What is going on at Joanns?

[ThreadHeroine]

The Hobby Lobby I work it is expanding the scrapbooking department but we did it by moving Seasonal down and adding an aisle. We're not taking anything away from the other sections. I wouldn't mind seeing the Christmas crap being taken away however.

 

We are also relaying the entire layout of the store. Putting craft woods where the scrapbooking is now and moving all that cursed paper upwards towards cards & party.

 

I hate scrapbooking. I really do. There have been fights over 8 12x12 pieces of paper on our sale days. I want to be in the needlework section but that's besides the point.

 

And I hear ya on the lack of good yarn nowadays. But I don't want my Hobby Lobby to carry it. I'm getting tired of acrylics. My town doesn't have a good shoppe (locally owned I mean) with wool. All we have are the corporate stores and I'm bored.

 

(I don't think I'm supposed to be talking about company business on the website either but it's not like I'm telling where they get their inventory from or the neighborhood missing children in the back area or anything.)

[theresa smith]

even in michaels is full of stuff for paper crafts too i love crossstitch and they have less of that these days for scraping and that stuff .the yarn stuff isnt full and its not fair. i agree in the bronx theres no shop at all i have to travel a good 30 minutes to find michaels ,now theres a the christmas tree shop or something like that hope its crafts for me too . have a great summer ladies ,think crochet !!! theresa from ny:manyheart

[Sylviaf]

I shop a lot at Joann's (and Hancock, Michael's and Hobby Lobby) and I'm generally happy with them. It is hard to find everything you would like in a store that has to cater to all crafts (apparel fabric seems to suffer the most). I do have a question about Joann's. Why, in a store that is supposed to be about creativity, does everyone wear a uniform? That has kept me from ever applying for a job there because I just don't think I could stand it.

[Squarah]

My Hobby Lobby and Michael's have huge yarn sections, so I never even mess with Joann's. They just recently tore down my Hobby Lobby and built a brand new one, and now they carry even more varieties of yarn! There's also a fabulous LYS near me, so all in all I have no reason to put myself through the hell that is Joann's.

[Squarah]

Why, in a store that is supposed to be about creativity, does everyone wear a uniform? That has kept me from ever applying for a job there because I just don't think I could stand it.

 

Hell, I wish the employees at my LYS wore uniforms because I can never figure out who works there! Uniforms make the customers life a little easier IMO.

[Suebee42]

Hell, I wish the employees at my LYS wore uniforms because I can never figure out who works there! Uniforms make the customers life a little easier IMO.

 

Yep, that's why.

 

It's not so much a uniform as a "dress code" that makes a professional impression, and makes us easier to find. Makes clothes shopping a lot easier for me, too. LOL!

[Suebee42]

I did a little mini-tour of the new and improved yarn department in my store, and made a list of stuff that looked new to me...

 

Royale Lovebeads

Patons Shetland Chunky

Patons Decor

Patons Astra

Lion Cashmere Blend

Lion Tiffany

Red Heart Hunny

Bernat Baby Bubbles

Bernat Baby Coordinates - Sweet Stripes

Bernat Satin

Red Heart Soft

Red Heart Light & Lofty

Moda Dea Beatnik

Royale Rave

Bernat Cool Crochet

 

I did notice that many of them fell into the "somewhat normal yarn" family, vs crazy/glitzy/foofy/weird yarn. Yay!

[donnalynn2]

I went into Jo-anns last night (haven't been there in about 2 weeks) and I about dropped my teeth! I went to the very back of the store where the Cotton has always been and instead I saw crochet hooks, knitting needles and such. Boy have they done a major overhaul in there. It looks like they are going to be carrying more Wilton Stuff (I hope so) as they have it all scattered in one aisle (before they had a very small amount on the side of an aisle). I also saw TONS of really cool looking yarn I had never seen before that was still in boxes and bags waiting to be opened and put on the shelves. Ooooh I cannot wait!!! It does appear as though they will have one more aisle of yarn and a lot of it looks like it's REGULAR yarn, not that fun fur stuff so I'm excited!!!!

 

Oh and they actually put all the purse handles right behind all the yarn instead of on the other side of the store with the sewing stuff! How cool is that!!!!

[Suebee42]

Weird, our purse handles are over in the notions dept near the cutesy appliques. So much for a uniform planogram nationwide. LOL!

[smithvillenana]

we have anew joanns, its about 8 or 10 miles closer to me and 2 or 3 times bigger!:yayi have also noticed over the last 2 yrs. ,al the fru fru yarn. i tried to crochet with it , i would rather stick my hands in acid. it wouldnt be so bad if it was a few kinds ,but at hobby lobby they have 2 large 4ways full of eyelash etc., and then every end cap (both ends of aisle)on that end of the store.personally i think that the fru fru yarns are always full because nobody buys them and i think the regular yarn is empty because they hope that if there isn't any reg. yarn that you will buy the more expensive ones. just my oppinion:P

 

jackie

[KellyA]

I have had it with Joann's. My local Joann's has been shifting there departments around (seems like forever) and when some yarns havw been depleted on the bin/shelf they do not restock that bin/shelf.

The last two months they have been re-doing the yarn department. So needless to say any type of "regular" worsted weight yarn are showing empty bins and the icky fun fur is staying full. Also I am soo tired of seeing all the specialty types of yarn. The lighting in the aisles in that section is horrible so matching yarn is next to impossible. I thought I had a good combination and when I got home :eek boy was I wrong.

 

I have left many, many notes to the store manager regarding this, but seeing how long it takes to get the departments straighten I can see I am an important customer. I need to leave notes because the manager is always busy talking with her friends/family members and I really hate to disturb them when they are at work:angry (I am presuming they are family/friends because I hear about future activities they are planning)

 

Michaels has a great selection and they will match the Joann's add pricing and will accept their coupons

Yeah Michaels

[lhasaapsolady]

I live 30 mins from our nearest JoAnn's and it is terrible. Its as if they forgot about us. Walmart isn't much better for yarn and thread either. What makes me really upset however is that they built a new Michaels 30 mins away and I was like thinking since i can't get it at other 2 stores I can get it there. No such luck their yarn and thread section isn't much better. Please can somebody out there help us:hook . We need a store of our own so we don't have to order everything.

[clocke]

I'm glad to hear that Jo-ann is restocking and getting in more yarn types! Because I went in a couple of weeks ago to my semi-local one and it looked like they were selling everything down to get rid of it and move, but there was no "going-out-of-business" sign. So I was quite confused. Now I will definitely plan another visit.

[Suebee42]

I'm glad to hear that Jo-ann is restocking and getting in more yarn types! Because I went in a couple of weeks ago to my semi-local one and it looked like they were selling everything down to get rid of it and move, but there was no "going-out-of-business" sign. So I was quite confused. Now I will definitely plan another visit.

 

 

yeah, I got asked that a LOT... "Are you closing??!?!"

 

I discovered another new yarn I missed last week when making my list... Caron Simply Soft Tweed... me likey!

 

We're still struggling to get the reorganization done in my store... it's taking longer than planned. Ugh. I've even put in extra hours to help out stocking the jewelry section... I put out SIX boxes of beads, findings and tools (and considering the small size of the packages, that's a LOT of stuff!!), and there's AT LEAST that much still back there, waiting to be released from stockroom prison... amazing.

[ChicagoHooker]

I'd like more yarn, too.

I'd much rather see the stores get rid of fuzzy, furry, nubby yarn. There's only so much you can make with fun fur types.

 

YES! YES! YES! :cheer:cheer

 

(see my fun fur rant... http://www.crochetville.org/forum/showthread.php?t=30762)

[ChicagoHooker]

Hobby Lobby and Michael's where I go are getting the same way. Yarn is scrunched into this little area, and scrap-booking seems to be taking over.

 

Neither HL or Michael's ever carried wool

 

Juli, I'm guessing this must be a regional thing. Because although the Michaels stores around here stink for yarn, the Hobby Lobby stores near me have about 5 to 6 long aisles filled with yarn...some hard to find kinds too. I think Joann stores also differ from area to area as far as what they carry....at least that's been my observation.

[LavenderBear]

Hello! They are revamping our local Joann's store as well! Although they have cut WAY BACK on the basic Red Heart acrylic yarn, they now have a wider variety of other types of yarn, some that are new to me. My girlfriend and I asked them if they were discontinuing that yarn and they said they weren't. There are less than 20 colors of it and most of the bins were empty, but they also had a sale for it this week, so that could be part of the deal. In any case, they have increased the children's section of crafts, the scrapbooking, and the pattern books. But the aisles are getting smaller and smaller and a good handful of my friends will no longer go to Joann's (at least not right now) and are going to Michael's and praying we get that Hobby Lobby we've been told will be coming soon! I guess you could say I mixed emotions, but it seems like SO many stores are revamping right now (anyone seen a Meijer's getting reorganized lately??) and time will tell if they are successful?! Personally, I hope they get more of the basic Red Heart yarn back for the many projects I make with it (especially since Wal Mart got rid of their basic acrylic yarn) and I was HAPPY to find three new Red Heart colors (spring green, turqua, and light fuchsia) when shopping there this week!

[christinacoghill]

I found several yarn stores that are independantly owned. So I do most of my shopping in them. Of course they rarely carry any acrylic or kitchen cotton yarns, most of the yarns in the stores I shop in are natural fiber yarns. A lot more costly but in my opinion worth it. Both shops that I go to have workers and owners that love to knit and crochet. Plus if I want anything and they don't have it special order it. And then they even give freebie clinics, along with answering any questions I have about a pattern.

Plus they are just darn cool places to hang out in. You can go in sit and knit or crochet and chat with other addicts. lol..

[Shellybrook]

Well...I spent the whole week salivating about making a run to JoAnns this weekend, I pass it on my way to work every morning (its a pain to get into going the opposite direction) Its had a HUGE sign out that says 70% clearance...I'm thinking YES!!!!!!! YARN!!!! Well I go in today,,,I'm still trying to figure out what was one sale??? I got a couple of 1 pounders, not on sale, but decent price...but there wasn't anything at all in the store on sale...funny fur? even at $3 a skein, I don't think that looks like any fun to work. So...I stopped at the Dollar Tree and picked up 10 skeins of Pattons Pebbles...at least it wasn't a full loss. I surely didn't come home empty handed.

[Suebee42]

The 70% Clearance is all the yellow stickers... which should be almost gone by now, as they're all items that have been on clearance for six months or more... probably way more, in the case of some items. I think my store has a small H-cart inside the front door with the last remnants of what we have...

[Yearnin' for Yarn]

I don't have a Joann's in my town, but there is one in a town 45 minutes north of me and one in a town an hour south of me. The one north of me is closing, and the one south of me has the most horrible selection of yarn possible. And, the prices are outrageous. It is much cheaper for me to buy from various online stores. There's also a Micheals south of me; their selection is better, as well as their prices, but theystill don't seem to carry what I need when I need it. They also have a HL down there, but I've not looked at their yarn yet. I have great hopes. I have just gotten so fed up with Joanns---high prices, bad selection, no organization . . . ugh!

 

I'm going to have to just order online, I think.

 

Nicole

[losingmymind2]

Today I went to my first Joanns. What a mess. The whole store was torn apart and you could barely get the cart around. The 'help' was totally unhelpful, and not very nice, either. I went because I wanted to try their boucle yarn; but doubt I'll be going back, unless I happen to go to the same shopping center to go to A. C. Moore; but there is one of those closer to home.

[Sylviaf]

We used to have two small Joanns near me. One was always a mess, they'd change managers, things would improve, they'd transfer the manager and it would fall apart again. However, the people who worked there were always nice, if not always knowledgeable. Now we have a superstore and it is always neat and organized with a good selection of everything. It still seems that they hire people with no regard to their knowledge of sewing or crafts. There are always a few people who can help but not too many. At least my local store is still staffed by pleasant people. If I want sewing help, I go to Hancock but for crochet help, none of the stores have people who can give advice.

[smg55039]

The JoAnn's back home started out in a small store in a MALL. All it carried was fabric and sewing stuff. Eventually it expanded into an old Wilco and lost it's mind. It stopped being the ONLY fabric store in north Delaware and turned into this wannabe A.C. Moore. Then it moved again and got worse. And it's still the only calico/dress fabric store in north Delaware.

 

The hobby store yarn selections out this way are also limited. I'm a bit miffed about it. I can't afford the LYS stuff (who wants hand dyed, hand spun, yak fur yarn for ungodly prices when you are making granny squares). So I do most of my bulk shopping here http://www.herrschners.com/default.aspx

[Blueat40]

I don't have a Joann's in my town' date=' but there is one in a town 45 minutes north of me and one in a town an hour south of me. The one north of me is closing, and the one south of me has the most horrible selection of yarn possible. And, the prices are outrageous. It is much cheaper for me to buy from various online stores. There's also a Micheals south of me; their selection is better, as well as their prices, but theystill don't seem to carry what I need when I need it. They also have a HL down there, but I've not looked at their yarn yet. I have great hopes. I have just gotten so fed up with Joanns---high prices, bad selection, no organization . . . ugh!

 

I'm going to have to just order online, I think.

 

Nicole[/quote']

 

Nicole,

 

The Joann's 30 minutes away closed a few months ago. Towards the end, yarn was $1.00/skein. Might be worth your while to check it out and add it to your stock if you stockpile like me.

Lisa