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Across the Fence:  Fabrics closing  |
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Mikki
True Blue Farmgirl
1510 Posts
Mikki
Austin
Indiana
USA
1510 Posts |
 Posted - Apr 16 2007 : 08:21:33 AM
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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/ |
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UrbanChick
True Blue Farmgirl
331 Posts
Ayako
Atlanta
GA
USA
331 Posts |
Posted - Apr 16 2007 : 08:25:29 AM
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They will be closing the fabric departments in Walmart where I live as well. I'm lucky though, I have several places near me like Joann, Hancocks and mom and pop quilt stores. My favorite heirloom store just closed though and I'm very sad about that. I have to buy my heirloom fabric online now or wait till I go to Aiken SC twice a year to buy them there. A lot of smaller fabric stores are closing because of the big box stores around here. It's sad.
"Courage dosen't always roar. Sometimes courage is the quiet voice at the end of the day saying: I will try again tomorrow." |
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Alee
True Blue Farmgirl
22941 Posts
Alee
Worland
Wy
USA
22941 Posts |
Posted - Apr 16 2007 : 09:04:32 AM
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I know that our local Walmart has recently made the Fabrics section smaller so that they could expand the electronics, but the fabric lady didn't say anything about it closing. I feel bad for all of you who don't have another fabric outlet closer. I hope someone sees the need for a fabric store close to you and opens one!
Alee |
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willowtreecreek
True Blue Farmgirl
4813 Posts
Julie
Russell
AR
USA
4813 Posts |
Posted - Apr 16 2007 : 09:27:41 AM
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Don't know how official this is but here is what the lady at my walmart told me. Many Walmarts will be phasing out the fabric sections in the stores apparently to make room for party supplies!!! Most stores will be carrying precut packs of fabric and fat quarters. Our store is apparently NOT closing the fabric section but many stores where there is not much business in that department.
Jewelry, art, baskets, etc.
www.willowartist.etsy.com
www.willowtreecreek.com |
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Mumof3
True Blue Farmgirl
3890 Posts
Karin
Ellenwood
GA
USA
3890 Posts |
Posted - Apr 16 2007 : 09:51:44 AM
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Same here. Our WalMart near us has their fabric at 1/2 off now. It is dwindling quickly. Honestly, I wonder who did their marketing research? I will only have Hancock's to shop at near me, and that is woesome indeed. It looks like either someone needs to get their act together or I need to open a fabric shop!! :0
Karin
Wherever you go, there you are. |
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katmom
True Blue Farmgirl
17161 Posts
Grace
WACAL Gal
WashCalif.
USA
17161 Posts |
Posted - Apr 16 2007 : 11:05:56 AM
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Oh bummer, I luv "Wally World" (wal-mart) for buying my craft & fabric goodies....
I will have to check out the one in Simi Valley & Oxnard....to see if they too are phasing out my favorite department. No reason to drive all that way anymore if they do close out their craft & notions department. The Hancock fabric over in Simi Valley closes their doors June 1st and good old Joann's Fabric & Crafts over in Thousand Oaks has a very small fabric section but a somewhat decent quilt fabric section.....seems like the days of fabric stores are comming to an end... : > (
tata-4-now
>^..^< Happiness is being a katmom. |
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Tina Michelle
True Blue Farmgirl
6948 Posts
Tina
sunshine state
FL
USA
6948 Posts |
Posted - Apr 16 2007 : 1:28:02 PM
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same thing happened here. We went and bought up a bunch of the fabric while it was half off(my daughter and I) apparently they are going to offer prepackaged fabrics geared towards "life celebrations" such as birthdays, weddings, etc. They will be "celebration Centers" .
Anyhow..I wasn't too thrilled with the idea either. But luckily we have a Joann's and a Hobby Lobby stores here.
I don't think it's a good idea either.
~Seize the Day! Live, Love, Laugh~ |
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mima
True Blue Farmgirl
1573 Posts
1573 Posts |
Posted - Apr 16 2007 : 1:55:09 PM
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| Shows you how dumb I am.... I didn't know the Amish even shopped at WalMart! I'm not sure where I thought they shopped....... |
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theoanne
True Blue Farmgirl
282 Posts
teddie
CARROLLTON
GA
282 Posts |
Posted - Apr 16 2007 : 1:55:15 PM
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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! |
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therusticcottage
True Blue Farmgirl
4439 Posts
Kay
Vancouver
WA
USA
4439 Posts |
Posted - Apr 16 2007 : 1:55:59 PM
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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 |
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blueroses
True Blue Farmgirl
1323 Posts
Debbie
in the Pandhandle of
Idaho
USA
1323 Posts |
Posted - Apr 16 2007 : 4:21:50 PM
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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 |
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Photobugs
True Blue Farmgirl
363 Posts
Pamela
Post Falls
Idaho
USA
363 Posts |
Posted - Apr 16 2007 : 4:45:56 PM
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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/ |
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serenity1652
True Blue Farmgirl
140 Posts
Fawn
Elkins
WV
USA
140 Posts |
Posted - Apr 16 2007 : 5:32:36 PM
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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/ |
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shelle
True Blue Farmgirl
404 Posts
Shelle
oklahoma
USA
404 Posts |
Posted - Apr 16 2007 : 6:39:04 PM
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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/ |
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katmom
True Blue Farmgirl
17161 Posts
Grace
WACAL Gal
WashCalif.
USA
17161 Posts |
Posted - Apr 17 2007 : 9:00:08 PM
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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. |
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katmom
True Blue Farmgirl
17161 Posts
Grace
WACAL Gal
WashCalif.
USA
17161 Posts |
Posted - Apr 17 2007 : 9:06:32 PM
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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. |
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Alee
True Blue Farmgirl
22941 Posts
Alee
Worland
Wy
USA
22941 Posts |
Posted - Apr 17 2007 : 9:20:39 PM
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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 |
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Nicie
True Blue Farmgirl
185 Posts
Denise
Lincoln
NE
USA
185 Posts |
Posted - Apr 17 2007 : 9:26:41 PM
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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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Edited by - Nicie on Apr 17 2007 9:27:30 PM |
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Clare
True Blue Farmgirl
2173 Posts
NC WA State
USA
2173 Posts |
Posted - Apr 18 2007 : 06:10:31 AM
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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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MagnoliaWhisper
True Blue Farmgirl
2817 Posts
Heather
Haysville
Kansas
USA
2817 Posts |
Posted - Apr 22 2007 : 4:55:03 PM
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| 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! |
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KYgurlsrbest
True Blue Farmgirl
4853 Posts
Jonni
Elsmere
Kentucky
USA
4853 Posts |
Posted - Apr 23 2007 : 05:57:22 AM
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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
True Blue Farmgirl
2817 Posts
Heather
Haysville
Kansas
USA
2817 Posts |
Posted - Apr 23 2007 : 10:59:42 AM
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| 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. |
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blueroses
True Blue Farmgirl
1323 Posts
Debbie
in the Pandhandle of
Idaho
USA
1323 Posts |
Posted - Apr 23 2007 : 11:13:44 AM
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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 |
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mom2knk
True Blue Farmgirl
321 Posts
Blanche
So Cal
321 Posts |
Posted - Apr 23 2007 : 11:15:14 AM
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| 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! |
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Aunt George
True Blue Farmgirl
1476 Posts
Georgann
Midlothian
VA
1476 Posts |
Posted - Apr 23 2007 : 11:24:36 AM
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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! |
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Tina Michelle
True Blue Farmgirl
6948 Posts
Tina
sunshine state
FL
USA
6948 Posts |
Posted - Apr 23 2007 : 11:28:54 AM
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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~ |
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Across the Fence: Fabrics closing |
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Fabrics closing
