Is Your Local Hancock Fabric Store Closing?
Tuesday March 27, 2007
Last week, Hancock Fabrics Inc. filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection, which will keep its creditors from pursuing lawsuits against the corporation as it reorganizes its business. Hancock has also been delisted from the New York Stock Exchange. The corporation announced in February that it would close 30 stores, and now 104 more are on their way out. I shopped at the store nearest me if I needed Kona cottons or denim, since that particular store rarely had other fabrics I would use for quilting, and I don't normally sew garments. In many small to medium sized towns, Hancock is often the only fabric store choice, especially now that WalMart has decided to do away with most of its fabric departments. Do the Hancock closings affect you as a quilter or as a seamstress, or will you even notice they are gone?
P.S. -- The popular Hancock's of Paducah is an entirely different company, so don't confuse the two!
Comments
Hi,
The store near me is in Waco and is closing. From what I’ve read it is the low performing stores that are closing.
The Waco store used to be a wonderful store before they moved in to another building. Then for some reason, someone decided Hancock’s should go in the furniture business, which I believe was a fatal mistake. The Waco store had furniture all up front and customers had to navigate through that to get to the fabric. The store has tons fleece, enough to cover Texas! Also, it was in a messy condition, dirty floors, etc.
I’ve heard a rumor that JoAnn’s is going to stop selling fabric - don’t know if that is true, and I haven’t been to the Waco store yet to ask. I hope that isn’t true. If that happens that will leave only Hobby Lobby and two quilt stores.
Will I miss Hancocks? Probably not, not in the condition it was in. It wasn’t a pleasure to shop there.
My Hancocks store is in Rancho Cucamonga CA. I was saddened to hear of it’s intention to close. I enjoyed shopping there as they usually had a better selection of fabric than JOANNS. The personnel in this store were not the friendliest, nor were they quick to assist you, but I did enjoy the fabric “hunt” for charity quilts. I’m sorry to see it go. That leaves Joanns and a couple of high end quilt shops in my area. I hope it doesn’t come down to online fabric buying. I will miss the touch of fabric and the creative spark that comes when you walk thru a row of beautiful fabric…..sigh…..
Our Plainfield store in Grand Rapids Michigan is closing. I am going to miss this store, the staff is always very friendly, extremly helpful and always more than happy to help a new sewer/quilter like me! We have another fabric store down the road but their customer service is no where near Hancocks
Kathy Kurth
The Scrapbook Store
www.thescrapbookstore.net
What is happening to all the fabric stores. I live in Southampton,Pa. There is only one Hancocks in this area and it is not close by. The only fabric stores are Walmart and .JoAnns .. Where do we go when they go out? What ever happened to competition in the Stores. I keep hearing that people don’t sew much anymore. I find that hard to believe. We need better selections of fabrics and at a decent price I for one have a difficult time finding nice fabrics for the projects I want to make. I make clothing, home projects and crafts. It’s getting harder and harder. I’m sure there are many people just like me out there. Help the sewing people!!!! Thanks for listening.
I do not have a Hancock’s close enough to me to matter, but it did hurt me tremendously when Walmart quit selling fabric. But it did give me an opportunity to visit several privately owned fabric stores in my area and found them to be very friendly. The selections were awesome and the prices weren’t as bad as I had expected. I don’t understand why all these stores are quitting the fabric departments. Do they know something we don’t?
We have a Hancock store here in Douglasviile, GA and they are on their way out too. I personally think if they had provided excellent customer service for their customers, they would have had a booming business. But who wants to have to hunt up someone to ring up a purchase or even to get help? I will miss them in our area, but what’s to miss with the customer service? Whay was it like that in all their stores?
One Hancock Fabrics in Morrow Ga has already closed. I go to the one in Douglasville Ga when I can. There are no fabric stores close to me the closest is JoAnns and Hobby Lobby in Fayetteville. The Hancock Fabrics was my favorite fabric store friendly people and great selection of fabrics. I will definately miss it. The Hobby Lobby is my preferred store much friendlier people and they know how to cut fabric. JoAnns cuts down to the barest inch and doesn’t leave room for shrinkageor crooked cuts. The Quilt Shop near me closed I really liked the owner but the prices were beyond me as are the other quilt shops around here. I would much prefer to shop there. But just can’t swing it. I rarely buy fabrics in Walmart anyway. They also don’t know how to cut properly and the quality just isn’t there anymore. I may buy muslin or interfacing that seems to be the same all over.
Looks like we are going to be forced to go to the internet. But with shipping included not much savings there and I don’t get to play with the fabrics or see the true colors. Its sad with all the fabric stores closing. I also do clothes, household sewing,quilts and beds and things for our pets
The Hancock Fabrics near me closed last year. There are still one or two others in nearby communities, but not convenient. I do have a JoAnne’s close and a favorite little quilt shop, so while the closing really did not affect me, I was sad to see it close.
I have shopped ecxtensively at the Hancock store in Naples, Fla and Springfield, Il. bothhave knowledgeable personell, are good about answering questions and eager to please. I am so disappointed we may not have them in the area. Walmart in Springfield does not have fabric or many notions, theJoann”s is so messay and cluttered you do not want to go inside. Also quality has dropped.
We are blessed with good quilt shops in the area but the prices are higher but quality is excellent. I always shop the sales when possible.
the manager of the Naples store was very good about hiring but I know renting facilities were not the best. Hacock started as a drapery furniture store but some shops carry more furniture than others. I am thankful forr them.
Besides Walmart which carries only a fraction of what a sewer/quilter really needs, we have only Hancock’s in Charlotte NC. We have a couple of fabric stores that cater to drapery etc.and Hobby Lobby which carries a better quilting section and nicer fabric, but to find all those needful things - we only have Hancock’s. I do hope we do not lose ours. What has happened to all the fabric shops? I know from chatting with internet groups that we spend LOTS of money. I wish I knew what was going on too.
We lost hancocks sometime ago and are now losing all Walmart material. Such a shame just joanns and hobby lobby near either to high in price or not enough variety.
The only Hancock Fabrics I ever went to is/was in Rhode Island - Pawtucket or Providence I believe - the store was a disaster - not clean - fabric bolts not neat and put away, etc. so I for one am not surprised at the news. I work at an independent quilt/fabric store in the Boston area, and if we let our store go like they had, we would be gone too.
I just hope the Hancock’s in Charlotte is not closing. I will miss it. Good selection, good service, good prices. I quilt a lot. … I guess it’s time to really stock up!! …Susan
The Hancocks near my home in Macomb, Mi, is closing. We still have JoAnns, Wallmarts, and several quilt stores but Hancocks is the only store that offered a large selection of fashion fabric at a reasonable price. I will miss the store.
If our Hancock closes here, Alexandria, La then that will leave us with a quilt shop. WalMart and Hobby Lobby and most of that is for quilting suppplies, altho Hobby Lobby does have a good selection of homedecor fabric. This will leave us with no nice garment fabric which is very important. I have had many people tell me that the service at our local Hanclock is not good and the people are not helpful. But yes I would certainly miss them. Hope they do decide to leave the store here as I do have to go there a lot for my supplies.
Good Morning, Sorry to hear about the Hancocks closing - with quilting as popular and growing as it is, you would think that there would be more store openings. In reading the previous comments, I see where some of the Wal-Mart stores are getting rid of material - the one near me has a good selection of material and other needed supplies. Thanks
I shop frequently at our Hancocks for garment fabrics and quilting. I really hope that our store will not be closing. The people are friendly; the store is clean; and they DO know how to use a ruler to cut fabric. I’m not sure how we pass our craft down to the next generation if this trend continues. I want to “FEEL” the fabric before buying.
I live in Milwaukee, WI and I am going to miss the Hancock that is closing. The fabric was different from Jo-Anns and I felt it was better fabric. The help was just great. Friendly help is hard to come by these days so it was nice to go into a store where they helped and had a smile….we have another one to go to but the help is not like the one which is closing.
They have already closed 2 stores on the northside of San Antonio, Tx, and the Walmarts up here have also stopped the material. We still have a JoAnn and Hobby Lobby and a great quilt store Creative Sewing.
This seems to be a popular trend lately - first Wal-mart is doing away with their fabric depts and now Hancock Fabrics. We quilters and sewers will have no place to purchase unless it’s online. That has its drawbacks as you can’t see/feel the fabric you want to buy and sometimes when you get your shipment it is not what you had hoped, and had to wait, for. Then you ship it back and wait some more. How sad
We have one Hancock Fabrics in Bakersfield, CA and as far as I know from talking with my Quilt Teacher whom works at Hancock Fabrics here our store is not closing as of yet
when it does I will be very sad because I don’t like shopping at JoAnn’s because the personnel in their store don’t like helping customers and the ones that cut fabric don’t know how to cut fabric correctly. Fabric selection is o.k. but they don’t carry as much as our Hancock Fabrics does. I’m an avid Machine Quilter and Embroidery Machine enthusiast. Losing our Hancock Fabrics would be a Sad day for us Quilters. We have two or three high-end Quilt Shops here but the prices are not great! To expensive for my taste. We have three Wal-Marts and at least two that I know of still sale Fabric and some notions. The Wal-Mart I shop at definitely sales Fabric and Notions and even enlarged the department not to long ago. Some of you are saying your Wal-Marts are not selling Fabric anylonger that would really stunt my Fabric Growth for which I’m accustomed to on a regular basis. My Mom and I tell everyone that “The person that dies with the most Fabric wins.” e-quilter.com is a great source for Fabric buying and easy to navigate…very helpful and will answer any question you may have for them. Bye for now and GOD Bless.
Smiles, Chrissie
I just can’t imagine Flint without our Hancocks (yes, ours used to be Minnesota Fabrics, but at least it’s been Hancocks!). JoAnn’s just doesn’t compare. And there is no where else to buy “yard goods” in this town. Remember when Penney’s, Singer’s, even Sears & Roebuck had fabric? Yes, it’s great summertime fun to hit places such as the wonderful Ice House in Grayling, but those botique shops are just for travel purchases, not our year-round shopping. How do we get Hancocks to stay in our town? Those gals need their jobs! And we need their service.
I have also shopped in the Hancock’s store in Naples, Fl. and will miss it. Thankfully, I have enough fabric on hand to last me the rest of my life! The new Joann store in Naples is NOT messy- it was the old Joann store in East Naples that was bad. Evelyn
Our Hancock Fabrics in Champaign IL is NOT closing! Hooray! We need to keep Hancock’s so quilters have a place to shop that isn’t $10-15/yard! I make a lot of quilts and donate most of them. Without reasonably priced fabric, I’d be hard pressed to afford to donate. Project Linus, Comfort Quilts, Marine project, local nursing homes & Crisis nursery wouldn’t be getting the quantity of quilts they need without places like Hancock Fabrics. Sure, I shop in high-end quilt stores, too. I travel a lot & love to buy different fabrics from where ever I go, but I also go back to Hancock Fabrics. HUGE selection, friendly staff, good inventory & reasonable prices are the reasons.
I don’t know about the store here in Corpus Christi, TX. I do use that store occasionally. The Hancock stores I’ve been in lately in different parts of the country are not clean and neat and are not organized very well at all. Unfortunately, in Corpus Christi our fabric options are extremely small. Usually have to go to San Antonio for good deals.
I have not heard yet if the closest Hancock is closing here, but ours has been so low in good quality fabric for so long, that it is not my first choice to stop in anyway. We have a nice small quilt shop in Dale IN that is not $10 a yard or more, but priced from $3.99 - $8.50 a yard fabrics. Her selection would be greater if she was visited more, but she is keeping her doors open more with her yarn sales. If some of the discount houses close, then smaller mom and pop operations like this Shirley’s Sewing Stuff will be able to grow. Shirley is very helpful, I love her variety, I go there first. Anyone in this southern Indiana area, if you have not been there yet, check her out. Also Val’s in Ferdinand IN is full of nice fabrics at lower than some quilt shop prices. Just a hint for those in my area if the Hancock’s goes out who don’t know of these places. Around here, if we look we CAN find nice fabrics and selection at reasonable prices. The prices charged by the discount houses put others in a bind because they could not buy at such lower costs, and they lost business.
It was nice to have more choices, but if ours goes out, I am glad we still have committed businesses who offer a fair shake. If you want high quality for a great quilt to last forever and the largest selection possible there is the Merchantile in Booneville, IN. Super place too.
I did not have a Hancock’s near me so it isn’t really a blow to my quilting. I don’t usually purchase anything except in quilt shops…on sale when I can (we have great sales in my area) because when I put all that time and effort into a quilt, I want quality fabric that will last and look good. No Wal-Mart, JoAnn or Hancock for my work. That’s not being a snob, it’s using my money and time to it’s best advantage.
Our Hancock Fabric store in Murfreesboro, TN, is staying open, thank goodness. They said it is a million dollar store and the company is keeping those open. I hope it stays that way. Ours is clean and has helpful employees, so maybe that is why it is not closing. It also has a great selection of fabric and notions. JoAnn’s was planning to build here but now have pulled those plans.
I also live in the Waco, TX area. I heard that Hobby Lobby was also discontinuing fabric along with WalMart. That leaves 3 quilt stores where the fabric is about $13 a yard. Who can aford that?
Yes it effects Irving Texas and ME really bad. They are the only fabric store we have. The next closest StoreJoanns and Hobby Lobby are 16 miles away
Now I understand why the Hancock store in Layton, Utah had some empty shelves. What to do now? I shopped there ever since I moved to this area. It is just about the only fabric store around that carries a good selection of fabrics for clothes. there are a ton of quilt fabric stores around here but it was nice to have the selection. Sewing and fabrics have been a part of my life since I was 5 I’ll miss the variety.
We have a Hancock and two Walmart stores with fabric. If they should both stop selling fabric and related supplies we would have to travel quite a way. When we travel, I try to pick up more than I need in hopes of saving a bit of gas.
Here in Buffalo, NY the Hancock Fabrics closed a couple of months ago. I’m really upset about it. The salespeople were fantastic, and were always willing to go the extra mile to help me find a certain fabric, or work out options for fabric combinations. We still have a Joann’s and a Joann Etc……big deal!!
Some days I think it’s a miracle to walk into either one and actually find fabric. The artificial flower section is almost double the entire quilting department. Local merchants are always ranting about all the online shopping people do, but when you can’t find anything locally, the internet is your only choice.
I would love to have enough disposable income to shop the fancy dancy quilt stores, but I don’t. What is wrong with a store offering decent quality, reasonably priced fabric for all us ordinary sewers and quilters?
In this day and age, since we CAN shop on the internet, I would think actual stores would be doing everything possible to encourage customers…better personel, larger selections…NOT shutting down and downsizing.
I think WalMart is making a huge marketing mistake closing so many fabric departments. I will definitely be spending more and more of my shopping dollars online.
The Hancocks in Longview, Texas is not closing, thank goodness. The employees there have become friends, and I shop there a lot. Hancocks is always clean, the employees are friendly, and will go out of their way to help anyone. We have only one quilt shop in town, and their prices are way too high for me.
We have three Hancock stores in Las Vegas and thank goodness only one is closing, so that there will be one on each side of town. Some of our Walmarts are keeping the fabric department and some are not, but have figured out which ones they are. Also, if ever in the Elko, NV, area, stop in the Walmart there. I was there this past weekend and the fabric department is booming. The sales associate said they received a memo that their fabric department was not closing due to their sales and location. The closest Walmart is in Reno, NV; Salt Lake City, NV, or Idaho. Happy sewing to everyone.
Hancock’s headquarters and factory is in our area, so we have some friends who are concerned about their jobs. Our nearest store is in Tupelo and it is not scheduled to close. It’s fairly new.
Until recently, there were two stores in Tupelo, but the older one was cut in the last round of closings.
I live very near a Hancocks in Chino HIlls CA .. but there is so much stuff not fabric in there and so few staff I often just go to another store. The quilting fabric is back in a corner and up on a wall without a place to lay it out and have a look. I’d like to see the store re-organized and some of the decorating junk taken out. I go to a fabric store for fabric, not furniture and doo-dads. I don’t know if my store here is closing, I’d miss it as I do use it for convenience - now that sounded really selfish, didn’t it? I do’t do on-line for fabric as I want to supposrt my local shops and I want to handle and create with the real stuff in front of me.
We have 3 Hancocks here in OKC, and 2 of the 3 are closing.. We have lost all of the fabric departments at Wal-Mart’s on the South side of OKC & Moore.. I hate it.. I agree with some of the other people about Hancocks going into the furniture business bad move for them. If you are a fabric store you need to stick with fabric and craft supplies NOT FURNITURE….
Happy Quilting and Crafting to everyone…
Our Hancocks closed last year, only open for two years. Nice well kept store in Antioch, CA. Like someone said lots of furniture up front. We have Joann’s and a couple quilt shops around, but they are very expensive.
I live in South Dakota, and the Hancocks in Yankton is closing its doors. Now I will to make trips to Sioux Falls to get my fabric. I was told that the Hancocks in Sioux Falls is the only one in my part of the state. Not only that,but the Joanns in Sioux Falss is the only one in the state. What are the quilters and sewers to do? I’m a die hard seamstress and quilter. This is really going to makeit harder to get fabric.
First Walmart, now Hancock and I’ve even heard a rumbling about some of the JoAnn’s closing. If memory serves me corretly…there was a panic about “cloth” stores in the early 80’s too. I was worried at that time, what are we going to DO! I’m worried again! There was an article out a few months ago about the “quilting” business in the $30m in 2005or2006 and growing. What papers are Walmart, Hancock and JoAnn’s reading!!!!
Years ago I had a very, very bad experience with Hancocks and their honoring the warranty on a defective sewing machine (expensive). Apparently, others have not been so unfortunate. However, as a result, I vowed never ever to shop Hancock’s again. Because we now live quite remote (50 miles to nearest Joann’s and other fabric stores), I make a lot of online purchases. I simply read carefully, try to determine thread count, etc. and buy from well-knowns. I have never had to return a purchase and have found, if anything, the quality to be above and beyond. Also, many throw in a FQ or something as a gift … always a nice surprise.
I live in rural South Dakota, and Hancocks in Yankton is closing its doors. It only opened a year ago and now is closing. The nearest town that has Hancocks is Sioux Falls which is 45 minutes away. This does not leave many choices for the die hard semstress and quilter like me. Not only is Hancocks 45 minutes away, but the only Joanns in the state is in Sioux Falls. So now I really have to plan my trips when I need fabric.
Please keep Hancocks open in Onalaska WI. I will be lost without it. Clerks are the best and helpful.Your quality of fabrics are the best.I live 45 miles from the store but visit there at least3 or 4 times a month. And Spend lots of money each visit.Thanks Stay Open Please.
I definitely hear you all about the need for affordable fabric. It seems like there is a huge opportunity for someone to create a chain of stores that are well organized, clean and have consistent inventory. Hopefully Hancock will learn from this and come back stronger, but I doubt they’ll ever open stores in as many locations as they have now, even if they survive their current problems. It’s sad.
Hancock Fabrics in Tempe is also closing. I don’t know about any others in the Phoenix area.
I was not surprised to hear this one is closing. It has always been messy - bolts piled helter skelter and the service was not the best. I recently saw on TV where sewing is coming back really big. People want to be learn to sew as they want to make something themselves. Really made me feel great to see this. JoAnn’s certainly has a monoploy on fabric - such a shame!!!
Roseburg,Oregon our main shopping town only has Walmarts and JoAnn’s for affordable fabrics. This year JoAnn’s no longer carry their calanders that had great monthly coupons.Makes me wonder if they will be staying in business? I remember the hostile takeover when they took over from House of Fabrics in the early 90’s. It’s awful not to have anyplace to buy reasonable fabrics!
In Littleton, Co there is one Hancocks that I’ve been to once. It’s location is in the back of a center that you don’t see from the street so it’s hard to find. The selection is good, but location is bad. I think the proliferation of on line stores has killed retail fabric sales. There is little overhead therefore more profit and that’s what merchants look for in the end. JoAnns has not sent their 40% off coupons for a long time either, and has more and more on lline.
My neighborhood Hancocks closed last year. I helped them clear it out I bought lots of their sale fabric. I really prefer Joann’s.
I, too, am disappointed in the closing of Hancock’s in my area. I live in Nederland,Texas, but the Hancock store is in Port Arthur. The only stores for shopping for fabrics now will be JoAnn’s and the more expensive fabric stores, one here in Nederland and two in Beaumont.
Since I moved to AZ there is not a Hancock close to me. But I always have been more of a Joann shopper anyway. Their quality of fabrics is really nice for quilting. As far as Wal-mart, no I will not miss their fabric dept. Their fabric is ok for kids appreal but that is about it. No matter where you love to shop for fabric, the big question reminds. Why are we losing so many fabric stores? People still sew and quilt. But if you will notice, even Joann has more craft items than fabric. I do purchase fabric online occasionally. But I prefer to go to Joann or a quilt shop. I need the experience of the “touch and feel” to make my final decisions. Remember when dept stores carried fabric?!! Sewing is alive and well! PLEASE KEEP OUR FABRIC STORES OPEN!!!!
The Fresno, CA Hancocks is not closing at this point. I rarely go there as it just does not have the selection I like plus it is not “clean”, who wants home decorator items, etc. The new Joann’s Super Store finally has it’s act together in regards to the fabric selection. It is great and the ladies are SO nice. They don’t fold the fabrics the way I like so I usually ask to do it. The Wal-Mart store is retaining its fabric department and has an EXCELLENT selection of low cost fabrics. The Dept. Manager is fantastic. ALL the ladies (even a couple of guys) are superb in their service, cut well, fold the way I like and are NEVER in a hurry or try to rush you. It is amazing the patience these low paid employees have with some of the nitwits they deal with! I, too, would be devastated if I could not touch my fabric. So often it is not “just right”. I no longer sew for myself but do baby quilts, blankets, etc. and the flannel available at Wally World is so very reasonable. Right now I have 75 blankets ready to sew and bought enough fabric yesterday for 25 more! We have a Children’s Hospital within a hour’s drive of my house (near Yosemite National Park). I sure would like to know what brainless people are making these decisions to close “our” stores!
All Hancock stores are closing in Michigan - only about 6, but they had a good variety of fabric and notions. I found myself shopping there instead of JoAnn’s just because of JoAnn’s coupon policy changes.
I live out in the boonies. The nearest
Hancock store is fifty miles from me. Twenty miles the other way is a small JoAnne’s which is not very organize and
clean. I do a lot of sewing (for myself) and quilts for me and special
charity functions. I like to FEEL fabric
and am excited when walking down the aisles of fabrics. I don’t like to shop by internet. Why don’t they leave
at least one Hancock store open per city
instead of closing all of them. Hancock
is a special store to me—their fabric
variety is so much better than JoAnne!
The Hancocks in Redlands is also a million dollar store and is slated to remain open. The one in Chino that somebody mention will be closing. I also have shopped at the on in Rancho Cucamonga. I talked to the store manager in Redlands and south of Bakersfield the one in Redlands in the only one that will remain open in California. I also asked about the furniture and she said that the smaller tables, chests and that type of thing really sells in that store. I belong to American Sewing Guild and we are really pushing people to support the store in Redlands to do our part to keep it open. We have two quilt shops in Redlands also. One of them I really like and the other one I won’t go in because of the type (style) of fabrics that they carry. The store that I really miss is Cloth World. Joans bought the Cloth World in San Bernardino and Redlands and turned them into craft shops. They recently closed both of them and opened a Super Joans in Redlands. I was really excited until I went into the store. They had increased the amount of pick and save type items from the other two stores, but not the fabric selection. I am hoping that the Redlands store stays open and that they don’t do any changes in the type of fabric selection that they carry. Georgia
It’s so sad. I learned to sew clothes for myself and have enjoyed my outcomes.
Especially since I am a single mom with one toddler boy, I sew for him too. On a fixed budget, school and working, sewing is my outlet from stress. But now
that Hanacock is closing, is very sad.
I never care for JoAnne and I don’t shop
often at Walmart. There are two Hancocks
in the Toledo Ohio area. But both are
closing soon. Hancock always had a better variety of fabrics and large selections. why can they not keep at least ONE HANCOCK OPEN!!!
Hi
I do 90% of my shopping at quilt shops but I do need to purchase things that quilt shops do not sell. So, I, for one, will missing Hancokc Fabrics. i live in the country and the closest quilt shop is 30 miles and Hancocks is 50 miles.
Gas adds to my expensive; so I make big purchases when I do shopping!
We have 3 stores in Baton Rouge,LA and this is the first I;ve heard of any store closures. It wouldn’t surprise me if 1one were to close.
Closing the only 2 Hancocks Fabric stores within traveling distance for me is terrible. I look to them for clothing fabric, trims, etc. and now only JoAnns will be left. They don’t always have what I need, so shop often at Hancocks. We are also loosing the fabric dept. in both our Walmarts so we will have to really travel for reasonably priced fabrics. We do have quilt shops, but they too do not carry everything. In fact I can’t afford up to and more than 9.25 a yard for quilting fabric. Reorganize, don’t remove the Hancock stores. It will only hurt the customer.
We, sewers, like to see and feel the fabric before buying it. We do not want to purchase on the internet and have to ship it back! Walmart, and so many other stores including independent have closed! We NEED them. I need them! Maybe it they didn’t try to sell furniture etc. they would do well!
I saw this article and called my local Hancocks. It’s about 20 miles from my house. It isn’t closing. Oh well, I guess they won’t be having any big “store closing” sales.
The Springfield, Ohio Hancocks closed about 10 years ago forcing us to to the the Hancocks on Airway Rd in Dayton, Ohio by the Air Force Base. They closed their doors last year. Now we have to travel to the store on Indian Ripple off 675 South of Dayton. If this store closes we won’t have any in the area.
As far as the Wal-Mart stores (2 Super Wal-Marts) in Springfield; both still have a fabric department. However, the store on N. Becthle Ave is getting very depleated. That will leave us a samall JoAnn Fabrics Store and Hobby Lobby. But I have heard that even Hobby-Lobby may close out their fabric department.
We have no quilt shops in Springfield any more. The last one closed about 15 years ago. But there is a new one opening in Urbana, Ohio called “The Quilter’s Outlet”. She will be opening on May 1, with her Grand Opening on May 12. We all wish her the best.
I just called our Hancocks, here in Bakersfield, CA. I talked to Bobbie, and they are definately NOT closing. (Chrissy - I don’t know you, but I bet you are dancing! I agree about the prices and such at the quilt shops. By the way, for a little drive, there is a new quilt shop in Maricopa, and not only are the prices reasonable, but the owner is SUPER friendly, and extremely helpful!)
Anywho - I’m a quilter, and a fabric horder…and THIS is a good thing for quilters and any woman with a handkering to put needle and thread to material! At least in Bakersfield.
Nancy
As a Mississippi native (went to college with the daughter of the original owner back in the early 70’s), the news last week that Hancock Fabrics declared Chapter 11 nearly broke my heart. All my life I’ve shopped at Hancock Fabrics — all across the country! My local store is in NW Austin — a clean, bright, airy store with the nicest employees. I haven’t heard if they’re to be part of the closing, but I sure hope not! The Austin Joann’s employees know very little about sewing/quilting and the store is habitually understaffed. So I’m keeping my fingers crossed we get to keep our Hancock’s store!
deb
Round Rock
PS: Don’t even get me started on the ill will Hancock’s of Paducah is generating! Talk about money-grubbing people who don’t give a rat’s behind about their customers!!!!
PSS: I’ve heard rumors online that not only is WalMart doing away with their fabric areas, but so is Hobby Lobby! I hope that is all it is: a rumor!
Yes, the Hancock store in our area is also closing. In fact, we were told every store in our district is closing! We will have to drive 5 hours or more to the nearest Hancock store. THere are no other stores with clothing for fashion construction in our area other than Hancock. We mainly have quilting stores, JoAnn’s and Hobby Lobby. Most of the Walmart’s have eliminated most of their sewing sections in our area as well. It is really discouraging. I live in Amarillo, TX and we are very far removed from major metro areas with access to fabrics, etc. for various types of sewing. I understand that once Hancock reorganizes, it may re-open some stores, so call 877-HANCOCK to ask them to consider your site if they do re-open any stores.
For some reason I cannot fathom, Fabric stores have decided to fill their stores with junk and candy. The Hancock store here in Hayden, Idaho is one of the worst. While in a long line waiting for a cutter, one more employee came out of the office and started taking care of a person who had just walked up and was not in line. The employee ignored the comments and grumbling so two of us walked out. I won’t go back for more abuse. I worked at a Fabricland Store for 3 years. Our store was required to be clean and all fabric draped correctly. The customers were taken in “next” order and we always called employees off the floor to help customers.
I live in small rural town in Arkansas. The Hancocks in Poplar Bluff, MO is closing. It is 30 miles away but the only fabric store there when Wal-Mart removes it from that store. Wal-Mart has already removed it from two other stores within 30 miles from us. The next town is 50 miles away, has Hobby Lobby but that’s all. I have sewn for 40 years (mostly clothing) but have started quilting. I think the corporate offices don’t realize the mistake they are making.
Is the store in Lynnwood washington closeing? If so let me know soon.
It might be helpful and of considerable value for us to communicate to Hobby Lobby, JoAnn’s and other local fabric stores about the service they provide to the home sewer and quilter. Stores need to hear it from us regarding what value their product lines provide for us. I’m sure that if each person who has shared comments here would go to the appropriate websites and answer a cumtomer survey, we might make a difference.
It was great news to learn that our Hancocks in Wichita Falls is NOT on the hit list. They will remain open. I have also learned that Hobby Lobby will continue carrying fabrics. They are restructuring their fabric dep’t, not closing it. The department manager seemed quite excited aout the changes which she says will be a good improvement.
Here in Palestine, Tx we have been able to save our Walmart for a while. The ladies in fabrics got over 2000 signatures to send in. Other than a small quilt shop downtown only open Tue-Sat (1/2 a day) this is all we have. Hancocks is about 50 miles from here in Tyler, Tx. Haven’t heard if they are closing. This store is ok but a little unorganized. I will miss it. The Joann’s in Tyler closed a few years ago. Hobby Lobby is about the only thing left for fabric other than some quilt shops. When I win the lottery I will buy all my stuff at these. They have beautiful stuff but I can’t afford them all the time. One little elderly lady wrote and told Walmart Corporate that she couldn’t drive 50 miles to buy thread and to please save our fabric department. I guess it’t more important to sell beer, wine and all that imported junk.
I was happy to learn that the Hancock fabric store in Lewisville, TX is not closing–not so far, anyway. Cloth World did, then Michaels and finally JoAnn’s,the latter of which was mostly piles of second-rate fabrics and craft items that were cheaply made. The fabric was dimestore quality and there wasn’t one spool of 100% cotton thread in the store. I’d miss Hancocks a great deal if they got caught up in the Chapter 11. The only other fabric shop in Lewisville sells highend goods. I buy there, too, but about half the time I just want to make a quilt, not an heirloom.
I work at JoAnn Fabrics. I am not sure if they will be closing their stores. There is new manangement at the top, and all they care about is the dollar amount of each “ticket” (your total at the register). We must push merchandise on the customers to build that amount. They do not care that the sewer’s relationship to the salespeople is crucial to the survival of each store. They seem to be pushing the small stores out of business by short staffing (no potty or dinner breaks possible), long waits at cutting and registers, staff pushed to do custodial work and maintenance (including handling dangerous chemicals for cleaning), rather than personalized help for customers.
Many small stores are being denied a mix of the merchandise customers ask for, while the JoAnn ETC (superstores) have it all. This forces us to send our customers to the “SuperStore” which hurts our bottom line.
More and more young people are sewing ( many young men too), as schools in my area offer it. We have no time to help them and still do the long list of required chores each day.
Bottom line? They want to become the Home Depot of Fabric. Maximize profit, minimize assistance, you the customer has to grin and bear it.
We have nothing in our area -no Hancock’s–(Charleston, WV) so i usually hit several quilt shops while on vacations. The wal-mart has stopped selling fabric and Jo-ann’s is terrible. No one wants to wait on you, and the place is very messy. We really need someplace to purchase fabric that is not so expensive
The Hancock store in Westerville OH closed about 2 years ago, and many of us were so disappointed. Whenever I needed supplies, notions, etc., this store was only about 1.5 m. from my home. I truly miss it, and feel so sorry for the folks who have to travel bunches of miles to get sewing supplies.
The Hancock store in Vacaville, CA is closing. I am heart broken, as they had nice fabrics, quality sewing notions and friendly helpful staff. That leaves one high end quilting shop and JoAnns. JoAnns has too much messy “stuff”, unfriendly and unhelpful staff and not much quality fabrics to choose from. I didn’t like the furniture part of Hancock either. It was in the way, doesn’t belong in a fabric shop and expensive.
I worked at six local Hancock Fabric Stores, all of which are closed or closing. I certainly miss them for shopping and my job. I worked in Port Huron, Michigan last. I injured my knee on the job, had surgery and was not taken back because managers were out of work and there was no room for me.
You know this is so outrageous, I find it hard to contain my self. First Walmart is dropping its fabric dept in certain stores, now Hancock wants to go belly up. What is this? Do not try to make me think that people are sewing less, because that is just not true. What I see is you add different stuff to a fabric store and decrease space for fabric, therefore your selection is smaller and because some CEO thinks he/she knows, or think they know the route to go. Then the store loses money and they want to close it or end it. Truth is if you get some people that really know what the customers want then they will do well. And ALL the people that I know want better selection and lower prices. But I guess it’s easier to file bankruptcy and quit.
will the hancocks in Jacksonville NC close? Sure hope not as i shop there alot.
Annie, I’m not sure they have released a list of all stores that will close. They might have, but I haven’t found it yet.
The Hancock Stores in New York State closed last year. I’ve also heard the rumor that JoAnn’s is closing and if Wal-Mart discontinues their fabric, we will be reduced to only quilt shops. While the quilt shops have great fabric, they are also much more expensive than JoAnn or Wal-Mart. I live close to Canada and have often shopped there. Their fabric is almost the same price and because they sell by the meter, you are able to get 4 more inches than our regular yard. I don’t know if all the JoAnn stores through out the country have the type of fabric that the stores in my area carry, but frankly I feel most of this fabric belongs in the Dollar Store. As a quilter, I have a difficult time shopping at JoAnn stores because of this poor quality fabric.
I found out last week that my Hancock’s in Fitchburg, MA is closing. I was told at the time that is was because the small business tax in MA is being increased; apparently that is not the case as they are closing all over. My local Joann’s closed in the last year, and I liked Hancock’s better. Now there is nowhere in the area, but a few small quilt stores, which is good for quilt fabric, but I also do apparel sewing and Hancock’s had a good selection of apparel fabric. I do some fabric shopping online but I do like to see and touch the fabric first. Not only do I get fabric there, but embroidery thread, serger thread, stabilizer…now I will have to go online for all that, and pay shipping too!! I will miss Hancock’s.
Chico CA Hancock is closing in June! While it’s not the greatest fabric store, they have a great selection of fabric…some staff need training in how to cut fabric.
They are so much better than most at our local Joann’s (which is dirty and messy.) Only a couple of the Joann employee’s are friendly..there are lots of staff but only a few who are helpful or pleasent..store manager is snotty…and act’s like she’s doing you a favor at the check out.
I prefer the Hancock selection…and will really miss them.
I am so sorry that our store in Redlands, California is closing. It was a lovely store and the staff so very helpful. They have wonderful classes and are very accomodating.
As to Walmart closing their fabric section I have seen some examples of their fabrics and wouldn’t use them to clean the floor with. Absolutely horrible.
Karen
Crone@dslextreme.com
Almost a yr in Hendersonville, NC and still haven’t gone to Hancock’s in nearby Ashville so I guess I won’t miss it! I have picked up some specialty prints at JoAnn’s Super Stores that are near the Interstate as I travel…and of course NOTIONS and BOOKS w/ the great coupons.
Other than that I go to quilt shops.
I really think it is a shame that Wal-Mart and Hancock’s are not going to be able to have fabric, as there are many people who are 50 + miles from a quilt shop or who cannot afford the prices for better fabrics. I’m thinking of one friend who LOVES to make wall hangings, and even Wal-Mart’s bargain prices are tough for her to manage.
The Hancocks store in Anniston, AL is closing. The local Walmart stores are discontinuing their fabric. There is a Hobby Lobby in Oxford and Gadsden, but doesn’t carry the inventory that Hancock’s does. There are several quilt guilds in the area, and I don’t know where we will get our fabric. I probably have enough fabric to last me a lifetime, but looks like a road trip if I want more. It seems like a way of life is coming to an end. It really makes me sad.
Carol Moore
My store in Port Huron, Michigan is also closing. I was shocked.
What is going on, with Handcocks, Walmart etc. I buy lots of fabrics from these stores. At this rate people are going to be forced to buy all there goods from the high priced fabric shops. I for one will have to cut back on my buys. Joann’s doesn’t have that great of a store. There prices are high also. Maybe they should checked management.
I love Hancocks. We need fabric stores like Hancock’s and JoAnn’s. The quilting stores are so much higher than these two stores…..Besides you get warm, informative people helping you. \Jan
I am very upset that Hancock is closing, because they are the only fabric store that I could always find what I was looking for. Joanns does not carry a large selection of fabric, my store located in Glendale, is going to be missed. I am sorry to see them go. I may have to shop on line but I will try not to if I do not have to, I prepher to feel, touch and see the material in person before I purchase it.
Marysville-Ohio, has fabric in local Wal-Mart but the quality is poor and the selection is not so great either.
I loved Hancock’s when I lived in Centerville, Ohio. I remember shopping there more than Joann’s for apparel fabric. We made most of our cloths growing up.
Now I am a quilter. I have to travel a half an hour or more to get to any fabric shop. I do on occasion buy fabric at our local Wal-Mart. Marysville, Ohio had a quilt shop that closed in December of 2006. There is a new quilt store in Springfield - Ohio, called Creative Fires on Progressive Drive. But my favorite quilt stores are Always in Stitches in Grove City, a 45 minute drive, Red Rooster and Quilt Beginnings North are a half hour drive.
I always hate to hear people will loose there jobs. That hurts the most.
Our store in Columbus, MS is closing. They say the Wal-Mart is losing the fabric, however, their sales are still booming here. Yes, I’m going to miss the Hancock’s store. We’ll have to drive to Tupelo or Tuscaloosa, AL to buy fabric at a Hancock’s.
The Hancock’s in Fitchburg MA is closing. There’s one other Hancock’s in the state, which is in Springfield, 2 hours away. I wouldn’t be surprised if that one was closing either.
I was not really surprised, as far as I could see, it wasn’t getting good business. Even then, it took me an hour from Boston to get to Fitchburg. I can get to at least 6 Joann’s and 1 Superstore in that time. Plus we are fortunate to have independent stores that are local to the area.
The only Hancocks I have ever shopped at is in North Kansas City, MO and over the 10 year period I have shopped there it has been going downhill steadily. Barely any staff, dirty, cluttered, and the few people on duty are more concerned about putting out product. This is not the employees fault, this is what is expected of them. The chain has put themselves out of business not the consumer. I don’t really think it has much to do with lack of customers buying fabric but instead it is like so many other retail venues, the bottom line. A lot of the large retailers are trying to run a store with as few employees as possible. There is someone sitting in their office at “headquarters” projecting on paper how many man hours it takes to turn a profit and then they cut that even more to get to their magic number. The problem being we the consumers are allowing them to get away with it. My time is as pricey as theirs and if they don’t want to have enough staff to wait on me promptly then I take my business elsewhere!! I do not make a lot of money but my time is important to me too. The big “W” is a prime example and retailers are following their lead. JoAnn’s is right on the heels of Hancock’s as far as I’m concerned. When you have to wait for someone to finish at the cutting table before you can check out then they don’t have enough help. Hobby Lobby is the ONLY craft store where there is staff dedicated to the registers and my local store is very prompt on getting more help to the front if needed. Consumers have “paid the price” for cheap prices in the customer service area. Those retailers who’s main concern is dumping product on the floor have NO customer service. In the end, like Hancock’s, the retailers that are blind to this fact will meet their end.
There are 2 stores near me that are closing. They feature material that is not at JoAnn’s. There is one store that will remain open, but I won’t drive that far to go to it. I get my best quilting material at my LQS, but I do buy others items at Hancock’s or Walmart. I am lucky to live in a large city so I have other options, but feel bad for those in smaller towns.
I was quite surprised to find out that our Hancock store in Schererville, IN is closing. It hasn’t been in this area long. (The nearest one will now be 25 miles or so from here and their sales tax rate is higher so that adds to the cost.) I liked the variety of fabric. They carried fleece and licensed character fabric that no one else had available. I will shop the closeout sale and stock up on character fabric. I like to make pillow cases for my grandsons so when they stay over they can choose a character to sleep on. I will miss seeing the friendly sales staff.
I sew for a living and can’t imagine having to shop exclusively at Wal-Mart, HL, ect. I worked at a Hancocks for years and they did have good selection.
Hey, Annie Durbin, poster #80, did you by a nd chance work at HAncocks #1392?
Hi, I do not have a Hancock fabris near me. I always wished we did.Our walmart is ending their fabric department. I dont no what Ill do now. Online fabric is expensive Plus shipping. Dont no what to do.
I’ll only miss the Hancock’s here for items like needles and getting to use the 40% off coupons for quilting rulers, mats and cutters. (Glad I just stocked up last month!)
I’ve been buying a LOT of fabric online from http://www.thousandsofbolts.com - you can’t beat the discounts anywhere! They may not carry whole fabric lines, but they have exquisite batiks ranging from $3.85 to $5.85/yd. I’ve never seen any fabric there go over $5.85. Many times I’ve seen identical fabric at other online quilt shops selling for $9.95 a yard and upward - OUCH! I did discover a local quilt shop - actually SEEING all those fabrics side by side was a breathtaking sight - but the prices scared me off. Try Thousands of Bolts - the service is *excellent* as is the prices, IMO.
I livein Ontario Canada and sew my own clothes and have only 1 store to dress fabric and good quilt stores. Wish we had another dres material shop for selection Sorry to hear about hancocks to many stores closing here also
The Hancock’s in the Randallstown,Maryland (near Baltimore) closed a few years ago (I guess the problems were just starting). My girlfriend loved the store for clothing, especially the ethnic fabric. Joann’s had nothing like it. Once I started quilting, it became my store for quality fabric. I was sorry to see it go.
i loved shopping at hancock fabrics when we lived near las vegas…it was a great store..but since we moved to texas i had not located any of the hancok stores in san antonio did find one joannes but would not go back to it…we have a nice american handcrafts store here locally and a very nice quilt shop (creations of kerrville) i have ordered quite a bit of fabric on line and have never been disappointed..
Our Hancock Store in Cypress ca is ckosing I have worked for the co. for 15 years There are no other good fabric stores here in souther ca.
I am very concerned about fabric stores and departments closing! I sew, quilt, crocet, embroider and craft nearly as much as I breathe!! I and other ladies from my church sew, crochet, quilt and do craft projects for needy families, missionaries, homeless people, nursing homes and church events such as Sunday school and Christmas. I personally make quilts and sew for making money to support these other endeavors and other ladies in my church are on fixed incomes. To be honest, I wait for Hancocks to have sales before I shop and I goto a Joannes only if I can not find an item I need anywhere else. I simply dont have the resources to shop a lot of these places. I dont believe my circumstance is unique. I hope and pray these folks can turn their circumstances around! We lean a lot on Wal Mart fabrics and crafts, too.
I live close to Rocky Mount, NC where the local Hancock’s is closing. The Tar River Piecemaker’s Quilting Guild which has about 110 members is located in RMT too. With this closing and Wal-Mart phasing our their fabrics and yarns, it does present a serious loss for all of us. We are within 50-75 miles (minimum)of Raleigh and other cities/towns that have sewing and knitting supplies. With rising gasoline costs, this does present a real loss to all of us.
the nearest Hancocks to me is in Tyler and if it closes it will effect me very much.
Walmart’s in West Plains, MO,.and they are closing we will have no place to shop close. No hancock or joann’s The nearest hancocks ro joanns is 100 miles from me
We lost the Ben Franklins in Mechanicburg,Pa a few years back because of Micheals and ACMoore. The Hancocks was only open for a year or so and now it is closing. The location may have been jinx by its close location to ole Ben’s. Can’t stand Wal-Mart and we have a fabric and a new yarn store in Carlisle. Micheals and ACMoore do not sell fabric. Yarn, yes. The nearest Hancock will be ( I hope) the west shore. Lancaster,Pa is supposed to be good for quilting fabrics.
Walmart has just closed their fabric dept and I don’t know about Hancock. It is such a nice store and has a wonderful selection of fabric. I do hope they don’t close. What can we as sewers do to encourage fabric stores. Goodness knows I shop and buy enough for 2 customers. What else can we do?
Many people depend on the more affordable places to buy their fabric. Thee just seems to be less and less services available to say a quilter just starting out, Not everyone can always afford the high priced quilt shop fabrics.
We have lost one Hancock’s in Aplharetta, GA and may lose another in the marietta area. I stopped shopping at the closing store as the store became very dirty and unorganized. The staff were alway quite nice but since the store announced its closing everyone has been quite sharp with the customers. I hope that the store in Marietta does not close as I do alot of shopping for quilting materials there. We have had to fight Walmart in order to keep the fabric department in our Canton area. It took many emails and calls but it was still made smaller when the store was remodeled. It is along trip to the nearest JoAnn’s and I have found that selection is getting less. What is going on? Our quilt guild makes hundreds of quilts for the womens shelder each year and it has become more difficult to do find materials lately.
We waited while they kept advertising a new Hancocks would be built, for 3 years,in nearby (30 miles) Bend, Oregon. Finally last summer it opened. Everyone was so excited. Well I have only been there 2 times. Never find much, too much “other stuff”. I still go to LQS, Walmart (which says they are not closing) and Joann’s. I hate the Joann’s store, but do enjoy finding cute fabric at times there for fillers in my quilts.
So NO I won’t miss Hancock’s if they close. Just sad we waited so long and were so disappointed when they finally moved in.
I can understand why Hancock’s is going out of business! The store on Metcalf is filthy & junky. Fabric is piled everywhere, in baskets on the floor etc. It’s hard to find someone to wait on you. There is a sign on their door that says “We are not leaving”! However, I overheard a clerk telling someone on the telephone that they were bankrupt and clerks were putting out 1/3 off certain items…not all! Go figure! JoAnn’s is cleaner and better organized but sometimes it’s very hard to find someone to wait on you to cut fabric… Like someone previously said, the big guys in Headquarters are cutting corners to the detriment of the businesses.
Our only Hancock’s in the Reno-Sparks area is NOT closing. Hurray!! They have been getting some nice quality fabric. I did thoroughly dislike wandering through the furniture to get to the fabric.
The thing I don’t like about our store is that someone smokes in the back. I have purchased patterns, and the tissue paper stinks of cigarette smoke. Because of the smoke smell, I don’t even think about buying fabric from the back of the store.
Please!! I hate when the mega companies have us over a barrel!! The Hancock’s Fabric in Citrus Heights, CA is closing. It was not the best fabric store, but it was nice. I did purchase the “other” items they offered, such as lamps, paintings, tables, etc. and will miss brousing in the store. Just opened a new Super Wal-Mart in Citrus Heights, but it not only does not have fabric, but I found it impossible to find the craft area. It seemed to have everything spread throughout the store, and I never did find any unfinished wood or paint. JoAnne’s is nice, but the one near me is real unorganized and always has boxes of stuff sitting out for you to trip on. Beverly’s is nice, but the one in Fair Oaks does not have a lot of fabrics to chose from and the fabric stores nearby are quite expensive. My complaint about most all of the stores that carry fabric is the screaming kids running around and hiding in the fabrics and I am never able to just sit and relax and look at the pattern books in quiet. I will miss the fabrics at both my nearby Wal-Mart and Hancock’s and will have to try a larger Beverly’s or JoAnne’s with better selections.
The Hancock’s in Sterling VA is closing as is the Vienna and Woodbridge stores. I am very disappointed as that was an easy and convenient place to run to when I needed a needle or a spool of thread or even a button. While it does have too much fleece and lots of decor items which I am not interested in, it was still a nice and clean store (Unlike our closest JOANNs) The clerks at Hancocks in Sterling knew sewing and what they were doing. Some have worked there a long time and I am sorry to see them lose their jobs. Mostly I am sorry for the loss of convenience in having a fabric store close to my home. While JOANNs is not that far away it is dirty and cluttered (why do I hear this over and over about a chain? How do they stay in business?) JOANNs hires just anybody that is a warm body and I find shopping there anything but a nice experience. I am really sad to see Hancock’s leave my corner of Virginia.
The Hancock store in Sarasota is closing adn that is not a good thing. I depended on this store for most of my sewing supplies. I do alot a various different types of sewing and other crafts and it was about the only place I could get the supplies I needed. The sales help in the store were very helpful and I will miss having a place i could shop that was near my home.
Going to hancock fabrics in fitchburg, ma was a treat for me. I live about 30 miles from the closest one (as we only had 2 in massachusetts)There are about 10 joann fabrics around here, but they are inconsistent. They are ether spotless or a disaster waiting to happen. In the boston area we have a couple of “hiddden jewels”(off price fabric stores) but you cannot always get what you need. I would always go to hancocks in las vegas when we were there,a s well as when I visit family in northern virginia. It is a sign of the times as you have to pay people a decent wage, as well as commercial rents are high as well. It seems like that the process of making things out of material is fast being replaced by cheap, poorly constructed imports, that someone can buy for pennies, and resell them - my pet peeve at craft fairs when people are taking their merchandise out of oriental trading boxes and passing it off ashand made
I am 50 miles from the Hancock store that is closing in Minot, ND. It will hurt those in the area that are quilting and sewing people. There is talk about the Walmart store doing away with the fabric department. That is a lose to us too. It really limits the selections we can choose from. Florence
Rumor has it that WalMart will be getting out of the fabric business too and now Hancocks…this will definitely effect my charity sewing. I am on a fixed income, so I can’t afford to pay high fabric prices, shipping costs, etc. If JoAnn’s goes, that will be it for me. =(
The Hancock store in Valparaiso, Indiana has closed. When the rumors first began personnel in the store let customers know what was happening. It was the ONLY fabric store in Valpo which served a large area. We do have Walmart which certainly has its place, but it is no Hancock Fabrics. Many of us emailed, called corporate and wrote letters. It was located in a strip mall and to remain the cost per square foot was more than they wanted to pay. My choice is to either travel 45-50 minutes or more…or order on line. I have done more on line ordering for the quality and variety for quilts…sad to see them go…Marilyn
The Hancock’s in Bradenton, FL, is staying open. According to the ladies. there will only be 4 Hancock stores left in FL. The Sarasota and Tampa stores are closing according to them.
We are losing our Hancocks store here in Chico Calif. I am very upset about it. It is the best fabric store in town . Now I will have to travel two hours out of town to get to the fabric store in Sacramento Calif.
I have shopped online at FabricDepot.com and they are not only reasonable in price,(you get a discount when you order online)their service is very good. I ordered and had my merchandise in a week.
I’m saddened by Wal-Mart and Hancock deciding to either do away with their fabric depts (Wal-Mart) or closing most of their stores (Hancocks). Our WMU group at church does a lot of chairty sewing, and we are all on fixed incomes, this will affect our “projects” very much. JJ
How Ironic.In QNM for May’07.Jan Magee’s editor’s letter quotes several sources documenting the evidence of a rejuvenated quilting industry. To quote her “Because sewing has taken off in popularity is no reason to lessen the efforts.Where there used to be a void to fill,now there is a need to fill and it’s growing every day.”
What happeded to supply and demand?
There is a list of the stores that are closing at
http://scatoday.net/node/8328
I am not sure how current the list is. I read they added a few more stores to the list and now it will be 134 stores closing.
I am glad Hancocks is closing. The quality of fabrics is no where near the quality of our local quilt shop here in South Dakota. The staff at Hancocks barely know how to cut fabric, much less sew.
Our Fitchburg, MA, Hancock’s is closing and we are in shock. There are few alternatives near us. I recently started an after school sewing club at my daughters’ school, and now they will have nowhere to go to continue on their own. Very sad for us.
Seems to me that POOR business is a trait of Hancock’s. The store near where I live in Louisiana has UNHELPFUL EMPLOYEES according to my students but then so does Walmart. Hobby Lobby is friendlier but more expensive. I have read most of the comments and all of US are saying the same thing keep the big guys in business. Ladies the big guys are the ones that are impersonal and unfriendly. If you read what some of the comments are saying they seem to prefer the smaller more personal stores except for the price. Why??? Pride and the want to succeed as well as a personal investment. The big guys have no personel investment now they work for the stockholders and still draw a check just like we do. I myself plan to take full advantage of the closures. I am opening a fabric and craft business in my area and will not allow it to be overpriced, have rude employees and insist on personal one on one service on a first come first serve basis. No customer is unimportant even if they only need a button. One of the first bosses, besides my parents who were also self employed for 25years, I ever had told me to treat each customer like a Queen/King and they will send the rest of the kingdom to shop with you. His business was successful for many years until his health failed him. My dream will come true and with the two Walmart stores discontinuing fabrics and crafts and the possibility of Hancocks closing also in our twin cities, will be a benefit for my new business. As for missing Hancocks, yes i will miss it because I have been a life long shopper of the local store and try to send all of my students there even though they insist on buying the cheap stuff from Walmart. Missing the Walmart fabrics/crafts, NOT, couldn’t care less if that store closed its doors for good. They honestly do not hire their employees for their personalities.
I first became addicted to fabrics when a MEMCO opened in our area I was 11 yrs old it wasn;t a great selection up until then it was GC murphy’s in olde town alexandria va…then Minnesota fabrics opened and I could not cut enough lawns or babysit enough to keep my addiction sustained….then it became hancock fabrics and seems like its needed help every since. I moved to the Outerbanks of NC and all we had was walmart hancocks is 75 miles away…we now have 3 quilt shops but $$$$ I spent the summer in Durham and spent time at both Joann’s and hancocks there but selection was ok stores for the most part disorganized…So hopefull those powers that be will read these posts and know what they have to do ….
our hancock fabrics in warren michigan is closing. i for one won’t miss it at all. until jo-ann fabrics opened up a few miles away, it was the only fabric shop around that was close to me. at hancock fabrics, i never could find a clerk to ask a question, and the clerks that worked there were all crabby all the time. also the prices of their fabris compared to jo ann’s was too expensive. also jo ann’s always has a 40% off coupon every week that can be used on all their merchandise..
It sounds as if people were discouraged with both Hancocks & Jo Ann’s.
In many Hancock’s I found them to be very rude, unhelpful & overpriced. You could only use there coupon just on fabric. Will not miss that store. Who would have thought that all they had to do to stay in business would be to give 40% off off anything. Jo Anns store has a bigger selection were I live, offers more discounts and even though the lines can be long at times, I feel it is worth it. I was in San Fransisco last week and the line at the Ross’s went from the registers to the back of the store, and I never heard one person complain. Could you imagine that every day. I also know that there is not any store that would ever bring prices back up to a regular price & then let you use a coupon for more then what there sale price is. So I don’t know why Jo Ann’s ever did this in past, no other stores ever did so I can see why they changed there coupon policy to be like other stores. I also know that if you want change at your Jo Ann’s then all you have to do is go to the Guest Services on there Web site and email your concerns and they will do everything in there power to make things right. So if your Jo Ann’s is having problems, they can’t fix them unless customers let the corporation know. I always get a response back from Jo Ann’s, but never from the Handcocks Corporation. Also ladies these people working in these fabric stores are only working for minimum wage & I have seen many of them deal with many mean & hateful people just for minimum wage. I personaly think people that work for that low of pay in any job should be really respected, not treated like garbage.
Have A Great Day Everyone!
There is a Huge store of fabrics in Portland Oregon and they have a great Web Site of fabrics for sale.
Fabric Depot
Check it out……..
Our local Hancock’s is closing and I will miss it. But the final brilliant sales stategy probably says it all about Hancock’s management.
Thirty to fifty percent off of everything, the signs say. But other signs say “two yard minimum cut.”
For a store in which I’d guess bolts of quilt cotton equal, if not outnumber, all the other bolts of fabric combined? A two yard minimum cut? I’d say that Hancock’s management is comprised of fools who wouldn’t know what to do with two yards of fabric if you put it in their hot little hands.
Wal-Mart may continue their fabric department here for another two years, but the selection is sad.
I do have to wonder about the business acumen displayed by both companies. Of course, that goes without saying in the case of Hancock’s but I include Wal-Mart — heresy, I know, but they’ve made quite a few missteps lately, too, it seems.
In any case, if my stash grows at a lesser rate in the future, maybe that’s a blessing. I might not have to evict my family to gain more room for fabric.
The Medford OR is closing. When it opened about a year ago I was excited. I went in and signed up for the monthly coupons. Never got them. Filled out paperwork three times. When I complained, I was told by the clerk my writing must have been eligable. Sorry - never have been back. They had very few customers so I assume I am not the “only” one that was treated “rudely”
I live in michigan and a art quilter. I love hancock fabrics and all the stores are closing in my state. Hancock has ruined my life because of this. I hate
Joanne fabric its like so fake fabric,
like the design has been slapped on the fabric and it reminds me of paper. what can I do now? Does anyone know where a similer store that I can go to in lower Michigan a good one like hancocks? Please help.
e-mail love2quilt@wideopenwest.com
The Hancock Fabric store in Roebuck (near Birmingham, AL) is closing, as is the one in Jasper. Rainbow City (near Gadsden) and Cullman closed several years ago. I live in none of these towns, but close enough to drive in if I needed something. I know of no privately owned fabric stores in this area; several had to close when the WalMarts popped up everywhere (and WM fabrics here were always hideous and of low quality). I plan to try some online fabric shopping (not JoAnn or HL though). Have been purchasing yarns and supplies for knitting online for several years with sensational success, so why not fabrics.
What’s happened to the fabric stores? For starters, schools quit teaching Home Economics in the mid-1980’s. So, for over 20 years, there haven’t been any NEW sewers, unless they paid for their own classes outside of school or learned from their mothers or a family member or friend. So-Fro was a casualty several years ago when Joann’s bought them, now Hancock’s is on their way out. They haven’t had good customer service or clean stores in years. It’s a shame. I’ve had wonderful luck buying fabric on ebay or large fabric retailers on the internet. In Denver, there are only a few stores that offer good customer service and a clean store. I walked out of a Joann’s just this week because I couldn’t get anyone to cut my fabric! I guess they wanted it more than I did. It is marking the end of purchasing yard goods as we knew it.
I live in a very small rural town but have 3 Wal-Mart stores within a 30 mile radius. So far, none of them have starting to rid the fabric dept. I hope they don’t. We have a Hancocks in Moline, Il and another just across the river in Davenport, Iowa, and they are about 40-50 miles. I haven’t heard if they are closing or not, but I certainly hope not. I shop there everytime we are in town. I love to make quilts for my grandchildren, and also donate a lot of quilts to nursing homes, Salvation Army, and charity benefits. The Hancocks here are both very clean, have a wonderful inventory, good prices, and good help. I like Moline much better, but do shop at both locations. I also shop at Hancocks on-line. I usually have an order on-line about every other week. I don’t like having to pay shipping, but really at $2.60 a gallon for gas, shipping is no more than I would pay for gas to drive the 40 miles to Hancocks. But I do prefer to FEEL the fabric. We also have a JoAnn Fabrics, but I like Hancocks better. And I like the quality fabric from Hancocks better than the quality at WalMart. But I do buy a lot of fabric at Wal-Mart also. If Wal-Mart quits the fabric line, and Hancocks closes, I don’t know what I’ll do. I simply CANNOT AFFORD to shop at the local quilt shop. $8.00 a yard and up is beyond my budget. As far as WalMart is concerned, I wonder if they have stopped to realize that while we are in the store shopping for fabric, we also pick up other items, like milk, bread, shampoo, ect. If I have to go elsewhere to get my fabric, I will be picking up these other items elsewhere also. I will not make a special trip to WalMart to purchase these things. They will lose sales on OTHER ITEMS throughout the store, when they chase away the quilters.
I agree with with the majority of your comments from all over. I have also requested to be put on mailing list for sales and coupons many more than three times and never received a mailer or email until I was informed by in store employee that the problem is most likely that you cannot fill in BOTH boxes, it’s either one or the other by ground mail or by e-mail. I took precise care to fill forms out legibly so I know it cannot be the handriting, maybe it’s the hand ‘reader’. Also that I cannot read the promotional coupons because they need to be deciphered by a technical expert by the time you figure what coupon is good for what day, time of day, before noon, or after noon time, etc. I am too tired to drive over. It is degrading to say the least. Whatever the real reason, I find some of store help to be no help at all. I tried to go to Hancock Fabrics after several trips and wasted time and gas because the store in LA on Melrose & LaBrea had closed after being open for a very short time. I couldn’t dream that they wouldn’t have the business to support their endeavor, especially in this area. Wahlmart has some good pickings depending on what you are looking for (mostly in the way of upholstery fabric) on bolt ends.
So I continue to go downtown LA to Michael Levines. Their upholstery and drapery fabrics are in a separate store right across the street from the regular fabrics and they do do have a very large selection at good prices in both stores. Parking is bad and if you get caught in rush hour you’ll never get home again it seems. I wouldn’t mind driving all the way to Ohio for a good fabric shop because actually I probably could make it there and back in the same amount of time it takes to get to any of the stores in Northridge, Moorpark, Simi, Chino, CA etc. So my question is the same as all the rest of yours: “When can we get some quality shops besides Michael Levines and the International House of Silks near the Beverly Center in Los Angeles where customers can actually enjoy a pleasurable and satisfying shopping experience without being overcharged?” I do not mind paying a fair price for a good quality. Arrivaderci!
My store in Port Arthur, Tx. is closing. We have to drive 20 miles or more to get to another fabric store. The workers were like family members. The store and the workers will all be missed.
I live in okc, okla which stores in the surounding town will close
My local store in Chino Hills is also closing. This store will be greatly missed. They often had great high end fabric that you could not find in Joanne. Also, if their was a notion that I needed for other crafts I could always find it at Hancock and not Joanne. It looks like Joanne has won out. Now that leave Joanne, and some of the downtown Los Angeles stores the only other places to find fabric. Hancock will be missed.
Reading the comments above I must add a few. I worked briefly (less than a year) for a Bernia dealership within Hancocks. I learned a few interesting facts. The employees for both JoAnn’s and Hancocks are barely paid minimum wage. Usually it’s a second job bot some and “fun” money for others. Hence the lack of experience, knowledge and incentive. The “displays” that are throughout the stores are sewn by employees, on their free time and are MANDATORY. The store furnishes the fabric and pattens but they have one week to get an item up for display. Would you sew for a store and receive nothing in exchange? Yes, they get an employee discount - 20% - but only off of full price items, never off sale items. As far as Wal Marts’ fabric - that’s no big loss - their quality of fabric is very low. Since becoming a more knowledgable quilter I never buy fabric there. In all fairness - the internet is taking over. You can see and buy the fabric you want. You learn who the good brands are and buy from them. Also, Ebay is wonderful - and a fraction of the cost. It is a sad thing to see - but I always felt their days were numbered when they spread out to “home decorating and furniture”. When I want to go to a fabric store, I don’t want to have to walk around overpriced furniture and knick knacks.
Guess what? I went to the Hancock website and at the bottom of the page(an icon), they have info on their Chapter 11 Bankrupcy. We saved our tiny JoAnne’s in Carlisle,Pa by using an email campaign. I was looking for DMC Senso yarn. JoAnne is selling it in their stores, on line, yes. Terrible section.I will check the local,new, small yarn shop for it. I am not driving to a JoAnne’s Superstore.
Opp.Sorry, JoAnnes is not selling DMC Senso yarn in their stores. I had emailed a request to them about it, got a No as a reply. On line, yes. Terrible selection.
Oops. Sorry, JoAnnes is not selling DMC Senso yarn in their stores. I had emailed a request to them about it, got a No as a reply. On line, yes. Terrible selection. We will shop locally as much as possible.
Our store in Cleveland, TN is closeing. I hate that too. I loved just jumping in the car and in 10 minutes I’m in the store searching for fabric to my heart’s content! We have WalMart and Hobby Lobby but they aren’t quite the same.
I live just outside of Birmingham, AL. We had 4 Hancocks in here. 2 are closing, 2 staying open. [for now]. Only thing is both stores staying open are across town from me, in the same general area. Both stores closing are on my side of town, and close to each other. Guess they thought only people in ritchey part of town sew. But glad at least there will be 2 available. As for Walmart!!!! Just one more reason I will not be going there. There will be very few things now that I will need to go to Walmart for and when I can find those items somewhere else I wont go at all. They no longer care about the people, only their bottom line. Sam Walton must be turnig in his grave.
I live in Lufkin TX and yes our store is closing June 1. Our Walmart is also closing their fabric dept. That leaves only Hobby Lobby which is over priced. The only option is to travel to Houston or Dallas, which is 3 and 4 hours away.
I am really upset about our Hancock Store in Port Huron, MI is closing. I bought a large amount of material there. The quilting and fleece material was so much better quality and the people were such a joy to visit with.
The store in Walla Walla, Wash., is closing, and so is the Hancock’s in Kennewick. That means Walla Walla will only have a JoAnn’s, which doesn’t have such a large on-site collection of decorator fabrics, and the $10/yard cottons at a sewing store. Buying online is an option, but I really like to mix and match patterns and colors from different companies in my quilts, and that’s hard to do without seeing the actual fabrics.
The Hancock Fabrics is closing down here in Livonia on Schoolcraft and Inkster. The Joann Fabrics just closed too which doesn’t leave much around anymore. Everyone is leaving which is getting scary because I don’t want to move out of state but if Michigan doesn’t bring in more stores we are in trouble. Big corporations are leaving and there’s half emtpy strip malls everywhere. Our Livonia Mall which used to be a ritzy nice place to shop has only a handful of stores left and the place is a ghost town. Wonderland is gone and the stupid city is allowing another Walmart to go up in it’s place which means more scum filtering into the neighborhood. Good Job Livonia for only thinking of the money you can rake in while the city turns to crap.
I have shopped at our local Hancocks for 35+ years. 90 percent of the time I get wonderful service from my Hancocks. The only time there has been a problem is when their hours have been cut buy the company. The women their are great. When you need help selecting fabric for a quilt the clerks refer you to the quilt expert of the store, If you need a notion they refer you to the person in charge of the Notions. If its Deco fabric the Deco person handles it. They go above and beyond to make you feel important. They have become our family in the community. They care about us and we about them.
I applaud those women at our Hancocks for the job they do for the price they are paid. (Way under paid)The store is alway neat and clean even during this liquidation sale it steel remains neat and clean they very kind, helpful and nice. THey have been given orders from the man running the sale to quit giving such personal care but they still continue to do so.
They are the greatest. And My hat is off to you girls for a job well done. I will miss you all. And thank you for a job well done, good luck to you all.
Buy the way the quilt shop accross the street could benefit a great deal by offering the same customer service that you offer. They lack the kindness and concern that you people do.
Again Thanks for all you have done.
I have patronized the Hancock Fabric Store nearest my home near Trussville, Alabama for several years. I am very disappointed to hear that this store, located on the east side of greater Birmingham in Roebuck incorporated area, will be closing in about three weeks. As with many other communities this will leave only the specialty stores to fill this market niche in our area and they do not provide anywhere near the selection of fabrics which were available at the Hancock Store — at lease until recently when the selection began shrinking.
I do wish to mention that the management does not appear to have kept up-to-date in catering to the sewing public as the specialty shops do. Thses shops are usually staffed by very creative people who are familiar with new sewing techniques and products and are available to teach and suggest to their customers how to employ these, and in so doing stimulate creativity and motivation to keep sewing.
I’ve never shopped a Hancock’s, none near me, but I’m terribly upset at the closing of another fabric chain. In my 40+ years sewing I’ve seen the demise of independent stores in my area, Sew-Fro, Fabric Tree, heck even Macy’s (nee Bambergers) used to sell fabric ! Till we got a Rag Shop, I had to leave town ro buy a zipper! Rag Shop does not carry a large selection, however I have had some luck since I started quilting. I had primarily sewn clothing and home dec. On-line is ok, but I have to shop “touchy-feely”. Thanks for listening.
Hello fellow sewing friends, yes I am sad that our Hancock Fabrics in Woodbridge, VA is closing, but I can understand why this store is closing. If you had to deal with a cranky sales associate and someone who wouldn’t ask for assistants on a crowded cash register to get the line moving,…need I say more. I believe this one sales associate turned customers off from coming back to shop at this Hancock store.
I have heard customers in the Manassas store talking about this very same problem at the Woodbridge store and why they rather travel to Manassas or elsewhere to shop. I guess I am not the only person who felt the exact same way. When you have one bad sales associate all the friendly and helpful sales associates can’t turn the bad taste in your mouth around.
I feel bad for all the associates who were helpful and very friendly to customers, but this one must have really soured alot of customers. I hope these helpful associates find jobs someplace else very soon and thank them for their courteous manner.
Where can one find a list of all the Hancock stores closing? My local Hancock’s in San Marcos, TX is also closing. This follows the closing of the fabric departments in our local Walmarts. I am so sorry to see them both go as I am now in the same boat with many others who commented that they are left to drive miles to find a fabric store–in my case over 50 miles to San Antonio. Could always consider buying fabric over the internet, but there is something very unsatisfactory about not being able to walk around a store and touch and feel what you are buying! I am going to make the most of the going-out-of-business sale and stock up as much as I can afford.
Hi From the Fox Valley
Just read the artical about all the Hannock stores closing and called our store here in Appleton. Happy to report both Hanncok and JoAnn’s are remaning open. That made my day. I would be lost.
Luckily the store in Mishawaka, IN is not one of the ones closing. My friend and I frequent the store at least twice a month and sometimes more often. The staff is extremely friendly and always ready to answer questions or volunteer help. They are very knowledgible and always courteous. The store is in an older strip mall but kept as clean as possible. We always find”some” fabric to add to our stash.
Our local JoAnn’s is OK but the staff never asks of you need any help.
I am not yet a quilter who feels you must only use top quality fabrics in my quilts. I make things to be enjoyed now and not to be put away for future generations-our ancestors did net have access to these and used what they had-and still enjoyed what they were doing.
We are beginning quilters so shopping on line is not as convenient for getting just a fat=quarter or two for a project is not feasible.
We do have 2 quilt shops in the same area but fabrics are much more expensive and fat quarters cost twice as much-not good if you are on a budget!
The comments on ‘high price fabrics’ carried by quilt stores are interesting. Most qult shops I know were forced by Wal-Mart and other discounters to take the higher-price merchandise route–they wouldn’t have stayed in business very long if they’d gone head-to-head carrying the same stuff! So the little stores chose interesting and more expensive fabrcs and hoped that variety and choice would help take the sting out of the price. besides, when fabric salesmen came to their little stores to show/sell fabrics, the wholesale prices they’d be charged was often more than what Wal-Mart charged retail for what looked like the same thing. But it wasn’t—-the same general print was made on cheaper quality (less threads per inch, not as nice a finish) when Wal-Mart offered it. Buying online is the wave of the future, plus, we need to be clever and recycle more. That’s the root/beginning of quilting–make good use of your resources.
I think it is a shame that our store in Fargo is closing. We will not have to drive 3-5 hours to get to a Hannock store. I wish you would reconsider and put in a store with just fabrics. We do not need furniture.
I will not buy on line.
I live in lafayette, Louisiana and my favorite fabric shop is Hancock’s…my husband gives me gift certificates from Hancock’s on my birthday and at Christmas. Does anyone know if my store is closing? I would be lost without it.
My Cypress California store is closing. It used to be accross the street from JoAnn’s which has now relocated leaving me with what few things I can find at wal-mart. I can still go to JoAnn’s butI am wondering if people think we do not sew at home anymore? I especially liked the pattern sales. I will not pay the shipping charges for patterns and material when it is already over priced!
please leave us a store in knoxville, tn. We will only have Jo ANN’S IF YOU LEAVE US STRANDED. i know you have many loyal customers in our area, surely enough for 1 store. So get rid of the garbage and just give us fabrics and sewing supplies, someone goofed selling junk. We can buy flops, furniture and such else where, we need Hancock’s here……
I shopped & purchased at our Hancock Store yesterday. As far as the staff knew they were not closing. However, the roof at this store leaks like a seive and has for years. In the past there were just one or two buckets to catch the leaks inside the showroom. Yesterday, there were approximately 20 - 30 buckets or vessels catching the muck. Plus, ceiling tiles had been removed, ropes had been tied to the ceiling rails and hung into the buckets to guide the drainage into them. How would you like to shop amongst this? I won’t bother to describe the muck in the buckets. Obviously the store manager and corporate don’t even know how to get a landlord to pull their share of the responsibility. This is unexcuseable. I live in Waterloo, Iowa.
Please do not close the Jackson, Mississippi store. WalMart has decided to close out their materials/sewing department and we do not have any choices. It will be extremely hard to find fabric, notions, and equipment if you close this store. It will be a desperate situation for all of the people in the Jackson area who sew. This will become a “lost art” if we cannot access stores.
Thanks,
Well, I’m just disgusted beyond belief! I have been a seamstress for the past 30 years. Now what do I do??? I wrote an email to the CEO of Hancock’s and received a “form reply” letter. That’s the thanks I (we) get for the thousands of dollars and loyal patronage to Hancock’s. They closed 3 stores in the Knoxville, TN area. I have absolutely nowhere to buy quality fabric and notions. I WILL NOT shop at JoAnn’s or Wal-Mart, as I take pride in my sewing! I will have to drive several hours to a comperable fabric store and with gas prices that will become a major problem. You know, the “little people” just don’t count anymore - just the CEO, the bottom line, and their HUGE bonus’!!!
Thanks for letting me vent! PS I will never buy fabric online, as the CEO suggested I do. She must have never sewn a stitch in her life.
I work at Hobby Lobby in Abilene and we were told they were reducing stock by 30%. They are NOT cutting it out completely.
Our Hancock Fabrics in Simi, CA is closing. It’s only been open a couple of years. I loved it!!! We have 3 Joann’s in our area and the one in Simi is terrible. It’s dirty, bolts are on the floor, some fabrics are faded from being by the window, and there is never enough help (although the people who work there are wonderful). Hancock Fabrics was always clean and had a much better selection of fabrics for clothing. Joann’s seems to be more for crafts. I’m very sad to see Hancock go. I don’t want to buy on-line because I, too, want to feel the fabrics before I buy them. What can we do about losing all the fabric stores??
I just found out that my store in Newark, California is closing. I am really unhappy, unlike many of the other postings - this store was clean, high quality, very nice staff. sparsely staffed yes, but what store is not these days. Now all thats left is the Joann “superstore” that is relocating to the far end of town - and always is a mess and carries junk. I remember when there were 3-5 fabric stores in my town! Here in Fremont California, there are a lot of Indian and Middle easter immigrants and they all sew! shocked that they are closing these stores. ON the other hand, there are some excellent indian stores that sell gorgeous fabric - brocades and silks, etc. However not a place to buy a zipper or pick up a patter for a halloween costume. I used to sew like mad, now hardly at all, but thats because my kids are big.
i am very unhappy of hancock fabric three closted of Redland ,Chino and Ranch Cummininga ,Ca.I would drive to bakersfield or north california. I love buy to sport of football team too baseball team for I am making skull cap for sell to people my vendor this is why I will would be buy hard to find for football team and baseball team. hope reopen this hancock store soon near our house in Pomona,ca.
I am sad to learn the Woodbridge, VA store is closing. I have always found unique accents for our home each season. The staff was very helpful and I’ll miss this store.
Hancocks moved Very close to Jo Ann’s (which used to be Cloth World). They ( Cloth World) bought MJDesigns Craft Store in our area. Then Jo Ann’s moved out by the mall–which is several miles away. Hancock’s Goofed when they started putting way too much furniture and other decorative home items in the store. The store and its’ windows look very junky. I only buy at Hancock’s when they have a sell. I am very upset Walmart is going to quit selling fabric. IF Hancock’s would be a FABRIC store ONLY and ALL their employees were desirable- I would like the store Much more!
This is so sad news for me. I grew up sewing, and my first job was with Hancock Fabrics. I have shopped there since. The location nearest me is now going out of business. Although I don’t sew as much as when I was younger, you can’t imagion how many times I am asked to help my children and friends for sewing projects that to me would be routine, and to them have now become special order. Please, don’t leave us like this. Jeanne
I believe that we have 3 Hancock stores in St. Louis, MO. The location on Page Blvd. is closing…I am not sure about the others. I am disappointed in the closing of that store because that location had a larger variety of ethnic prints that I use in my quilts and garments.
FYI, My sister lives in Madison, WI and their store is closing too.
Felica
St. Louis, MO
I woked for years at Fabricland. They had customer service down. Then the owner spread himself too thin and House of Fabrics took him over, hostile takeover. They never knew customer services it was only $$ and cut staff and service. Even if you didn’t make a sale you talked to that customer, when they did want to buy they would remember the service and come back. I don’t know if my local store is closing, they have been laying off staff and working the rest twice as hard. They knew what they were doing. When I go to a fabric store it for fabric notions and yarn, not candy cheap home furnishings and junky crafts. No wonder!!
Yes I will miss Hancocks if the store near me closes. I sew for myself and have a dressmaking business and most of my clients shop at Hancock. Hobby Lobby doesn’t compare and nor does Joann and our local Walmart closed. Sewing is the new craze. What’s going on??
April 28, 2007 8:20 pm It your going to title is your Hancock closing and mention how many are said to be closing why can’t you just show the list of those you know are closing, so a body doesn’t have to read all those comments to see which Hancocks is closing. I still don’t know if the one closest to me is going to close. There was another that closed in a different area of town earlier this past year.
As a previous -high ranking employee - long ago - We all knew Hancocks was headed for MAJOR DOWNFALLS - when the flusie wives etc. of the owners decided that hancocks needed to upgrade from all their very needed & EXTENSIVE products that KEPT it in the BLACK -to the STUPID RIDICULAS & so OVER-PRICED products to people that had no appreciation ,need & WAYYYYYYY so out of the whole towns’ sense of mind and pocket book -that Hancocks business went out the door as soon as this stuff was moved in - HANCOCKS BECAME A LAUGHING STOCK - but the Co. Officials totally ignored all the employees etc.(who, with more years experience than the age of any one of them) and now America has lost the suppliers of the much needed products to keep our history of talents alive - so to all you snooty people that thought you were so ABOVE US and always looked down your noses at us -SEE WHERE YOU ARE TODAY !! If we wanted 200.00 pillows & 300.+spreads and your (”VAUS’ES”) we would have went to Foley’s - Dillards & WALMART !!! Now see who is laughing !!! what a shame !!!
I just learned of the Chapter 11 bankruptsy of Hancock Fabrics. I hope the one in my town, Baytown, Tx doesn’t close. They have a new store location that has been open only 2 years. We have no other fabric stores that are open on Sunday afternoons and only the questionable WalMart is stopping the fabric section of their store. We do have a Hobby Lobby but it isn’t open on Sunday. Our only quality fabric store closed 2 years ago because of low participation and now the others want to close also. We have no Joann Fabrics so our only recourse is to travel 20 miles one direction for fabrics.
I live in Eureka, CA (about 300 miles north of S.F), a coastal town, and Hancock Fabrics is closing down this week and has only been in business here for just a year or so. Our town may not be a good area for business since alot of the fishing, lumber industry is gone now. Hancock Fabrics was a most enjoyable store, not only for the fabric,threads, knitting, crocheting, but I also purchased household furniture, such as a beautiful lamp and pictures for our new home. It is sad, I will miss it a lot. We have JoAnns, but it has a lot of craft items also…they were always in competition I think. I perfer Hancocks for the quality. When that goes away, we miss it.
We are in desparate need of a cloth store in the Sun City City, Florida area. We have to drive either to Brandon or Bradenton to buy clothe and thread, binding, etc. Our new super Walmart chose not to carry cloth and we are in need of a cloth store. Please consider putting a store in the Ruskin, Wimauma area. Thank you, Martha McGuire
I moved to Paducah, KY 17 years ago from Tupelo, MS - the home of the Hancocks. Hancocks was still going strong then, but with the death of L. D. Hancock and the restructuring of the business, it has gone from a place of quality to a place of cheap fabric and home decor. It looks like every other fabric store. The CEO is the one who restructured JoAnns and is now doing the same to Hancocks. They filed Ch 11 to protect themselves from creditors because they had a huge note due on their warehouse and fancy new corporate building. Tupelo did not need that - the one they were in is still vacant and deteriorating.
As for us, we own a fabric store in Paducah. We sell cotton quilting fabrics from all major companies, gifts, Bernina sewing machines, and other items for textile arts like rug crafting, weaving, knitting, etc. We opened four years ago. The whole experience has been an eye-opener, to say the least. We have the AQS Quilt Show once a year, and in between we have tourists. The people in the community do not patronize the store with enough regularity to sustain it. Now there is talk of moving the quilt show from Paducah because the new owner of the Executive Inn will not sign the contract for next year. The place is in need of renovation. He makes a lot of promises, but does not act on the promises.
Fabric, notions, and freight expenses are out the roof. My cost ranges from $4-12 per yard, and that is without any markup to keep my doors open. People come in looking for bargains, and compare our prices to WalMart and Hobby Lobby. I cannot sell at those prices because I would have to sell it below what I paid - that hardly meets expenses! (What they fail to realize is that the goods found in those stores is printed on cheap brown goods and not worthy of heirloom quilting.) Additionally, with the closure of WalMart and Hancock fabric departments, a bunch of this stuff is going to be dumped on the market. My advice is be careful. Cheap is not always better. It will impact us in the short run, but not forever.
Personally, we strive to be different and focus on service. Our store has the reputation of being one that offers help with your quilt planning, finding hard-to-find items, and special orders. We know that people like to feel the fabrics they purchase, so we are more than willing to mail a swatch. We are working on our web site daily, and hope that fills some of the void in the fabric world. We love our store, and most who visit will tell you it is a fantastic store. I truly believe that what has happened in the fabric world is they forgot about who helps them keep their doors open - the customer. They have all become identical with identical moderate to inferior quality merchandise. Nothing puts them in the forefront, and customers are bored with the sameness. I think it will be very interesting to see how all this shakes out in about two years. By then the dust will settle, and we will see who survives.
I really hate to see what has happened to Hancocks and all the other fabric stores. Yes, they are competitors, but we all have a different market and a different atmosphere. Just some thoughts from someone who owns a large fabric store in Paducah KY - The Guild LLC.
This is very distressing news. If our local Walmart is discontinuing fabrics and the Hancocks Stores are filing bankrupcy, what are the people who sew supposed to do?
I am so saddened by all the distraught quilters out there and I sympathize with your plight. I am not a quilter, but rather a knitter, and I notice similar things happening.I found this web-site in trying to find out about Hancock’s bankruptcy. Wal-mart’s knitting yarn is practically gone and it’s been pulled from some remaining Hancock’s.
Here’s a bizarre thing to think about:
Does it occur to anyone that the Superstores are probably involved already greatly in the on-line sales?(disguised ,of course) and hoping to force everyone to purchase EVERYTHING on-line exclusively?( “Oh, our sales are so down because of on-line sales! ” Yeah, yeah.In spite of the fact that crafts are booming and baby boomers are soon retiring with nothing to do!) Of course, they will have the greatest buying power and best prices. And just think if they can force everyone to be trained to purchase on-line because there are no other options, then everything can come out of ONE giant automated Superstore craft warehouse in South Bend, Indiana (or wherever) with just a few low level employees. No more pesky store overhead in 50 states,few salaries, non-existent so-called “customer service” ( just set up a phone tree of such complexity that most people give up) and guess what—
the customer also pays for shipping to their location and back if the order is disliked or wrong. And you can be sure most people just give up and keep the stuff. And also small shop owners can be driven out of business by their having to charge higher prices in order to survive, or they will have to cater only to the wealthy who live conveniently nearby.
Well , as they say “What’s Good for
General Motors is good for the USA!!”
Of course, what is left out is the human element of wanting to touch and feel the product and talk to real human being salespersons for opinions and help. I was particularly interested in Comment # 77 from the Anonymous Jo-Ann’s employee.
DO the words M-A-X-I-M-U-M G-R-E-E-D occur to anyone?
Just a few thoughts.
Salley
Is the Murfreesboro tennessee store the one where Joyce is the manager? If so, I wouldn’t send a dog to that store. She is VERY RUDE!!! I know first hand how she is. I had to deal with her a few times. She is also a KISS UP. Too bad she doesn’t have a clue that the manager doesn’t feel the same way.
OH WELL!!!!
I’m not surprised by this news. Our local Hancock Fabrics in Bloomington, MN is horrible. Dirty, unorganized, unhelpful and cranky employees, with a horrible and ugly selection of fabrics. Strangely, this store is still open.
Never had problems with JoAnn Fabrics. Employees have always been nice, knowledgeable, and helpful. They also have a good selection of fabrics and if you get on their mailing list, you can save up to 60%.
Yes. It would affect me. I used to love going to my local hancock fabric store and now there is no fabric store around to go to. I will miss it!
I was suprised and shocked to read Teresas comments about the Bloomington, MN store. I have never been treated poorly by any person their, or found it to be dirty or disorganized. Quite to the contrary. Perhaps she was there on a bad day.
Hancock’s did not look into relocating the stores to where the new development is in our area. They are just closing the store I have been loyal to since 1977! I now live in the NW part of Fort Worth, TX with 3,500 new households around me and 6 small suburbs that are full of sewers and crafters. Stupid move Hancock’s management.
Walked in to my local Hancock store (Cary,NC) yesterday (3/17) and to my surprise saw “store closing” signs located all around. I inquired with all four staff members, including the manager, and all were as surprised as I was to have “our” store closing down. What surprised me more was that none of the employees could tell me why, only that they found out the day b/f (3/16)…what?? I decided to go home and “google” store closings and found that Hancock started closing 30 stores the previous month, the CFO jumped ship a week ago (along with another “higher up”) and they owe Wachovia bank millions AND had not filed SEC paperwork at the writing of that story, missing federal guidelines and dates. What!?!? I find this extremely disappointing as I have been a loyal customer since my days of living in Des Moines, Iowa and always thought highly of this company. What also disappoints me is that NO employee seems to know or understand why they are losing their job or why the store is closing. Someone needs to step up from the home office and let these people know what is going on and why. I also believe loyal customer should not have to “google” to get answers. Lastly I feel for the employees of this location as they have always been helpful and knowledgeable and deserve better. Finding out more about this company from the net, has convinced me that driving to Raleigh or Durham just to shop Hancock is no longer worthwhile.
HI do you know if Ragshop is also closing now that it has gone chapter 11?
Well, my son’s friend lives down by our store in Alta Loma, and he told me they were going out of business. I go in periodically and buy alot of fabric, but I don’t go in every day. I went yesterday, and half the store was gone. I’ve been receiving ads like nothing was happening. I didn’t know. You’d think they could have had the courtesy to at least send out an ad that they were closing, let alone told us which stores. I found out only one in our area is staying open and it’s not close.
Thanks for the vent!
All this is blowing me away! Rag Shop filed for Chapter 11 this week, and now I’m reading about Hancock & JoAnn’s (got to go back & read more of these notes, since I just saw that in passing); I’d already heard about Wal-Mart, and it seems we’ll all be left with just on-line places to get our fabrics. What ever happened to handling them, to know if we’re really going to want them?!? I’m devastated!
Well, I finished reading all these notes, & we all seem to have the same complaints. One thing I’ve noticed is the recurring one about the messy stores. We have other customers (I HOPE none of us would do this!) to blame for a lot of that, because they pull stuff out and then just drop it on the floors. The staff doesn’t have time to clean it up, because they aren’t paid to stay overtime to do that.
As for staff not being knowledgeable, we lost all the best ones at our local JoAnn’s, after a new management took over. They weren’t treated well and left, which was a loss to all beginning sewers.
I live in NW Jersey, & the closest fabric shops are at least a half-hour from here. There is a brand new Rag Shop (same distance), but who knows if they will stay open? If we go by what’s happening with Hancock’s, the Rag Shops could be closing, too;and I don’t know if the Hancock’s closest to us, in PA, is still open or not, but there aren’t too many other fabric shops in our area. The ones there are, are probably an hour or more away…in Amish country.
If anyone else knows of quilt shops up in this neck of the woods, I’d love to hear about them!
When our Wal-mart stopped carrying fabric, I stopped going to Wal-Mart — for anything. My mom taught me long ago that women are most effective when they vote with their “pocketbooks”.
Most fabric is no longer produced in the US. Those of us who have been sewing for over 30 years remember when good quality knit fabric was readily available for garments for our kids. They mostly disappeared in the 80’s along with mom and pop fabric stores and required Home Ec in the schools. Because fabric is now produced overseas, the availability of fabric and the ability to make one’s own garments and lovely fabric art could be demolished with something as little as an increase in the postal rates.
When Gandi was using non-violent methods to liberate India from British rule, one of the very symbolic and
utilitarian ways he did so was to advocate and teach the weaving and producing of cloth in the home. While this is not feasible today, we would do well to remember that the ability to clothe oneself is something all peoples should be able to access. With the slow demise of fabric stores, I can see how important it is to be able to make my family’s garments; this is keeping freedom in the home, in the family. I urge all people who work with fiber to keep these crafts strong within your families and communities, teach your kids and community to sew, quilt, knit and crochet, and vote with each dollar that you spend!
I’m Texas girl and I have been sewing since I was three years old. Over the past 15 years, I have noticed a decline in fabric stores, as I shop all of the fabric stores for materials for clothing and costumes. Now, I have began to buying curtains and sheets for materials and as of the last few years, I have been buying large used clothing and curtains any where I can find it, Good Will, Thrift Stores and garage sales. I do not know what is happing, unless it is the cheep imports that have destroyed the marked.
Am quite upset our Hancock store in Grt Falls, MT is closing. They carried such a great variety of fabrics and notions that were unavailable at JoAnn’s or other quilting stores. The closest one is over 400 miles(Billings) and is smaller than the one we had here. The staff were so curtious and helpful. They will be missed as GF is centrally located in this Big Sky country of Montana.
My Hancock store was in Ann Arbor , Michigan . Store was clean,I got excellant customer service. It was my favorite fabric shop. I took a lot of quilting classes there. I feel like I am losing a frined. Have a JoAnn’s store nearby but they recently turned into a super store and have hardly ANY fabric left. It is all scrapbooking and seasonal merchandise. Don’t know about you but I’m adding more to my stash before any more stores go under!!
I live in NC - one of the big textile states that is no longer making textiles. Hancocks in Cary,NC is closing, a few of the little quilt shops have closed & all of Walmarts have quit selling fabrics too! Everything seems cheaper abroad & I fear inferior quality is what we will be getting in the end. I have to admit I am a fabraholic! We summer vacation “serendipity style” & I make sure we have room in the Suburban for a large box of fabrics from quilt shops around the country. I wonder if they too will be going out of business as well. Stock up girls & hold on to your stash for one day there will be nothing left! We will be beholden - as usual - to cheap overseas products! And again more American jobs will be lost to foreign competition - what in the world is happening to our country! How will we keep the American tradition of quilting alive to pass onto our children? Even my 8 year old son sews with own sewing machine (I’m a quilter and seamstress). How will he continue to make I-Spy lap quilts for children who have cancer? Me being a survivor inspired him when I was making lap quilts during my chemo and donating them around the country. All I can say is it’s an outright shame.
I live in NC - one of the big textile states that is no longer making textiles. Hancocks in Cary,NC is closing, a few of the little quilt shops have closed & all of Walmarts have quit selling fabrics too! Everything seems cheaper abroad & I fear inferior quality is what we will be getting in the end. I have to admit I am a fabraholic! We summer vacation “serendipity style” & I make sure we have room in the Suburban for a large box of fabrics from quilt shops around the country. I wonder if they too will be going out of business as well. Stock up girls & hold on to your stash for one day there will be nothing left! We will be beholden - as usual - to cheap overseas products! And again more American jobs will be lost to foreign competition - what in the world is happening to our country! How will we keep the American tradition of quilting alive to pass onto our children? Even my 8 year old son sews with own sewing machine (I’m a quilter and seamstress). How will he continue to make I-Spy lap quilts for children who have cancer? Me being a survivor inspired him when I was making lap quilts during my chemo and donating them around the country. All I can say is it’s an outright shame.
I have been a quilter now for 8 years. I have shopped Hancock’s, JoAnn’s , Walmart and many other shops in the Dayton Ohio and Cincinnati, Ohio area. I am saddened that the local Hancock’s store is closing. I felt that the stor was clean, the staff very friendly. I visited it several times each month. I felt that the quality of goods and services was above reproach. Again too bad to be losing such a good customer orientated store.
We have lost 2 of our Hancock stores
in OKla. City, and I’m very saddened by
this. I have been quilting for two years, and I visit my local stores very
often. I always receive friendly service, and I appreciate their offering
a 10 percent discount for being a local
guilt guild member. I sincerely hope this reorganization of the company will
keep the remainder of the stores in Oklahoma open.
I have shopped at Hancock Fabric for a long time I would miss our stores very much as they give a good varity and good prices. I don’t Quilt so I need stores with a variety and quality which I get when I shop at Hancock.
it will affect me if these walmarts [fabric section] and hancocks close down
I am a local designer. enough said huh.
oh.. and im from san antonio texas
Yes, I will miss Hancocks! Our Hancocks is in Rocky Mount, N.C.(about 30 min. from us). The only fabric we have here in Roanoke Rapids, N.C. is Wal-mart. Now Wal-mart is doing away with fabric. What will we do now? I hope these comments will help in some way. Thank you
Our Hancock Fabric store in Knoxville, Tennessee is closing. It is like losing an old friend. For years Hancock’s has been for many of us the place where we have found answers to our sewing questions; fabrics in many colors, weaves and weights, designs and uses; threads of every color and kind, a vast array of tapes for all purposes, a large supply of notions of every sort.
I have found Hancock personnel unfailingly helpful, friendly, willing to advise on special projects, recommend a pattern or a fabric, special order when there was need. I am most grateful for the help I have received from them over the years.
This closing leaves Knoxville without a broad-service fabric store. The few similar stores in the area are dedicated in large part to crafts, to quilting, to home decorating. Their (clothing) fabric sections are very small, and their supply of basic sewing notions is limited.
I hope Hancocks settles its bankruptcy problems, and that we will again see a Hancock Fabric Store in this area. It would be a day of rejoicing for many!
It seems that all hancocks have closed near me and also WalMart it seems that Wal Mart is closing out their fabric. It seems that someone doesn’t want us to sew or quilt anymore. Could you tell me if there are anymore material stores in Arkansas
Well poster 196, it looks like the rag shop will be closing its doors. I work there and they have filed for chapter 11, and claim they don’t have enough money to stay in buisness through the end of June.
Well as another poster wrote stick what your company is all about, fabrics, crafts, flowers and framing!
NOT, gift wear or furniture. If you walk into the rag shop looking for Kona cotton and the color you want is not there because we are not allowed to order it anymore because all the money is tied up in lamps, over priced furniture {that I would not even buy at a flea market for $5} serving trays and bowls, stationary, Joan Baker stained glass {over priced}. Well they are not going to stop and buy any of that stuff. I know, I hear the complaints every day. It’s a shame, when it was a family owned company, we did very well. the owner wanted to retire and it was sold to an investment company, whos only concern was to make money off of it. they drove it into the ground. Hired people who came from Macys, Linen $ things, The Gap and so on and so on. We are a Fabric store/ crafts. Not any more and people started to see that. So as another person posted, their only concern is the ADT {avrage dollar transaction} Well, if the fabric department was not taken half away and crafts clearanced out to make room for dog collars, ulgy lamps {which never sold}……. Yes, I’m bitter!
Some higher up saw this company as something different, not staying true to what it really is………..
A CRAFT STORE
our hancock’s is closing in dickson city, pa (near scranton). i am missing them already! i just started sewing last spring (06) and the staff at the store became like my own circle of sewing friends. they always asked about projects i was working on, helped me with all sorts of thing & let me know when new fabrics came in that they knew i would love. project runway won’t be as fun this year either, as i won’t have my hancock friends to discuss the show with each week!
all that we are left with is joann’s and a great local quilt store. unfortunately i have really started getting into sewing clothes & the quilt shop isn’t a big help. i agree with the poster early on that stated that joann’s is very miserly with their cutting. the quilt store & hancock’s give that extra inch or two, just in case, but NOT JOANN’S! you are lucky you get your yard! i am going to have to start traveling hours to go into the cities (Philly, NY) to shop for apparel fabrics. that sucks!
Has anyone considred that maybe that “extra inch or two” that Hancocks gave so freely is the reason their not in business anymore? I mean come on who do you think paid for all of those “extra inch or twos” Not you the customer thats for sure.
Has anyone considered that maybe all of those “extra inch or twos that Hancocks gave so freely is the reason their not in business anymore? I mean come on - who do you think paid for all of those “extra inch or twos” Not you the customer thats for sure.
I got back into sewing after paying a lot of money for a fancy dress to wear to a wedding and seams came apart while wearing the dress. “MADE IN CHINA”. Walmart doesn’t want to sell fabric so the can sell cheap clothes instead. Hancock’s has gotten so money hungry trying to sell nicknacks and junk instead of fabric. Our two stores closed. I guess I want buy that new sewing machine that I was dreaming about and school children want have their costumes for plays.
I am so very sad that our Hancock Fabric store in Port Arthur, TX. is closeing. The staff there were like family and knew how to sew,quilt,etc. Just ask them and they could tell you how much you needed, how to do it,any question they could & would help with. The store did get hard to shop when they brought in furniture and junk. Wish they would have stuck with SEWING STUFF,maybe they would still be open. The Hancock store in Beaumont is closed also and the WalMart stores are closeing there fabric dept. so I just don’t know where we will have to get our supplies. I will truly miss our Hancock store and especially the workers. Feel like the big corp. did not care about the customers.
Shame on them. I know we have all been loyal customers. Soon to be a lost art. What ashame.
Sorry Dayna in Waco, Tx. Quilt Shop fabric in Waco is not $13 a yd. Its not that much in Alaska! It is between $8 and $9 a yd. If you buy a yard and a half, you might pay $13.
THe Hancock in Tampa,florida sale clerks were always short with the clients . I went in there often so I can Speak first hand about the service. I am not surprise they are losing money.
My 15 yr old daughter loves to sew and it’s a great hobby. It’s ashame our Hancock’s in Waco has closed! Maybe one of your guys should get a chain of stores started. It could be a money maker…seems like there is a demand for it!
LaVerne
Interesting comment concerning the free “inch or two” of extra fabric cut at the table. As a former manager of a Hancock store many years ago, my district manager displayed a yardstick on the wall in our meeting room that illustrated how many “inches” in a yard were represented in various increments in overhead costs, such as freight, rent, payroll,etc…He pretty much concluded that the store’s profit was represented in the last three inches or so; a reminder for us to instill in our employees to not give that little extra that all the customers asked for.
Are there any fabric stores left in Arkansas? Where will we buy fabric and sewing notions?
I moved to this area in 1988, I naturally checked out every fabric shop in town, and one woman in Minnesota Fabric (now Hancock) treated me quite poorly, so I became a regular at Jo Ann’s. I got a job there, hired for a certain amount full-time with benefits, and was not informed that I had to sign a book to receive my first paycheck. Then, when I was finally told, after asking again, I was told that they decided to not give me the position, my pay was cut several dollars, which I never got the amount told to me when hired at all. Coincidence that I was hired just a few days before inventory? They’ve cut my hours to only a few per week, if I get any hours at all during a week period. On other topics, I said something to a customer, and she said of all the years she’d been shopping there, I was the first one to say the word Please to her. I wonder why the store I believed in treated me well as a customer and treats me shabbily as an employee? I’m not so excited to shop for fabric anymore since I’ve been an employee. Customers are also very upset that the corporate office has decided to not let their customers use the bathroom. We have to tell people that fact and it isn’t pleasant for me. When I was working in my regular field, I often used the bathroom there because frankly, I was there for too long! My $50 purchases will continue when I get back to work, but now I don’t know where I’ll be buying what I love to do. I appreciate this being here so I can share my dilemma/opinion/experience about it. Oh, by the way, after being an employee at Jo Ann’s, I went back to Hancock Fabrics and they treated me wonderfully.
I shop at Hancock’s in Savannah,Ga. Theykeep the store clean. I’ve shopped so much that I know all the “girls” and they know me and are very friendly> I hope this store does not close. What would the “girls” do?
As a newbie to quilting (almost 4 years now) I have run into this same problem. I started buying From JoAnn in Springfield, Ohio. But, when you are starting out, you tend to “go through” way more fabric than the pattern suggests and I found it was quickly becoming an expensive hobby! I shopped at Wal-Marts too, only to find the quality of the fabric was not what I had hoped, though the price was right. The solution? I took and went into business for myself. Anyone near New Carlsile, Ohio, please stop in and visit my little shop called Country Junk’tion. Just opened last weekend and for now we will be open Saturdays and Sundays and weekday evenings by appt. I have a decent selection of quilter’s cotton fabric, at very reasonable prices. Not to mention patterns (I have also started designing my own and offering them for sale too), notions, kits, etc. Stop and check us out, we are offering 10% off everything the whole month of June. If you we don’t have what you need in stock, we can order it in and have it by the very next weekend. Thanks!
We are no where near a Hancocks, and Joanns and Hobby Lobby are about an hour away. I think it’s sad that so many of you don’t support your local quilt shops. We have several guilds in the area and most of them are quite faithfull to our local shop. I agree that walmart/Joanns/Hobby Lobby are good for ‘costume’ fabrics or kid clothes. However, I think if you really looked at the quality of the fabrics between your local quilt shop and a big chain store, you would see that the quilt shop has a higher quality of fabric. Yes you can find some of the same fabrics but feel them, they are not the same! I feel that if I am spending that much time and effort on a quilt, I would like it to remain just as I made it for many many years to come. If you were to make 3 quilts, same pattern, just use quiltshop fabric for one, walmart fabric for one, an either Joanns or Hobby lobby for the third, you would find that after much use and washings, you would find the quilt shop quilt to ‘do’ the best.
As far as higher prices, its because it’s a higher quality. My most expensive fabrics are my Batiks and those are $9.99 a yard and minkee is $14 a yard. Other then that all the 100% cotton fabrics are $8.99.
I am sorry some of you are losing your shops and I hope you will be able to support your local shops.
Happy Quilting!
Dear QuiltShopOwner: I don’t deny your right to make a living. And I’m glad you have enough willing customers to stay in business. But I would never pay such outrageous prices. The difference is quality is a given. The justification for double-to-quadruple prices is not.
Most quilters are everyday people. A significant majority are on small, fixed incomes. We cannot all afford to think and shop among the elite class - even if we wanted to.
Please do not sneer in superiority or attempt to inflict guilt and blame on those who don’t shop on Rodeo Drive. We do not OWE support to quilt shop owners. They OWE us a better deal.
Sad news re fabric stores. I now hear Rag Shop is also closing it’s stores. Any truth to that?
Until I found this by mistake I had no idea about a long-term fabric chain closing, nor was I aware about the conditions in China regarding the textile industry. I have never gone to a quilting store, and have decided to find them in my area and check them out as I am new to quilting and maybe buying thin fabric is a mistake. I appreciate all of your opinions as I don’t know anyone personally who sews.
wow, I was the last post. our Hancock Fabric store is still open, so far. I did a search for quilt shops and found 3 places that embroider, but only 1 quilt shop which is very close to a Joann’s store.
Ads -
Yes, Rag Shop is closing. There was an article about it in the NJ paper this morning.
http://www.northjersey.com/page.php?qstr=eXJpcnk3ZjczN2Y3dnFlZUVFeXk3NDImZmdiZWw3Zjd2cWVlRUV5eTcxNTEyMzcmeXJpcnk3ZjcxN2Y3dnFlZUVFeXkyMg==
I’m not surprised, mind you, but it’s still sad to see the end of this particular era.
I just moved to NW Arkansas and one of the first things I found out was that the Hancocks in Rogers closed, I am still discovering the area…so I don’t know if I will find a great source for quilting and sewing supplies…we came from San Antonio, and I think a few of them closed there too, and Walmart (at least in SA) doesnt carry fabric of any sort either. I sew for my granddaughter, and also dabble in quilts. So in a nut shell…I will miss them…too bad: So Sad…:(
We had 2 Hancocks close! Luckily, I live in the Dallas/Ft. Worth area, and we have one store near us that remained opened. I have to say, though, I LOVE Hancock for their patterns, but Joann fabrics is MUCH better for fabric purchases! When did Walmart decide to do away with fabric?? Ours still sells it! I sure hope they don’t do away with the fabric section, I LOOOVE getting fabric at walmart!!
ok, everyone, here’s the truth from a current Hancock employee.
The real reason that Hancock’s is closing stores is because of many poor financial decisions from upper management over the last several years.
Some of these poor decisions are location, rent and inventory related. The real estate department of Hancock’s has made some really stupid decisions as far as getting into some very expensive leases. I think that the board of directors should look very seriously at that person and his future with the company. Also factoring into the store location profitability are utility expenses. I don’t know about any other state, but our local electric monopoly has super high rates. I know that my store’s electric bill was a killer and really cut into the profitability status.
As far as inventory is concerned, I do think that Hancock’s has made a very poor decision to carry furniture. This has gone on for several years. I do not see any need to carry furniture and/or home decor items. We are a fabric store and should only carry fabric, patterns, yarn and related items. This is our customer base & we should remain true to it.
Several of my customers would ask if the new Jo-Ann’s superstore had any impact on my store’s closing. That couldn’t be further from the truth. Everybody needs to realize that Jo-
Ann’s competition are Michael’s & Hobby Lobby types of stores. And yes, Walmart is exiting the fabric market. They are not putting fabric departments in their new stores and are slowly removing the existing fabric departments. I have this info directly from a district manager. I have it on good authority that Hobby Lobby is either scaling back or possibly exiting the fabric market also.
I do have to question the corporate decision to retain the current CEO. She obviously does not have things under control and in my opinion, is not capable of making difficult decisions. The warning signs have been there for a few years and yet it has been “full steam ahead”. Same thing was said about the Titanic and look what happened. Is the CEO willing to go down with the ship? You have many loyal, dedicated employees that are being let go because of your inability to be pro-active and forward thinking. When it comes down to it, your employees are your most valuable asset. Treat them well and they will make the company a success.
Which leads me to another thought…
I had opportunity to “visit” a couple of Jo-Ann’s superstores and was thoroughly disgusted with the service. You have fabric clerks who know nothing about sewing and they cannot be relied upon to assist with calculating yardages or making recommendations. During one visit, there were at least 3 clerks behind the counter, chatting amongst themselves, while 20 customers were told to “take a number” and wait their turn. After waiting 20 minutes, I walked up to the counter, put my fabric down & told the clerks that I would not be shopping at their store or any other Jo-Ann’s because of their service. 2 other customers followed me. As I was walking out, the store manager didn’t even bother to stop me. (she had been in the fabric table area)
Jo-Ann’s doesn’t have the quality, quantity or selection of fabric & notions & really doesn’t qualify to be a fabric store anymore.
All I can say to everyone is continue to be loyal to your local Hancock store. If the board of directors have the cahones to make the tough decisions, the future will be bright.
If I had a choice as to going to the closest Jo-Ann’s (5 miles away) or driving to Temple to go to a Hancock’s, I would drive to Temple.
Our local sto9re has closed also, but when they annouced it in March I wasn’t concerned. There are 2 others within a 40 mile drive. I has since found out that both of those stores are to be closed also. I am a seamstress and I will miss Hancock Fabrics.
JoAnn Fabrics Has really gone down hill in the last clouplemof years. It is almost impossible to find any basics. JoAnnes is more concerned with the trendy stuff and the quilting fabrics. The trendy stuff ends up in their the clearance fabrics after a while and the quilting fabrics are either out-of-date, printed on poor quality greigh goods or are as expensive as the quilt shop. If I have to pay quilt shop proces, I will go to the quilt shop. The staff at out JoAnne’s rarely know anything about sewing, let alone quilting. Other customers ask me, not the staff,
I will truly miss Hancock Fabrics. Snce I won’t buy fabric on-line, my business is getting harder and harder.
The Hancocks in glendale at 67th ave and peoria has also closed and i have not found another one around close if walmart quits selling material and joanns quits i won’t be able to sew i also like to see what i am buying i do clothes and other things no material i will be heartbroken
i work at one of the four hancock fabrics left in florida- they have closed ten other stores throughout the state. from what i read, most of the negative comments about the stores are the untidyness. i know from experience that this problem is due to the lack of employees. they aren’t allowed to hire anyone until after the bankruptcy gets straightened out. so most stores are down to TWO employees per shift. that includes management and a clerk. there is also a problem of our competitor- namely joann fabrics- badmouthing hancock’s and telling anyone that will listen that we’re closing ALL of our stores. we have also ran into disgruntled employees of the closed stores sending thier customers to our store, where they proceed to give us a hard time because thier favorite “employees” are out of jobs. i think there are more petty complaints to corporate now than there have ever been, and most of these people are just plain malicious. and another thing that doesn’t help are the constant returns. hancock has the great policy of taking returns on fabric. it’s not so great when people are returning fabric to our store that they purchased from a store that went out of business. it clearly states on the receipt- no exchanges, no refunds, no returns on merchandise bought from the stores going out of business. we were told not to refund anything from a closed store since they are no longer part of hancock’s, but we constantly have people bringing back hundreds of dollars worth of merchandise, a lot of times with no receipt, and when we tell them that it can’t be returned, they call corporate and complain about how rude we are. then corporate calls us and “rips us a new one” and tells us we have to take it back. there is a whole lot of sabotage going on within the company, as far as employees of closed stores and it’s a shame. i’ve worked for hancock’s for years and i think it’s a great place to work and buy fabric. yes, the store gets messy, but there isn’t a lot that can be done with such restrictions on hours and number of employees. i shop at joann’s frequently because they simply have things that hancock’s don’t carry, but i’ve found most of the clerks to be rude and very unhelpful. they have shaved thier drapery section down to almost nothing, and what they do have is very high-end and expensive, like liz claiborne. i think hancock’s went with the furniture because they had to make up for the drop in fabric sales. while the furniture is beautiful, it’s very expensive and i personally don’t feel that they sell enough of it to carry it. i hope they get thier act together because i love to work there, i love to shop there, and it would truly be missed.
I live in a small town in east texas. the nearest fabric store for me is wal-mart. They are still carrying fabric and was told they have a year to increase their sales. Yes I buy alot of the $2 yd it seems they carry more of it then anything else. I know the quilt shops fabric is of better quality but when you live on little more than minimum wage you can’t afford 8-10 dollars a yard. There was a Joanns in tyler but it closed down years ago. It was a poor excuse for a store. Shelves were always bare. Got a little better but then closed down. Have a Hancocks, don’t know if they’re closing,but was looking bare the last time I was in there, have trouble finding anything I really like, will miss it though if it closes. Did have quilt shop that I did block of the month at, but it to closed down.
I am very disapppointed to hear of all the stores closing or cutting their fabric departments. I love the quality of many of the private owned quilt shops but cannot afford to shop there so I am limited. For those of us on low incomes we have no choice. Does no one really realize that or is it that no one really seems to care anymore? When Fabric Wholesalers was taken over things really went downhill. Lucky for me there is a great store in Portland besides all the small stores around. I do agree with comments on how JoAnn’s seems to have gotten in too much other stuff these last few years and service especially during sale times is outrageously poor. Even at times the super stores have bad service. It sounds to me like management of these companies needs a shake up - not the individual stores too much although I know a few could use a bit of shaking also. So far I have refused to buy online and will continue as long as I can to put it off.
Good luck to all you out there who are loosing and prayerfully maybe you can find car pools or start fabric exchange groups in your area to help with the shortage of fabric availability problems. Looks like those of us with stashs will have had a good reason to do so after all.
I am in Central Illinois, and our Hancocks closed. It was right next to a Hobby Lobby. We also have a Jo-Ann’s down the street. I talked to a Wal-mart employee, and was told that they were not closing the fabric store area.
I am very upset that they are closing, I like to have a different selection of fabrics, depending on what I am sewing. Oh well, Big Corporate never cares.
I hope that our Hancock in Montgomery Alabama doesn’t close. We only have one. I use them all the time. If they close that will leave us NO fabric store. We lost Joann’s years ago. I saw that Hancocks was selling their fixtures went I went in. I can only hope that is not a sign that they are going out of business.
When our new SuperWalmart decided not to carry fabrics, which was where I purchased all of my sewing needs, the only option left for fabric in my town was Hancocks. Now they are closing as well. I live in a modest Mississippi town and have no where to purchase fabric/crafts other than what little craft needs Walmart supplies. I relied on fabric to sew uniforms and other outfits for my daughters without incurring the loftly expense of buying them pre-made. I also sew all of their various school and Halloween costumes for that one of a kind uniqueness. Now I am left with nothing unless I choose to drive an hour and a half to another town that carries fabric. By the time I figure gasoline into the equation, my cost effectiveness of sewing is dimenished. I enjoy sewing but now have no way of getting materials (fabric, patterns, notions, ect) in my town. I am relieved to know that it is not just my town, which I have been blaming, but at the same time saddened to think that sewing is viewed as not very important nationwide. Does anyone know of a good site to purchase fabric online without having to buy in bulk and that is reasonable? I have been searching the web for two days now without any luck.
I never saw anything in our local paper about our store closing. I’m quite upset! All I have is Joanns, and they never have all of the patterns in stock! We also have Wal-Mart, but the selection is limited there also. I just loved Hancock Fabrics. The nearest to me now is 25 miles away, and I’m not going to drive there now with the price of gas!
Does anyone know about the Corpus Christi,Texas store? Except for a round display or two, they have not received any new fabric since March/April 2007. Further, more than half of the quilt fabric “wall” is bare.
I live in northern Indiana by Chicago, went to the nearest Hancock the other, it was out of busines it wasn’t open very long. The closest Walmart did away with the fabric dept. and expanded electronics dept. They still have some crafts, need black and white thread didn’t have that, just a few spools laying on the shelf. We have a Vogue fabric shop on the LLinois side they have nice fabric, but not as much as they use too. There was a Joann in that area , but it is gone. Went to my local joann’s the other day ,hope they stay. Looking and feeling the fabrics is part of the fun of creating a project ,not to mention getting a color that will be what you want. I just ordered some fabric from the Paduca, ky Hancocks a couple of days ago, this is my first internet purchase of fabric over the internet, they had what I was looking for at least I hope it is. Good Luck to all you fellow sewers.
hey folks,there is a new fabric store in warner robins ga.and all the fabric is on sale at just 99 cents a yard. really, you wont believe the bargains i got. even decorative fabric, all 99 cents a yard. how can they survive at those prices. nevertheless, i got a lot of fabric for a little .go see for yourself.
Hancock’s has left Michigan entirely; I discovered the local store was closing almost by accident about a month ago, but there was one still open in the Detroit metro area. Today I got an email flyer and decided to look up that store, and the closest one to me was near Toledo Ohio! We do have Joanns and some independent stores around here as well as WalMart, but I’ll miss Hancock!
The hancock fabrics store was so near my house i could walk to it i love the way the employees would help you with every little thing they could help you with when my sister told me they were closing down i dint belive her so i went to it i saw the STORE CLOSING sign and i almost cried the quality of the fabrics was great i wish that they could open up again why did they have to go i will miss you hancock fabrics
My daugher lives in Roanoke, VA and they closed the store there. She’s just starting to sew and we were at a loss as to where to find good thread, scissors, etc. I live in SC and so far, my store is open. If they close it, I have no where to go unless I drive 75 miles, or order on-line.
I will miss Hancocks Fabrics a lot….
Closing fabric stores when we have a new generation of sewers, decorators, quilters, and crafters coming up is outrageous! We already have to drive at least one hour to find a selection of fabric. I would love to see stores in med. size towns like they used to be. The businesses that are on the stock market are all about amking money for the investors. they no longer see the suctomer as the most important part of their business. We have lost an important part of businesses as the larger corporations and the investors continually look at the bottom line for their decisions.
I hope the store near me stays open, it is in Moline IL. It is the only store on this side of the river that has everything i need to sew. The only other store around is in Iowa and it would be to far for me to go there all the time. I have been shopping at this store since my children were little. They are all grown and have kids of there own.
The problem I see with Hancock Fabrics is the CEO and her management. The sales people are the ones who know what the public says and thinks. They are the ones who interact with the public and help make the money that the CEO and her co-managers who enjoy spending money so generously in the wrong directions. When ever a customer complains to headquarters, headquarters blames it on the managers at the retail level. Sometimes they fire the retail managers because of the complaints. Each manager and their sales people work very hard trying to have a good store. It is the management at the top that need to change, not the retail stores.
I live in Huntsville, Alabama and our Hancocks is a wonderful store. It is the only genuine fabric store I know of that is close by. It is a fairly new store and if they were to announce that it was to be closed, I would be devastated!
I recently had a very bad experience at our Hancock Fabric store in Bowling Green KY. I have been a very loyal and regular customer of this store for many many years. I have spent many hundreds of dollars there. I was treated very rude by the manager. She showed nor offered any help with my problem. The store took $10.00 from me for not having the original styrafoam packing material in a serger I was returning.( I had the box. ) Certainly a big company as Hancocks can afford $10.00. This action has cost this store many dollars from me because I will never shop there again. Close the store. Who Cares !!!!!
i just hate hancocks is closing. i am the type to go all the time, see theres a sale i go to every hancock store, because i like they”re fabric much better then Jo Ann”s fabric. Plus Jo
Ann”s prices are higher then hancocks, then theres the different items.
I live in OKC and our Midwest City store is staying open. They have great friendly and knowledgeable staff, a well organized store and lots of selection for dressmaking. I would not want them to close.
The store in south Shreveport,La. is the nearest fabric store I can shop at for 60 miles. I buy fabric,notions,&yarn at this one.
If it closes,what are lots of people to do?
Yes all the hancock stores closing are really upsetting me. I recently was overjoyed to find that there was a hancock store in Douglsville where we are moving. The next thing I saw was a closing sign on the store. I went back to my local hancock’s in Montgomery only to discover they had moved. I love to sew but really don’t know where I will be able to find material for clothes. It is easy to find drapery and heavy materials, but for clothes and quilting? I don’t know.
My local Hancock’s closed several months ago. Do miss it when I am looking for special fabrics, the carried so nice stuff and had a great quilting fabric selection. Miss IT!!!
Since Connecticut has no Hancocks that I am aware of, their closing doesn’t affect me.
However, I am compeled to throw my 2 cents in for people like my mom, who is 82 and doesn’t own a computer. When she needs fabric she has to drive to JoAnn’s. With Walmarts cutting their fabric departments, and JoAnn’s a drive away, what is an older lady or someone -(and there ARE also younger folks who don’t own computers),to do since they cannot shop online?
It is a sad state of affairs, with sewing and quilting experiencing such a resurgency, that reasonably priced quality fabrics are so difficult to buy. Sure, we have some terrific quilt shops here, but unless you can find a sale, social security limits the amount of yardage you can afford in one of those shops.
Some one with some great retailing and marketing power needs to step up, and begin a market to compete with JoAnn’s. We sewers and quilters need HELP!
I live in Phoenix, an urban area of 5 million people, and it is becoming impossible to find fabric stores. For apparel fabric, Joann and Hancock were it and I had to travel 20+ miles to get to either of them. This is in a huge, populated town. What is going on with fabric? The selection gets worse every year, the prices are outrageous and Joann appears to have a monopoly.
I just learned tonight my Hancock’s had closed from another member of our newly-formed American Sewing Guild group. Several members drove more than an hour, because this was the closest group. Before we started, the closest was over 2 hours’ drive. So yes, there are apparently not many of us, no matter how much we may spend individually. Our local Joann sells a lot of fabric. The “local” Hancock was relocated; it went from being an hours drive, to 15 minutes further away. That’s why I have JUST learned it closed. If I am going to have to go so far, with the cost of gas, the online shipping price becomes well justified. If I really have to, I drive into the Amish country to visit the only “real” fabric stores I know of, like they used to be - that sell only fabrics. Never understood the furniture at Hancocks. Half the store occupied by what never sold. Must have had a bigger profit margin to justify that space, with one customer in that section for 15 in the fabrics, usually. The situation is the same world-wide, though. One of the large retail chains in the UK, John Lewis, used to have a huge fabric department, one entire floor in most stores. Now it’s a corner in some stores, and the other UK fabric-only chains have been closing off. Sewing is going the way of the small vegetable garden; hardly anyone does it or sees a reason to. We can only hope Project Runway revives garment sewing the way Trading Spaces and other shows revived Home Dec sewing. That’s the one fabric that’s easy to find and I admit I have sometimes had to resort to that for garments.
We lost two Hancock’s in Knoxville. I’d be willing to help Hancock’s reopen here if they could do so. They are much missed.
If your company CEO builds a big new corporate office and then retires, watch out. Hancock has the Larry Kirk
Shrine to thank for most of their problems. And the extra burdens that have been placed on companies since the boys at Enron did their thing is something the average home sewer has no clue about. Most of our customers who used to spend 3-5 hours a week sewing are now spending most of their free time on the internet and don’t know why they don’t have time to sew. And look at the cheap clothes and home decor items you can buy now. The same people who are complaining about “no fabric stores” are the same ones who are shopping at all the Tuesday Morning’s, Old Navy’s, Targets, Walmarts and every other chain store that sells cheap imported products. (Thank you, NAFTA) So add it all up and companies that used to make it thru the snug business times now have to sell off the stragglers to make it at all. Look at Maytag, Hershey’s and all the other corporations that have lost out since NAFTA went into effect. And when was the last time you bought anything full price at Hancock’s? People go to their favorite quilt shop and don’t bat an eye at spending $9.00 a yard but Hancock’s better give you a 40% off coupon and a 10% guild discount or you will wait until they do. Sorry if I’m bitter!
I want to join the group who are very upset about the Hancock;s decision. I have been a loyal customer of Hancock;s for many years and was distraught when they announced that the store close to me was closing. There’s another one clear across town that I guess is staying open. But I will miss the convenience of hopping in the car and being there in5 minutes instead of 30. With all the comments you have received, maybe they should reconsider and put the interests of their customers first.
Im from the Sioux City Iowa area and within the last year our Hancocks and Joanns have closed. We only have Hobby Lobby, WalMart and 2 wonderful quilt shops(thank heaven). I can see more people ordering on the internet.
I visited the one in Flagstaff, Az over the weekend and was not satisfied with their selection or by there poor customer service. Every employee in the store was rude! Our walmart has a fabric/ craft department that I much prefer.
OUR COUNTRY is in distress and we are partly to blame. We shop the “Big Discount” stores to save a little bit of money.(I know every penny counts these days!!)Many people will sacrifice quality for quantity. I am an avid quilter.If you have ever admired an antique quilt that is still a quality piece then you can appreciate that the maker used quality fabric. Often I see old quilts that at one time where beautiful and now are falling apart because of poor quality fabric. I put many hour of time and care into my projects in hopes that they will last many years longer than I will. “WE THE PEOPLE” need to forget the chain stores and start supporting the “mom and pop” shops. If it means spending a little more for fabric then just buy a little less. Don’t short change the quality of your hard work!!Shopping on line isn’t the answer, we need to touch that fabric!
I live in Norfolk Va and we only have one fabric store, Fabric Hut, very expensive. We have 2 JoAnn’s in Va. Beach and 2 Hancocks in Va. Beach and one of each across the Hampton Rds. Bridge tunnel. We are so strapped when it comes to getting good choices. Since Joanns has decreased their fabric and become more crafts its very disheartening. In a day and age where we need to save every penny possible we are losing our ability to choose. Even Walmart is going to stop selling fabric by 2009. They opened a brand new one 5 minutes from my house and the manager told me that they were not putting fabric in the new stores because they are fazing it out. We need help!! Bless you all and happy stitching!!
I can not understand why fabric shops can not get their act together to stay open. There are young girls who want to learn to sew 9i have three granddaughters who want to sew) and they all need a source of reasonably price material. A teacher was lamenting the elimination of fabric from local Wal-Mart saying, “Where will my students get material to bring to class?” I have been sewing for over 50 years and almost always find what I need at Hancock’s which is 45 miles away. If it closes, I will have to travel further to find sewing supplies and fabric. If I was 20 years younger, I would consider opening a fabric shop locally. Let’s keep Hancock’s open!
We have all the faberic stores in Des Moines or surrounding area. If Hancocks does close, I will be very dissapointed. Hancocks is a good place between the cheap faberic Wal Mart sells. And the way to high priced faberic of JoAnns and Hobby Lobby. I sew quilts for our Animal Rescue League and donate small ones for the rescued animals and larger ones for raffels to raise money. I also make baby quilts,crib sheets, bibs and receiving blankets for our local hospitals for parents that cannot afford to go out and buy matching layettes for their newborns. There is talk of our local Wal Marts doing away with faberic and sewing items, who cares?. They have been going down hill since Sam Walton died and we have almost quit shopping there. But, if Hancocks closes I will not be able to continue the sewing I do because faberic prices are to high at other stores. I’m a disabled 62 year old Grandmother and sewing for the above makes me feel useful and that my life still has purpose. My grand children love it when I make things for them. Hang in there Hancocks it will get better.
There is a Hancock’s about 20 miles from my home. It’s in Greenville, NC. The store is old, not well kept, with non-helpful employees, and a less than mediocre selection. I’m a quilter and sorely miss having a good quality quilt shop in the area. I read the “Quilt Sampler” magazine each year with envy, and often wonder how many of these fine stores in remote locations, manage to stay open. Of late, I have had to buy on-line, which is just not the same as having a relationship with a local store. I try to attend a big annual show and buy a lot of material from the vendors (and then fill in the blanks from the web). With all the talk of a resurgence in sewing and quilting, I’m not sure I understand what’s going on. I guess it’s just too expensive for shop owners to maintain a great inventory at bargain prices. I have learned….you get what you pay for. The closest large quilt shop is over 75 miles away…one day I’ll get there.
Our Hancocks in Woodbridge, VA shut down shortly after I moved here. The closest one to my home is in Manassas, VA and it sucks! It’s horribly old; and not well taken care of. Being a woman that has grown up around Hancocks back in Louisiana it’s very sad to see it go. I wish they wouldn’t. Now it’s only the small fraction of a so-called collection that they have a Wal-Mart and then there’s JoAnns. We had a really nice store called G-Street Fabrics in the Potomac Mills Mall but that has shut down as well. Where are all the fabric stores going?
Art Major in Columbus Ga. and needed fabric for an art project, looked up thrift stores online and found “Gina’s Junk Thrift Store” . she had all kinds of Fabric from Vintage pieces to whole bolts of fabric she picks up here and there, This is just The Neatest thrift store I have found in Columbus Ga. and with prices a student can afford to shop in. I have included her website
ginasjunk.com
Does anyone know if there are any hancock fabric stores in the central florida area?
I have heard that our Hancock Store in Morrow Ga will be closing is this true?
My Hancock store closed in Peoria. We have Joanns, Hobby Lobby,and Walmart. Now Walmart discontinued fabrics since there new updated store is up and running. I can’t find a thing now that they have changed everything. I will no longer shopped at Walmart.
Hey, what gives? Is the store in Warner Robins, GA closing? It seems they have everything on sell in that store as much as 60% off. Does anyone know or has anyone heard what is going on at that Hancock’s store in Warner Robins?
The Hancok store on mecury BLVD in Hampton is always slowwwwwwwww, they make you wait and wait and they are just as high priced as Joannes. They raise the prices then have a sale! They are NOT very friendly either.
Are there any discount fabric stores around the Warren, Michigan area???? Please let me know!!
I know there is the Jo Ann Fabrics, but something on the order of Hancocks, pleaseeee!!
Thank you!!
I’m very disspointed our Hancock closed in Great Falls, Mt. Our Joanna’s has nothing compared to Hancock. Our walmart is a joke so we have no where to shop. Please consider comming back in more centrally location. We really miss you. Can do without the crafts and furniture. More apparel and lessons and you’d have sone more business. Buy to Gail Magland-ya! She was the down fall of the store and Jenna the manager. The Nelsons girls kept the store alive and I enjoyed my job uhntil Jenna forces me out. Like Linda forced the Nelsons out then the store lost business. Out with the good people and all the bad were left so customers quit comming. To bad it was a wonderful store. A few bab apples spoiled it for everyone.
I used to live in Ann Arbor, Michigan and the store there closed three yrs ago. I did go in and buy a lot of things, but the fabric wasn’t quilt store quality and the prices durng their “fire sale” weren’t really that great. I bought fabric samples for $1 each and some 30ish for a decent price.
We have a Hancocks here in Fort Wayne and it is a good store. They are helpful and still have lots of items (notions, fabric) that we all use as quilters. Their sales are good sometimes, but am glad to have them to choose from besides Joanns and two local quilt shops.
I’m late in this discussion, but have a comment for Janet in Charlotte, NC..haven’t you heard of MaryJo’s in Gastonia?
What a wealth of reasonably priced fabrics—quilting and a plethora of other fabrics, too.
I try to support local quilt shops as I can, but also shop on-line at fabricdepot.com. The customer service department there, and at MaryJo’s are excellent!!
(never was impressed with Hancock’s)
Since the Wal-Mart store nearest me stopped selling fabric, and the next closest Wal-Mart will also stop selling fabric soon; the closest fabric store to me is 18-20 miles away. I’ve been doing all kinds of sewing since I’m a child and have seriously considered opening up a small hole in the wall store just to sell fabrics, sewing machines and possibly knitting and crocheting materials because I’m proficient in all of those things. My problem is I don’t have the capital to start such an endeavor.