| T O P I C R E V I E W |
| Mikki |
Posted - Apr 16 2007 : 08:21:33 AM
I heard awhile back that walmart is closing their fabric section. I'm assuming it will be all the Walmarts. The lady I spoke to said June our store will be taking out the fabrics department. We live 20 miles or better away from any other fabrics store. I don't like it one bit. The elderly lady told me yesterday when I was buying my curtain fabric for my cabin that they were also working toward having only department managers and cashiers and no one on the floor at all. To cut back on their expenses. And that they were hiring younger people because they could pay them less. I'm not sure about how all that works. But my daughter just got hired in the lawn and garden department and they always have senior citizens working out there. No more sweet elderly greeters at the door either. My biggest concern is for the Amish because they always buy their fabric at walmart. If I have to go all the way to jeffersonville or Louisville to buy my fabric, I'm not going to go to walmart to get my other craft supplies, duh.... I think their making a big mistake. At Chrismastime they closed lay-a-away. Said it was costing them too much money. I never used lay-a-way, but some people have to. I think Kmart will be getting a lot more business. Sorry, just had to vent.
~~Blessings, Mikki
http://burningmeadowsprings.blogspot.com/
http://strawberriesnapronstrings.blogspot.com/ |
| 25 L A T E S T R E P L I E S (Newest First) |
| Maryjane Lee |
Posted - May 02 2007 : 4:14:55 PM
Went to my Walmart (Murrieta, CA) yesterday and my store said that they will continue to sell fabric. They said that the store never heard of this. Maybe it is some stores??? Can't live without Walmart fabric and notions! Hugs, Maryjane Lee
"A House Is A Home Where Love Dwells" |
| CabinCreek-Kentucky |
Posted - Apr 29 2007 : 10:53:35 PM
i miss roaming in their fabric department too .. every now and then .. they would have nice 'homespuns' on sale! i can still get high quality home-spuns at 'market' in columbus .. kentucky doesn't have the 'plethora' of fabric stores that we had 'back east' though. two small fabric stores have opened in our county recently .. and i sure do like the idea of supporting local women in their businesses much more so than the 'mega-stores'. xo
True Friends, Frannie
CABIN CREEK FARM
KENTUCKY
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| katmom |
Posted - Apr 29 2007 : 10:49:57 PM
Don't ya just miss dearly the old "Mom & Pop" type of establishments?
We have become so use to the Mega stores- 1 stop shopping, that we have given way the personal attention that we would get in the small shops..... phooey, I miss the days when gas station attendents offered to pump gas for a lady. And...you are so right, some of the employees that work at the big chain craft stores know little about crafting let alone where anything is. I have noticed that the ladies at the Joann's in the next town over are so busy yacking with each other that they pay little attention to customers. I had a young gal cut fabric for me, she started to run her shears through the fabric & I asked her not to, after a rather indignant look (toward me) she asked why & I told her it pulls on the nap of the fabric. I should have said "Because I am the customer & I asked you not too!". When I was in my early 20's & worked in a fabric store & we were forbidden to run our shears through the fabric, we were told to cut the fabric slowly. I guess our boss was looking out for the customer...
Ok, I am done venting....I just really miss the smaller fabric stores.
tata-4-now
>^..^< Happiness is being a katmom. |
| Alee |
Posted - Apr 29 2007 : 9:37:59 PM
I agree. I like to try and patronize smaller stores rather than the larger chains, but sometimes my budget just doesn't allow for it.
However, I do love a certain store here in town and I will pay more if I have to just to support them. They are vacuum sales and repair shop. I have bought both of my vacuums (used) from him and I got a sewing machine there too! The repair guy is an older gentleman and runs the shop with his wife. His wife is very talented at quilting and they are both so sweet. They just make my day whenever I go in there. When I bought the sewing machine the man threw in about $20 worth of free items to help me get started and even gave me a quick sewing lesson so I could get started right away.
A little while ago we took our vacuum in because it had suddenly stopped working. I explained to them that I did not have much money and could we just get an estimate so I would know when I could pay to get it repaired. He repaired it anyway and charged me less than he normal charges for repairs. They are so sweet and you could never find that kind of customer service at a big box store!
Alee
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| brightmeadow |
Posted - Apr 29 2007 : 4:08:38 PM
hmmmm. I don't shop at Wal-Mart, unless I absolutely have to- and I guess this is one reason why - they blow all the small local retailers out of the water with their low priced made-in-Asia goods, then one day someone in corporate HQ makes a decision, and then there isn't anyone left to supply the goods to the local market...
The small grocery that sold local produce and locally produced meat/dairy products across the street from the new Wal-Mart just closed their doors. They couldn't compete.
Thank goodness we have a small locally-owned quilt shop, a local hardware store, and a new local butcher just opened here in our small village. They are closer to my house than WalMart anyway - even though Walmart is closer to work.... I make a real effort to patronize the local businesses rather than the big chains. I may pay a few dollars more but I find it is worthwhile to keep the local dollars circulating in the local economy.
You shall eat the fruit of the labor of your hands - You shall be happy and it shall be well with you. -Psalm 128.2
Visit my blog at http://brightmeadowfarms.blogspot.com ,web site store at http://www.watkinsonline.com/fish or my homepage at http://home.earthlink.net/~brightmeadow |
| kreativeblonde |
Posted - Apr 28 2007 : 4:35:42 PM
Went to "the mart" today and asked the fabric gal what was going on...she said that she was told in a meeting that they are only taking the fabric departments out of the Super-stores.
Amanda
theheadlettuce.blogspot.com |
| MagnoliaWhisper |
Posted - Apr 23 2007 : 2:00:46 PM
We don't have hancocks any where near where I live. But, it's near my sister and she loves it! I loved it too when I went there. It was around when I was little, then went out of business, my mom used to get every thing there. I sure wish we had one here.
Don't get me wrong, I am not downing JoAnn's. But.......sadly the ones around here hire people that know nothing about their products, so they never know where anything is or that it even exsist. Andthey are very expensive compared to WM and hancocks. |
| Tina Michelle |
Posted - Apr 23 2007 : 11:28:54 AM
it has certainly changed since Sam Walton owned it. I actually had the opputunity to meet Sam Walton many years ago..a real nice fellow.
~Seize the Day! Live, Love, Laugh~ |
| Aunt George |
Posted - Apr 23 2007 : 11:24:36 AM
We have two WM's near us and they are both keeping their fabric departments, so far. The Hancock is in, I think it is Chapter 11 bankruptcy, and will be staying open. They had a sign on the door the other day that they could once again do special orders because their credit has been restored! Imagine that!
G
http://auntgeorgeshouse.blogspot.com/index.html
Thanks for checking out my apron and sewing musings! |
| mom2knk |
Posted - Apr 23 2007 : 11:15:14 AM
Our new Walmart (open 2 years now) is taking out fabrics too! I also saw a notice that our Hancock Fabrics is closing its doors too!! That only leaves JoAnn's! |
| blueroses |
Posted - Apr 23 2007 : 11:13:44 AM
Pamela,
I'm glad to hear your news, cuz the ladies in Post Falls told me that the whole fabric dept was closing. Whew.. glad to hear that's not the case.
"You cannot find peace...by avoiding life."
Virginia Woolfe |
| MagnoliaWhisper |
Posted - Apr 23 2007 : 10:59:42 AM
KY, that was what was weird about this "new" walmart near me too. The one that has the tiny fabric dept is close to where I live in Queens (it's still in long island, but very close to queens). The new one with out a fabric dept is pretty far out in LI where less stores are, and more of a country folk life where I would think from the people I know in both areas, a arts/craft/fabric dept would be even more supported there, then here in Queens. Even my husband was kind of surprised at the, well for lack of a better word stupidity in that kind of choice. Makes no sense. |
| KYgurlsrbest |
Posted - Apr 23 2007 : 05:57:22 AM
I asked my neighbor lady, who works at Walmart, if our fabric section was closing--she said that ours wasn't, but that Dry Ridge, a very rural Walmart super-store, was completely doing away with their fabrics. Does that make sense? Dry Ridge is halfway between Cincinnati and Lexington, and there isn't ANYTHING near it. Walmart is all they have besides fast food, and it's the kindof community that would support a fabric store more so than Florence (suburban, more transient...)
She's worked for them for a long time and said she thinks they're losing sight of what they started (including relationships with employees).
"In the spring, at the end of the day, you should smell like dirt." Margaret Atwood
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| MagnoliaWhisper |
Posted - Apr 22 2007 : 4:55:03 PM
Ok about a year ago the one closest to me and another one down the road both dramatically reduced their fabric dept. In fact, the one closest to me now only carries at most 10 fabrics at any given time. And usually the most god awful ugly stuff you ever seen-day glow orange, and camoflauge mainly! I live in NYC, I do not know who is buying day glow orange or camo! WEIRD! They also no longer sell any kind of sewing patterns, and greatly cut down on their cross stitch and other stitchery type products. The one down a little ways further carries a bit more but not much. Then just recently just a bit further down the road a brand new walmart opened. I buy a lot of my Aunt Martha's hot iron embroidery patterns at Walmart as it's the cheapest (much cheaper then JoAnn's!). So I thought YEAH, fresh meat-fresh patterns, new supply! As the stores near me usually have been torn up, and pretty much ravaged through! I got there, and went around and around that store. Couldn't find the arts/crafts/fabric dept. I finally stopped a woman in the "party supply" part, that was near where the "fabric" dept usually is (by the shoes/electronics). And asked where the fabric dept was. There is none! Only this crazily huge party supply dept that was completely vacant! And I have yet to go to a fabric dept in walmarts that was that void. Even the tiny dept by my house ALWAYS has at least 4 or more women in it. So I don't see this "party supply dept" flying much. I don't get it! |
| Clare |
Posted - Apr 18 2007 : 06:10:31 AM
They built a new super store about 40 miles away from here and also did not include a fabric section in it. With quilting being so big everywhere, you'd think they'd want to capitalize on it. We do have a JoAnn's here, altho it's a dinky store compared to most of them, and a couple small quilt shops and a Craft Warehouse, which has a fabric section. So, there are still options.
Humor is the prelude to faith and Laughter is the beginning of prayer. -- Reinhold Niebuhr
I want to be an "outrageous" old woman who never gets called an old lady. I want to be wiser, resonate love & peace and be earth-colored, till I fade away from pure joy!
http://farmstyle.blogspot.com
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| Nicie |
Posted - Apr 17 2007 : 9:26:41 PM
I also talked to the lady in the fabric department in my local walmart and she said that some are closing but theirs was not. They build a new one 50 miles away and didn't even put one in to start.
Denise
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| Alee |
Posted - Apr 17 2007 : 9:20:39 PM
I think I would be more upset if Jo-Anns decided to stop carrying fabric than if Wal-Mart does. However maybe that would be good since then I would shop more at the local quilting stores here in town.
I feel bad now when I realize there are at least 2 quilting/crafting stores here in town that I have never shopped at and I patronize Jo-Anns and Wal-Mart.
I vow to shop at one of the Mom and Pop stores next time I need fabric!
Ciao
Alee |
| katmom |
Posted - Apr 17 2007 : 9:06:32 PM
Almost forgot, while talking to the ladies at wal-mart one of the ladies made a comment about Joann's Febrics/Crafts. One of the ladies said she has heard 2 different rumors...rumor #1, that Joann's is going out of business and rumor #2, that Joanns was getting rid of their sew/fabric section and becoming more like a Michaels craft store. Has anyone else heard anything to these rumors?
tata-4-now
>^..^< Happiness is being a katmom. |
| katmom |
Posted - Apr 17 2007 : 9:00:08 PM
I ran over to the "Wally World" (Wal-mart)in Simi Valley and yep, the dear ladies confirmed that the sewing & notions part of the store would be removed, but they did not know yet if the craft section would be.
If we all took the time to e-mail the Wal-Mart Corp., & let them know what a really dumb idea it is to get rid of these sections,,,,that they might lose us as customers maybe they will re-consider. I know I will not drive out of my way to shop there once the fabric's section is gone. 'course my hubby still plans to patronize them unless they get rid of the fishing & golf section!!LOL!
Well the fumigation tent comes off the house tomorrow & DH, 4 fur-babies & I will get to move out of our 20' (motor)home & back into our house...yeah!
tata-4-now
>^..^< Happiness is being a katmom. |
| shelle |
Posted - Apr 16 2007 : 6:39:04 PM
I will have to drive 70 miles to the nearest Hancocks if the walmart store close the fabric section in the store 20 miles from here. K-mart 40 miles away doesnt even sell a button or thread....absolutely no craft items or fabric. I hope walmart keeps their fabric and crafts...........or i will be up the creek.
Shelle
http://janzenfamilyjournal.blogspot.com/ |
| serenity1652 |
Posted - Apr 16 2007 : 5:32:36 PM
Ours are closing to...they said that they just do not sell enough...they are doing price cuts now.
How sad...I will have to drive 30 miles for my fabric.
Fawn
"May all of your farm girl dreams come true...as mine has"
http://shallowcreekfarm.blogspot.com/ |
| Photobugs |
Posted - Apr 16 2007 : 4:45:56 PM
MIL checked this out at our Walmart here in Idaho, but they are not closing. She had heard the whole crafting section was to close so she went in a asked. Thank goodness they are staying open. Our closest stores for fabric are about 8 miles. But Walmart is only about 1 1/2 miles from me.
http://homesteadmercantile.blogspot.com/ |
| blueroses |
Posted - Apr 16 2007 : 4:21:50 PM
Our Walmart's fabric dept is closing too. I feel so bad for the ladies that work there. They said the store will try to find them another position, but ....
"You cannot find peace...by avoiding life."
Virginia Woolfe |
| therusticcottage |
Posted - Apr 16 2007 : 1:55:59 PM
I talked to the lady at our Wal-Mart and she said that not all fabric departments would be closing. If they have made good sales then Wal-Mart will keep them. She said that their department is one of the highest selling so they get to stay open. I don't do much there but have a few things that I pick up as they are the only place I can get them.
www.annarosetta.com |
| theoanne |
Posted - Apr 16 2007 : 1:55:15 PM
I also have heard the "party supply" story from our Wal mart store. Joanns and Hancocks are 30+ miles away. We have a new Hobby Lobby,but it has such a small amt. of fabric. I don't think our area has too many sewers. There is a cute quilt shop about 10 mi. away,but her calicos start @ 7.00/yd :( Too expensive for me.
Mikki I feel sorry for the Amish. Going 20 miles in a buggy for fabric would be an awful long ride!
Karin want to meet halfway and open a store? :) LOL I would have no clue how to do this.
Teddie
Too blessed to be stressed! |
