After being a dependable arts and crafts retail store for 82 years, JOANN Fabrics and Crafts announced its closure of all 800 stores on Feb. 25. Prior to this announcement, JOANN filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in March of 2024, making them a privately held company.
Unfortunately, in January of 2025, JOANN filed for bankruptcy again, which allowed the business to continue to operate in the face of a bleak future. In the same month, the company planned to close up to 500 stores in hopes that this mass closure would allow the remaining stores to improve their merit and become longer-lasting.
Before these closings were announced, JOANN’s shelves grew sparse. The business struggled with management issues including deliveries of certain products like yarn and sewing materials. These shortages caused the store lose its “all-in-one” marketing strategy as crafters would have to look elsewhere for their different materials. This drove their shopping base to spend at competing craft stores.
Once JOANN filed for yet another Chapter 11 bankruptcy in January, the company accumulated debt up to $615.7 million. The retail outlet struggled to keep up with rising costs, as they owned $133 million to suppliers while simultaneously paying a total monthly rent of $26 million.
In February, just a month later, the company announced its closure of all 800 locations. To make the transition as smooth as possible, the business wanted to ease into its closings so as to not cause mass disruption for vendors, customers, and employees. For instance, any gift cards to the shop were eligible for use until Feb. 28.
Many people in the arts and crafts community are saddened by the news as JOANN was a staple store for them. The chain had become reliable for crafters, and their supplies rarely disappointed.
“The reason it’s such a big deal that it’s closing is because other stores don’t have the same range and quality of fabrics — or the same sales,” Sarah Vincent, associate editor of Good Housekeeping, wrote in a Good Housekeeping article.
In 2020, during the pandemic, retail business were hit with lower demand and fewer customers. Afterward, many companies struggled to recover because the majority of their consumer base had switched to online shopping with big corporations. Stores like JCPenney, J. Crew, and Lord & Taylor faced similar issues as JOANN and either had to file for bankruptcy or close due to financial related problems post-pandemic.
There doesn’t seem to be an end to the decline of in-person stores. As Research from Green Street Advisors, a real estate services firm, predicts that up to 25% of America’s shopping malls will close by 2027.
JOANN was a dependable, versatile, and well-priced store.ts closure has caused heartbreak for many across the country. The company is planning on all of their locations to be closed by the end of May 2025.
