A Staff Reflection on JoAnn Store Closures: What’s Next for Crafters

I’m sure most of us can claim to be from a crafty family. My family has almost always had a weaver in it since we came over from Sweden ages ago, and my dad was the first to try and teach me to crochet many years ago. My grandmothers both made me pretty cotton dresses, comfy flannel backed quilts, and meticulously crocheted afghans. I remember spending hours with my grandma at Joann Fabric, going over the merits of this shirt pattern, or that batting, arguing with her over whether I would wear the color pink or if I just thought it was pretty on the bolt. Even long after her passing I would still spend hours there, debating the merits of sewn on snaps or grommet snaps, missing her advice.

That’s why Joann Fabric and Craft applying for bankruptcy not once, but three times is something I’ve watched pretty carefully over the last few years. This change marks more than just the end of a crafting supplies business; it’s the end of many things to many people. One of which is easily accessible crafts. Losing any easy entry option to the JoAnn Fabric bankruptcy adds challenges to new crafters, especially if it requires many different materials, like knitting or quilting. The wonder of the internet is still helpful, but it’s hard to know what a thing can feel like if you’ve never felt it before, ya know? 

While we’re sad beyond belief that an era is ending, we’re trying to step up to fill that gap. Many quilting shops, small niche craft shops, guilds, hobby shops, and more are here to help. Hopefully many new craft shops and communities will crop up to fill the gaps for crafting after JoAnn closures, but JoAnn stores are leaving behind some big shoes to fill. The crafting community is a wonderful one, and I know that we will find ways to pull together to keep our love of crafting going!