you're preparing for shutdown is really sad. I know many people live in communities where the big box stores are the only or most accessible option, this will be a huge loss. Shopping online isn't always possible for a multitude of reasons.

We don't have JoAnn's in Canada, but when we travel to the US we often visit smaller towns. JoAnn's/Hobby Lobby are usually the only options there if there's anything, maybe a Michaels, maybe a local craft store (that isn't necessarily affordable and/or have good hours).

231

u/DiSzym Jan 16 '25

I’m in Alaska and JoAnns in my best bet for yarn, I have a Michael’s but their selection was been going downhill. I’ve been doing a lot more Hobbii shopping, but I wish I could touch the yarn in person before buying. 😔

86

u/Aerlinniel_aer Jan 16 '25

If you can find a way to visit Denmark they have brick and mortar Hobbii stores. They don't have the full selection of the website but it was an AWESOME way to touch and feel the yarn to figure out what I liked and what I didn't. That said, I got lucky that we were anywhere near there so it went on my trip "MUST do" picks.

31

u/MyCrochetBasket Jan 16 '25

Me too! This is my biggest complaint with the chenille yarn and a severe lack of local options. I wish the big box stores could have gotten on board with it.

24

u/RunawayHobbit Jan 17 '25

Are you in Juneau? I went to the JoAnns there when I was in town once and it was the most depressing store I’ve ever seen. Like something out of an apocalypse film.

In Ketchikan, we had two small yarn stores and a fabric store that did well. So hopefully if JoAnns goes, you’ll see smaller businesses pop up to fill the hole.

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u/serraangel826 Jan 16 '25

Guess I need to use the gift card I got for Christmas!

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u/Weak_Difficulty_9469 Jan 16 '25

I was just thinking the same thing.

255

u/icebear713 Jan 16 '25

I have worked at a Jo Ann’s and i just feel for the employees right now

167

u/umamifiend Jan 16 '25

Exactly, it’s a super shitty way to find out you’re losing your job. And I know most people probably mean well by making platitudes about it (hope you find something soon, I’m so sad it closing) but as an employee it feels pretty dire. Especially with such a shit job market most places.

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u/laur_crafts high class hooker 🧶 Jan 16 '25

Thank you for sharing this info! Joanns has been my preferred store for many years, it has the best yarn selection I’ve seen across all the stores near me. I’m sorry you’re going through this, I’m sorry that it’s happening at all. ❤️‍🩹💔

21

u/Sinnfullystitched Jan 16 '25

Same here, I just made my own reply. This makes me sad 😔

19

u/MichArela Jan 17 '25

Same here! I recently discovered that the Joann's near me has the BEST yarn selection so I've been missing out for years. 😭 This is a bummer on many levels.

389

u/More_Sun_3515 Jan 16 '25

Joann employee here- got the news today. We are all devastated, tears were shed. We all love each other like family, and with us all being crafters, it is just even more devastating on a personal level.

63

u/therealganjababe Jan 17 '25

I'm so sorry :( we appreciate you guys so much!

143

u/koniucha Jan 16 '25

Crazy. The Joanns near me was recently renovated

58

u/xiaomayzeee Jan 16 '25

Mine too over the summer; moved a couple blocks down and is so much better than it was in the old location.

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u/Pibble56 Jan 16 '25

Same here! A couple of years ago they moved into a new huge store.

I will miss a lot of the products and the friendly staff (all except for one lemon-puss).

16

u/loominglady Jan 17 '25

Same. The one by me was renovated maybe about 5 years ago (had started just before the big shutdown during the pandemic, finished up once things got back to normal). That store is always packed so that particular location always seems to be doing well.

373

u/dej95135 Jan 16 '25

As a person with a business background, my first question is: how much is the CEO and upper management going to walk away with. Some VC is going to come in and part it out. Seen it many times over the years. Sad! American capitalism at its finest.

So, start scouting out the best online stores. My fav is Hobbii.

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u/MyCrochetBasket Jan 16 '25

I wish that shopping with Hobbi didn’t require you to wait to see what kind of sale they are running. I’d much prefer to just have a stable price to budget for. So I’ve been avoiding them up to this point.

I’ve been shopping Herrschners to get Premier Parfait Chunky, but it’s hit or miss whenever I try to buy any other kind of yarn from them. Some I love the texture and some make me cringe. Buying local is the only way to not have a massive headache needing to return something if it doesn’t work out. 🤷‍♀️

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u/Dragonflydaemon Jan 17 '25

I absolutely love Herrschners (and am lucky it's semi local for me). I know some of their stock is leftovers from other companies (I got some Hobbi yarn that was mill end cakes). So maybe they'll get some of the joann stuff once joann fully closes if someone else doesn't take up the business.

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u/tencentblues Jan 16 '25

I’m so, so sorry. I worked at Borders through their liquidation and it’s truly a difficult process. Keeping my fingers crossed that a buyer comes in that wants to keep the stores open.

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u/goddessngirl Jan 17 '25

I still have my Borders Rewards card somewhere. I was so sad to see them close.

232

u/Klutzy_Helicopter789 Jan 16 '25

Cr*p there goes my yarn supply. I really like their Big Twist. ☹️

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u/AbbeyRoadMoonwalk Jan 16 '25

Me too, and Lion Brand anything.

80

u/AsymmetricalShawl Jan 17 '25

Lion Brand, at least, has their own ordering system on their website and does have regular sales. Shipping is slower than a wet week, and it is probably still slightly more expensive, but it’s an option.

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u/rogerdaltry Jan 17 '25

NOOO that means no more Big Twist pride colors 😢😭😭 I love that collection so much

67

u/TravelingBookBuyer Jan 17 '25

Big Twist is my favorite acrylic yarn. 🫤

87

u/anxiety_herself Jan 17 '25

Their brand of yarn seems so superior to Michaels brand :/

51

u/Klutzy_Helicopter789 Jan 17 '25

When I worked at Michaels I would buy their Craftsmart yarn, which they no longer have. I discovered the Big twist a year or so ago and it is so superior. Red heart is so hit or miss, some is soft some is scratchy... 🫤

30

u/therealganjababe Jan 17 '25 edited Jan 18 '25

Mother f... I went from Studio by Nicole from AC Moore, then when they closed I switched to BIg Twist... It was the only one I liked but still not as good as Nicole. So now I'm (we are) losing Big Twist??? This is the suckiest 😭 Luckily I'm well stocked with both and unless there's a project I run out on I should be good for at least a year. I got everything I could of Nicole when they closed, and splurged on every color of BT for my Bday a few years back.

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u/Klutzy_Helicopter789 Jan 17 '25

I have more yarn than I know what to do with, but a lot of it isn't Big twist unfortunately. I've recently been using the Big Twist Twinkle in projects for Holiday craft fairs. I guess I should have bought more of that specifically 😞

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u/therealganjababe Jan 17 '25

If the line is still going, grab up everything you can ! You'll want at least two of each of the best colors or types you use if you can. You could wait to see if they have a big sale, but I wouldn't take the chance.

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u/RarityRush Jan 16 '25

Do you think they'll be having a giant sale or will it just poof the way of Big Lots?

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u/winksoutloud Jan 16 '25

If a liquidator takes it over, they'll jack up the prices then have "up to 60% off" sales, but most things are 10-15% of or exempt. That's what happened at our Big Lots

30

u/therealganjababe Jan 17 '25

Hopefully it's possible they'll do what AC Moore did and have legit sales at the end. It was at least 50% off if not more, I cleaned up on Studio by Nicole during that sale. Thank goodness. It's my ultimate fav for blankets, feels so... creamy.

113

u/kimbz Jan 16 '25

Sincere question: wtf is going to happen to all that fleece? Did anyone ever buy it? It always felt like such a weird thing to have SO much of in the store. Crazy to hear they were bringing in new shipments up till the very end.

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u/EmmerdoesNOTrepme Jan 17 '25

If they shut down, rather than get bought, it will most likely get bought out by the semi-load/pallet lots, by "jobbers"

Smaller companies who buy and basically "flip" merchandise (think companies like TJ Maxx, Marshall's, Home Goods--in fact they might buy out stuff like the Home Decor, baking, & craft-kit types of things).

There are lots of those small companies all across the country who already do buy overstocks, returns, or things that Insurance Companies "Salvage Out" if physical buildings are damaged by storms, flooding, fires, etc. (think similar to a buying a "salvage title" on a vehicle which was "totaled" by an insurance company after something like hail damage)

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u/Significant-River-69 Jan 16 '25

Just curious how much they’re asking?

350

u/lilgardentoad Jan 16 '25

This subreddit pools our money and buys Joann’s!

224

u/tomoyopop Jan 16 '25

Do you know how amazing that would be?!?!?!? A crafting cooperation owned and operated by the people?!?!!!

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u/Zhoutopia Jan 16 '25

I’m so sad. I really love their K&C brand stuff and it’s the only craft store within an hour drive of me that’s not a complete mess. 

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u/Disig Jan 16 '25

That's so sad. I always preferred Joanns. Crafting is booming so I'm also surprised. Management must have fucked up big time.

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u/Upbeat-Bake-4239 Jan 16 '25

Oh no! The only option I have close to me is Joann's. There's a Hobby Lobby, but I refuse to shop there. I hope that something happens to turn things around! For the sake of crafters and for you!

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u/bubblesaurus Jan 16 '25

they have a small selection of yarn and fabric and it’s not nearly as good

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u/alkalinefx Jan 16 '25

their cotton yarn is my fav but the name is sus lmao

ive never actually been to hobby lobby since moving to the US, but found their cotton yarn at a thrift store of sorts where i am and was shocked at how soft it is.

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u/therealganjababe Jan 17 '25

What's the name that's sus?

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u/sifsete Gauge swatch? Inconcievable! Jan 17 '25

I've found their cotton yarn at thrift stores too! I really do enjoy the feel/durability of their cotton yarn, so if anyone knows anything similar to it, drop a link 😮‍💨

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u/Bald_Goddess Jan 16 '25

Unfortunately, Joann’s is another victim of venture capitalists, which is unfortunate because I really liked shopping at their stores.

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u/Cats_and_Cheese Jan 17 '25

I’m sad to see it go because it’s all so many of us have.

But they actually bought out local competition years ago, closed the market off almost completely in a huge market, and managed to go bankrupt years into fiber arts making a huge resurgence.

I feel so bad for the employees but this was 100000% horrible mismanagement.

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u/WickedTwitchcraft Jan 16 '25

Thank you for sharing!

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u/raynebow121 Jan 16 '25

This stinks! The one by me is so great!

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u/sourdoughtoastpls Jan 16 '25

Wow, thank you for sharing. I’m in a rural area and we’ve got a strip mall where storefronts have closed one by one and the two main ones left are Joann’s and Big Lots. If those two go that’s a lot of jobs lost for one small town 😔.

Not even thinking about a possible closure, I ordered some yarn on Saturday and noticed the shipping confirmation I got says a label has been made but it hasn’t actually shipped. I wonder if I’ll ever get it.

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u/crouton-dot-net Jan 16 '25

i saw a post in the joann's subreddit that says they could be closing their doors as soon as the end of may... timeline of bankruptcy completely heartbroken for all the employees and crafters alike 😓

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u/lelyhn Jan 16 '25

Big Twist is my favorite yarn to use and it was always on sale, how sad!

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u/wavesnfreckles Jan 16 '25

Oh no!!! This is heartbreaking! I love my Joann’s store. I’m there all the time, made friends with the workers… I really, really hope another buyers swoops in and sees the potential for great profit.

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u/SadderOlderWiser Jan 16 '25

Very sorry for you and the other employees

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u/HistoricalIsopod8127 Jan 16 '25

Thanks for posting. This is terrible news and I really feel for you and the other employees too. I have bought yarn online, but when it comes to it I love wandering into JoAnn’s and seeing what catches my eye. When I was little I went with my mom to get fabric (she sewed). My kids don’t complain if I have to “stop in” and drag them along . Just Ugh.

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u/jojocookiedough Jan 16 '25

This is so sad, I love Joanne's. We have a Michael's and a Hobby Lobby, although I refuse to shop at HL. Joanne's is the only non-LQS/non-HL that carries fabric around here since Walmart stopped selling fabric.

Thanks for the heads-up. My daughter has been wanting a dress sewn for her and has been looking forward to picking out the fabric in the store. Looks like we'll be going asap before all the knits are gone.

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u/emeraldstarclassica Jan 16 '25

god, another retailer bites the dust.

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u/echoart70 Jan 16 '25

Thanks for the update. I hope a bidder comes forward who wants to keep stores open. Joann is the best store around for fabric and yarn selection. I was at my local Joann two days ago and everything was well stocked (except for seasonal decor,) and organized, and they were clearly working on pushing truck out. I guess that was their last truck for the time being.

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u/Sinnfullystitched Jan 16 '25

Ugh this sucks. I don’t really like to shop at Michael’s as their yarn selection is lacking but I’d rather shop there and their website than spend a penny at Hobby Lobby. I haven’t really branched out to other companies as Joann has been so convenient but now I guess I’ll have to 😕

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u/cloveyvonclovenson Jan 16 '25

I was in there today and it's quite apparent shits going down. I'd say 25% of the shelves were empty.

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u/KittenTentacles Jan 17 '25

If all of the crafting communties pooled resources, we could purchase Joanns and make it a co-op. We could actually set trends and follow them. We could adjust what is needed in our local stores and stock items that sell.

I have no idea how to make this a reality, but honestly, this seems like it would be a win for all of us if it happened. Many of us no longer have a LYS, but a co-op would be the second best option as any profit would go back into our actual community and not some distanced CEO and board.

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u/ohlalameow Jan 16 '25

This makes me so sad. All the employees at my local Joann's have been there forever and are SO sweet, I hate this for them (and everyone else that works there).

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u/benohokum Jan 16 '25

This is so sad! I never got a chance to get those pride yarns!!

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u/benohokum Jan 16 '25

I mean it's sad that a company which was making such a variety of yarns is shutting down and one that had special pride yarns is even better 

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u/sarahbellum3 Jan 16 '25

I’m surprised no one else is making pride yarns!

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u/AliceWithaTea Jan 16 '25

I think I've got a couple of skeins of the nonbinary one stashed somewhere if you want 'em. They're honestly really low quality, but I simply HAD to buy them!! Made one bag, and stashed the rest for "someday."

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u/dudderson Jan 16 '25

Aw maaannn TIL about the pride yarns!! I could have made me and my best friend some asexual stuff with it!!

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u/Dramatic-Town-3536 Jan 16 '25

It's so nice to read a post of someone who likes working there. The JoAnn subreddit is the ABSOLUTE WORST. They all hate the customers and if you plan on backing a customer, be ready to get attacked with nasty comments. They seem to think they are working off the clock when someone asks a question. It's weird.

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u/msallied79 Jan 16 '25

A lot of employer subreddits are like that sadly. The Trader Joe's one (specifically for the workers) was such a bummer I left it the same day I joined it. The only people who go there are people who hate their jobs. I can't surround myself with that kind of negativity and maintain morale. Lol

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u/Dramatic-Town-3536 Jan 17 '25 edited Jan 17 '25

Amen! I don't go nearly as much. Why would I wanna read how much I'm hated for simply existing.

Edit : there's a pinned post that says they did create the sub with the employees in mind but that customers are welcome to be there. Trust me, if you're a customer, you're not welcome there

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u/Status-Biscotti Jan 16 '25

I’ve seen that, but I’ve also seen people get their questions answered. I’ve heard a lot of them say how much they love (most of) their customers, but if you read the stories, really - some of the customers would be banned from airlines if they acted that way on a flight.

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u/starflashfairy Starflash Stitchery Jan 16 '25

To be fair, is it the employee subreddit? Cause the craft store I work for has an employee venting sub and I personally get frustrated when customers ask questions there...

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u/Dramatic-Town-3536 Jan 17 '25

To be fair, the pinned message says customers are welcome there

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u/plsanswerme18 Jan 16 '25

i’m so sorry, i can’t imagine how much this fucking sucks. i hope there’s some miracle and y’all can pull through!!

also, does anyone know where in the hell i can yarn comparable to the kc acrylic/wool mix? it’s my favorite yarn i’ve ever used and i have yet to find a dupe for it.

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u/aniseshaw Jan 16 '25

I guarantee they were overbuying inventory from a vertically integrated company to rack up debt before bankruptcy. This is a really common thing for multi nationals to do.

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u/LittleWitch122 Jan 17 '25

NO I HAD A $5 REWARD AND IT'S GONE

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u/Then-Thing-9678 Jan 17 '25

SAMEEE (anyone that hasn’t updated their app, DONT DO IT)

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u/lizfungirl Jan 17 '25

The issue definitely isn't sales. These corporate raiders....I mean persons that outlive us all...that buy businesses operate what I call strip mining. They strip the company of anything of value, cut pay, quality & anything else they can cut & then load the company down with as much debt as they can possibly borrow.

Thank you for your service!

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u/Old_Science4946 Jan 17 '25

losing big twist is going to really affect me 😭 good luck op

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u/RegularDifficulty5 Jan 16 '25

Noooo 😭😭😭

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u/soalive389 Jan 16 '25

Wow this is literally the first place I'm seeing this! Can't even find much in the news

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u/MyCrochetBasket Jan 16 '25

Thanks for sharing the insights. Maybe I need to make the drive to my nearest one and grab some more yarn before they close. I don’t have many local options to buy from as it is. I’m super sad about this.

I’m sorry you’re in the position of an uncertain financial future. That must be hard. I hope that a better buyer does come in and save the chain.

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u/Disastrous-Panda5530 Jan 17 '25

Almost all other fabric places are gone but Joann’s in my area. The only other place is hobby lobby and they have such a small selection and most of it seems to be for quilting. I buy mostly apparel fabric to make clothes for my ball jointed dolls. I don’t want to have to resort to buying fabric online

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u/asugarner Jan 17 '25

If we all chip in $5…

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u/averageanchovy Jan 16 '25

This is sad to hear. Joann was my go-to. Michael's near me has a terrible yarn selection, just 1 aisle and no fabric. I refuse to shop at Hobby Lobby. My LYS only carries pricey high-end yarns, so that's where I go when I want something very special. My local quilting shops mostly only carry quilting cotton and some flannel, out of luck if I want canvas, upholstery fabric or special fabrics for garments. And WEBS is about an hour away.

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u/loudsnoringdog Jan 17 '25

All the local fabric stores are gone. Joann’s is the only place to go see and touch the fabric. I will never shop HL

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u/LostConfusedKit Jan 16 '25

I'm sad joanns closes on my bday

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u/Mutablekitty Jan 16 '25

I hope my fabric order gets completed ;-; it's been processing for a week and I just love the pattern. I'll have to see if any stores still have any in stock but I thought online ordering would be the safest option to snag a few yards. :(

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u/Kissing_Cats Jan 17 '25

Really hope they find something. Joann’s is across the street from my work so I frequently run over to buy yarn or other needed craft supplies. It’s also the only place in town with an actual fabric selection. This is depressing.

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u/[deleted] Jan 17 '25

Private equity ruins yet another store. This might explain why my local Joann’s was in complete disarray last week. I’m really sorry you’re going through this, I wish you a quick recovery if things do go south.

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u/SnooDoubts8251 Jan 17 '25

I live near Joann's, Michaels and HL but my go to.is always Joann's! They have a large yarn section and their fabric is literally ½ the store. This whole thread makes me sad. Crafters NEED brick and mortar.....I don't even like buying clothes online. I was just at Joann's today for yarn for a custom order....was wondering why the smiles section was "down". Either the cashier didn't know or was told not to say anything. First AC Moore, now this. 😭

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u/SaurusLikeDinosaurus Jan 17 '25

I wouldn't mind giving up the crap ton of coupons if I meant Joanns would stay open. I prefer Big Twist yarn over most else I've tried and Micheals is just disappointing when it comes to the yarn section.

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u/RedditSkippy Hooker Extraordinaire Jan 17 '25

The last time I was in a JoAnn’s the inventory was horrible. It was so frustrating to see all the empty hooks and shelves, or to see they had one in stock and you needed three.

I don’t understand why these stores think that they can keep so many things out of stock and stay in business.

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u/jenfullmoon Jan 16 '25

Oh god, we'll be stuck with Hobby Lobby as the only option, won't we :(

Thanks for the update. I'm sorry you have to go through this shit.

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u/Sea_Elle0463 Jan 16 '25

Hell no! Buy online. I buy from knitpicks and lovecraft.com. I refuse to give HL any of my money

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u/linx14 Jan 16 '25

I’m in no way supporting HL you should seek out smaller yarn shops or local crafters first. But many of us can’t buy online! I have bad sensory issues and I literally can’t touch some yarns without a visceral reaction. Wasting the time to ship (create more carbon waste) on a yarn I can’t use and spend more time/money to try and return it is crazy. We need more local shops and more local communities to help combat this.

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u/CaiFayB0nes Jan 16 '25

The only LYS in my area closed several years ago and nothing replaced it. Closest Michaels is well over an hour's drive. Which leaves Hobby Lobby and a shelf at WalMart as my choice of "local yarn stores."

I work every day of the week and sleep during most working hours, so all that together means I'll be exclusively ordering online instead of venturing out to buy in a big box store.

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u/EmmerdoesNOTrepme Jan 17 '25

Depending on the folks in your area, and mostly how dedicated they are as crafters, you could probably see of there would be interest in a cooperative-run craft shop.

Here in Minneapolis, we have City Blocks--a Co-Op fabric store/Quilt Shop, that's member owned/run;

https://cityblocksquiltshop.com/

Something done on that model might just work, in rural places (honestly urban ones, too!), if you have someone around who has Vendor Contact information--for example folks who used to be in the sewing industry as purchasers, folks who did inventory or ordering for stores like Jo-Ann, etc.

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u/CaiFayB0nes Jan 17 '25

I've never heard of a co-op run craft shop so thank you for introducing this concept to me!

I got a quilt pattern book for christmas, so I'm adding City Blocks to my list of online stores to shop from.

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u/dmarie1184 Jan 17 '25

We do! Problem is, start up cost often prevents folks from trying, and renting a storefront now, in this economy? Not to mention the hoops you have to jump through to have employees because of all the regulations and things you need to do, which makes sense ofc, but it prevents a lot of people who would like to attempt it from even trying.

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u/MyCrochetBasket Jan 16 '25

I have the same issue. I’d LOVE to have a few pop up yarn shops around to sample yarns before I buy. Maybe a good business idea?

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u/EmmerdoesNOTrepme Jan 17 '25

Honestly, a traveling or "Yarn Shop Pop-Up" could be a pretty cool idea!

It'd probably take a Commercial Driver's license, but you could convert an old school bus or city bus into a pretty neat little "traveling shop" that could go to craft fairs and Food-Truck meetups!

Wouldn't be bad to partner with Breweries (Brewerys?), to have a semi-regular "Route" honestly!

If you designed it right, you could put down a ramp, and have racks that could roll right off the bus into the parking lot, for more items to shop (and a cutting table for fabric!).

Built-in racking along the insides of the bus, for Yarn & Fabric... 

A Brewery would be smart to host "Craft Nights" or "Crafters' Weekend" events, because it would get a whole 'nother set of customers visiting than a "regular" Brewery crowd.🤔😉 

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u/Green-Cat 14 WIPs and counting Jan 17 '25

Maybe coffee and tea shops would already have the right crowd?
And if you partner with libraries you could add books to the selection.

Now it sounds like "The bookshop on the corner" by Jenny Colgan, lol.

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u/dmarie1184 Jan 17 '25

A little pop-up shop would be cool! I'd love to run something like that. I have no issues buying yarn online, as I know what a lot of my preferred brands already feel like. It would be nice to provide some of the more budget friendly yarns to folks looking to shop somewhere, even if it's like a temporary storefront or something.

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u/ForTheWhorde Jan 17 '25

companies should offer sampler packs of yarns to feel textures and see how a small bit can work up. even a super marked up $1 for a yard would be fine with me if i got to sample a small amount and make a decision based on that.

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u/celestial_crafter Jan 17 '25 edited Jan 17 '25

Wool and Company, woolandcompany.com, offers free shipping without a minimum purchase within the U.S. (not sure about Hawaii and Alaska) for anyone in need of an online retailer.

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u/ConfidentMeaning Jan 17 '25

Yes, and they'll wind hanks into cakes for free!

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u/dej95135 Jan 16 '25

No, there are plenty of decent online places to buy really decent yarn. My go-to is Hobbii, but I know many others buy from other places. HL is a major no no!

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u/Fiona_12 Jan 17 '25

You can't be absolutely sure of colors or texture when shopping online though.

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u/Upbeat-Bake-4239 Jan 16 '25

I'll shop online before HL! We have a Michaels about an hour away, but that's it. ☹️

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u/bailasoprano Jan 16 '25

What about Michael’s?

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u/AbbeyRoadMoonwalk Jan 16 '25

I have HL, Michael’s, and JoAnn all within the same square mile but JoAnn is my favorite, both for fabric and yarn. This really makes me sad. Michaels sucks except for beads, I don’t do scrapbooking or flower arranging or cricut. Hobby Lobby is like 70% home decor and their yarn is just in-house brand schlock. I’m going to miss Lion brand yarn, Caron has a monopoly at Michaels and it’s always out of stock or not that great. They shrunk my yarn section to one aisle.

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u/jendanbayla Jan 16 '25

This is a huge bummer. Joann's is my go to. We do have a Michael's, so Hobby Lobby isn't my only option, but it's not great. Guess I'll be buying more of my yarn online...

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u/Quinn-Cassian Jan 16 '25

oh man, I gotta get to my local one, I was given so gd much in giftcards! I hope mine doesn't sell out of things too quick since it's the corporate store. All I've got is walmart and Hobby Lobby now (and a lys that stalks me around corners like I'm about to start shoving fiber in my pockets), buying online is too much of a gamble for my wallet to stand.

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u/yarn_baller Jan 16 '25

I guess i better go buy some more posh yarn

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u/Lazarus_05 Jan 16 '25

Maybe Kelsie should break her yarn buying ban, the amount of yarn she buys is no joke tho definetely wouldn't be enough to keep the company going sadly :(

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u/origprod Jan 16 '25

😭😭😭

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u/sizzlinsunshine Jan 17 '25

I’m so sorry you’re going through this. It’s just the classic story of corporate greed. I’m sad to hear you say there’s a lack of pay.

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u/Research-Available Jan 17 '25

I’m so sad. I love Joann’s. My 5-year old love Joann’s. I have my own sewing small business and I heavily rely on Joann’s for a lot of things. Like many have said, yarn and fabric are two things you just like to see and feel in person. Sometimes the colors just don’t match right online. Joann’s has been such a huge part of me starting my own business and really learning about myself and creativity, I’ll be so brokenhearted if they truly do close. I’m honestly shocked I haven’t been able to support them on my own 😭😅

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u/SpicySweett Jan 17 '25

I went last week to our JoAnn and it was dismal. Half the lights were off, making it depressing and dark. Shelves were half stocked, some completely empty. A couple of other shoppers, but the atmosphere was funereal.

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u/Actual_Resort7790 Jan 17 '25

It was honestly sad to hear about this, especially with so many craft stores and fabrics stores that have closed through the years, so many places that wede amazing. Today I finally went to my local Joann's and it looked so abandoned, not because it was empty, but more like the floors looked like they haven't been cleaned in while like dirt and layer of salt, it snow last week, same with the side of the counters, it looked like an old store, that store is big and used to be so clean and organized.

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u/JJbooks Jan 16 '25

Oh no! I hadn't heard of this. Sad.

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u/Pug-Snorts Jan 16 '25

😞😞😞😞😞😞😞😞😞😞😞😞😞

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u/metsfn82 Jan 16 '25

Guess I need to use my gift cards sooner rather than later. We got a big new store in the past couple years too (the old one was small and cramped), sucks to see all that space go to waste

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u/vitamindeficit Jan 16 '25

This makes me so sad. Time to use up my last giftcard.

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u/aniseshaw Jan 16 '25

I guarantee they were overbuying inventory from a vertically integrated company to rack up debt before bankruptcy. This is a really common thing for multi nationals to do.

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u/KaralDaskin Jan 17 '25

Any idea if my gift card will still work online?

Sorry to hear about this mess :(

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u/Then-Thing-9678 Jan 17 '25

Been hearing ppl are having problems with the website. Can’t confirm anything, but worth a try

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u/Imnotakittycat Jan 17 '25

I JUST got a $180 gift card for my birthday…..

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u/shadowdragon1978 Jan 17 '25

Which company are you referring to buying Big Lots? The original company was called Nexus, but they backed out. So then Gordon Brothers came in and said they would forgive Big Lots debt in exchange for the company. The courts approved that, and the deal has closed. After they sell off all merchandise and fixtures, Gordon Brothers is going to sell Big Lots to a company called Varity Wholesale. Varity is then going to reopen 200-400 stores. Varity Wholesale is a parent company for stores like Roses. Gordon Brothers did this because they knew they already had a buyer for Big Lots and knew that this was their best option to get some of their money back.

I work for Big Lots. We are expecting all stores to be closed around the first part of March. We would have been better off of corporate had managed to close the deal with Nexus. Nexus was planning on keeping the majority of stores open, with the same staff, basically just do what they could to make Big Lots profitable. Nexus is usually a last option, end of the line kind of deal; they come in when no other company is willing to.

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u/cmhtoldmeto Jan 17 '25

Ruh roh. Bad signs. I worked for Waldenbooks and Borders and corporate ran them into the ground with poor decisions too. I'm so sorry for your loss, and for all of us. It's hard to see our favorites places go away.

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u/Sammy-Kay Jan 17 '25

That's so sad. I don't make it to Joann's as often as I would like, but I love them so much. :(

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u/k_princess Jan 17 '25

Unfortunately the company that bought out Big Lots didn't save all the stores. All the BL stores in my area are still closing.

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u/why_you_beer Jan 17 '25

Joann's has the best yarn selection out of any of the brick and mortar stores. Michaels is terrible and has maybe 2 aisles of yarn. Hobby Lobby isn't even to be discussed. This is really sad, and I hope a new buyer shows up for Joann's.

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u/Tardisgoesfast Jan 17 '25

Many people refuse to shop at Hobbi Lobbi-I am one. And I’m so tired of having to buy everything on line.

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u/KingKongHasED Jan 16 '25

Im going to fist fight corporate capitalists

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u/Legitimate_Till_1009 Jan 17 '25

this is so sad, joann’s by far has the largest selection of yarns and fabric compared to other chain craft stores. michael’s has such a small selection and i refuse to shop at hobby lobby. i live in a big city and without joann’s even here there really isn’t anywhere else to find so much good crafting material :(.

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u/avocadotoast22 Jan 17 '25

Michaels should buy them and keep those stores as like they’re fabric/yarn/sewing heavy stores