Joann Fabrics Plans To Close 12 GA Stores: See List

GEORGIA — The bad news keeps coming for fabrics and crafts retailer Joann, which will close 500 of its 800 stores, according to multiple sources.

Joann on Wednesday filed a court motion to start its closures, according to the financial and risk advisory agency Kroll, which is assisting Joann with its claims. This comes after the company filed for bankruptcy for a second time last month.

A list of store closures shows that Joann will shutter stores in 49 states, with California, Florida, Illinois, Michigan, New York, Pennsylvania and Washington among those most affected. Hawaii is excluded from the closures.

The 81-year-old Ohio-based retailer has identified the following 12 Georgia stores for potential immediate closure:

• 3055 Atlanta Hwy., Athens
• 9439 Highway 5, Douglasville
• 2255 Pleasant Hill Road, Ste. 200, Duluth
• 965 N. Point Drive, Alpharetta
• 1630 Scenic Hwy. N., Ste. O, Snellville
• 250 Pavilion Pkwy., Fayetteville
• 1380 Dogwood Drive, Conyers
• 1074 Bullsboro Drive, Unit #6, Newnan
• 540 A Lakeland Plaza, Cumming
• 137 Golden Isles Plaza Pkwy., Brunswick
• 5080 Riverside Drive, Ste. 1300, Macon
• 2951 Watson Blvd., Warner Robins

Joann stores in Savannah, Kennesaw, Decatur, Augusta, Columbus and Gainesville were not on the list.

A company spokesperson said that “right-sizing our store footprint is a critical part of our efforts to ensure the best path forward.” The spokesperson also told USA Today it 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."

The company will decide which stores to close after "a careful analysis" of how those stores are performing.

RELATED: How Joann Fabric Bankruptcy Will Affect GA Stores

Last March, the retailer filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy and kept all of its stores open. At that time, the company said it had acquired $132 million in new funding which it planned to use to reduce its debt by approximately $505 million.

Sales at Joann had slumped after a jump during the pandemic, when Americans were isolated in their homes and spent more money on sewing and craft supplies. Due to the subsequent inflation, several people had to cut back on their discretionary spending.

The news comes as other major retailers have announced closures as well, with Kohl's notably among those last month.