This past February, “JOAAN”, a retail chain that specializes in fabric and craft supplies, filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy. In an eventual announcement the retailer told US Today said that they would close “approximately 500” of its 850 locations in the US. 

However, following this initial statement, JOANN released another statement announcing that all JOAAN retail stores would close by the end of March, due to the company failing to find a buyer. 

In the statement, JOAAN told customers, “This was a very difficult decision to make, given the major impact we know it will have on our team members, our customers, and all of the communities we serve.”

Financial strains have been a persistent issue for the retail sector since the pandemic, with the retail filing for bankruptcy twice within the last year. 

The 82–year–old retail company has been a staple in the American craft/supply market with the store expanding from a family store–owned business in 1943, to a multi-million dollar retail chain. 

As someone who frequently shopped at JOAAN’s, I can attest that these past three years, the retail store has certainly gone on a downward spiral. When I would visit the store, I often found that the available fabrics were most often polyester that often was better suited for home decor, rather than sewing. 

Even before the announcement of the store filing for bankruptcy, causing the store to mark twenty to forty percent discounts on everything, a lot of the retail products were strangely marked down at “low” prices even during the Christmas season. That being said, their “low” products were still significantly more expensive than other products at a store like Michaels or Target. 

This is one of the reasons why I think the overpriced supplies ultimately led to JOAAN’s demise. The  “notions” that often could be bought cheaper on online retailers such as Amazon. 

JOAAN, like many other “legacy” chains like Macy‘s and Kohl‘s, has unfortunately been impacted by the dominance of online shopping and retail in this decade. 

While many statistics show that consumers’ reliance on retail stores was already in a steady decline decades before the 2020s, COVID-19 was the “nail in the coffin” for the retail industry. Our post-pandemic society has drastically changed with most consumers finding better, more affordable products online.

However, with this being said, the closing of JOAAN, which had been one of the very few retail stores that specialized in craft and supplies, showcases the decline rate of retail stores for “niche” interests or hobbies. While I may have personally sourced my materials for my sewing elsewhere (usually online from independent sellers) I still see the value of having a retail store like JOAAN’s that serves as a convenience. 

For those who may be struggling to find  retail stores or sources to fuel their interests in sewing, crafts, art, etc. I advise you to shop from independent sellers, online and in your local communities. An independent store that I often frequented and is in the Southern California region, is “LA Finch Fabrics.”