Here's When Joann Closes For Good In West Babylon

WEST BABYLON, NY — Fabrics and crafts retailer Joann is closing 500 of its 800 stores nationwide, including its West Babylon location.

A store manager told Patch on Monday that the West Babylon store on Montauk Highway will close its door for good on Monday, April 28. Until then, it's offering liquidation sales of 50 to 90 percent off on everything, she said.

In February, Patch reported that Joann announced plans to close stores in all 50 states, with New York, California, Florida, Indiana, Michigan, Pennsylvania, and Washington among those affected most, according to CNN.

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 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, many people had to cut back on their discretionary spending.

The news comes as other major retailers have announced closures as well, including Forever 21, Wayfair and Party City.