Joann Fabric To Close 500 Stores: How Will MI Be Impacted?

MICHIGAN — The bad news keeps coming for fabrics and crafts retailer Joann, which will close 500 of its 800 stores, according to reports. This comes after the company filed for bankruptcy for a second time last month.

The company has not released a specific list of the stores closing. However, court filings show that Joann will close stores in all 50 states, with California, Florida, Indiana, Michigan, New York, Pennsylvania, and Washington among those affected most, according to CNN.

The 81-year-old Ohio-based retailer has stores in the following Michigan locations:

• Adrian
• Allen Park
• Alpena
• Ann Arbor
• Auburn Hills
• Battle Creek
• Benton Harbor
• Big Rapids
• Bloomfield Hills
• Brighton
• Burton
• Canton
• Chesterfield
• Essexville
• Flint
• Fort Gratiot
• Grandville
• Grosse Pointe
• Holland
• Jackson
• Lansing
• Lapeer
• Madison Heights
• Midland
• Norton Shores
• Novi
• Petoskey
• Rochester Hills
• Roseville
• Saginaw
• Shelby Township
• Taylor
• Ypsilanti

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.

Last March, the retailer filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy and kept all of its stores open. At that time, the company said it has 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, many 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 announcing closures last month.