jrhboxers

Actually, at one time there were three major store chains - Joanns, Hancocks and Cloth World. IMHO Cloth World had the better fabric. Then Joanns bought out Cloth World and Hancocks had the best fabrics. Now you can sometimes find good fabric at Joanns and Hancocks but no always.

I wish there was a fabric store that had the 'Cloth World' mentality - great quality, good price, and great helpful, knowledgable staff. I used to work at Cloth World and you HAD to be a sewer. General help was not hired for Cloth World. You had to be able to understand and actually have intelligent information for the customers.

Not anymore anywhere - sometimes not even the quilt shops. Last time I bought any fabric at Joanns (all of it was the high end stuff) the girl that was cutting was more interested in texting on her phone rather than actually doing her job. After I got home, I contacted the manager, district manager and corporate to let them know the quality of people they were hiring. They said that they were having a hard time finding qualified people - I don't think so in this economy.

Anyway - just my 2 cents worth.

mzsooz

Just found out from my mom that the Joann's Fabrics in Grand Junction, Colorado is going out of business. Makes me sad :cry:

MadQuilter

When the employees at our Joann seem less than enthusiastic, I usually engage them in conversation - and before you know it, it's a much "funner" experience for both of us. Sometimes it's the customers that cause their own bad situation: Last time Pat and I went, the cutter asked one grumpy old lady what she was planning to make and the woman literally barked at her to just cut the fabric and mind her own business. HARSH! and NASTY! Old bag!

krisgray

Yup! Our old store was like that - took forever. Thankfully, they opened a new store, not a super store but new, about 1 1/2 yrs ago with more employees and numbers at the cutting table. Leave some comments on their web site and tell them that you may have to drive a little farther to a store w/better service!

CoriAmD

yes, I just got the flyer today myself and thought the very same thing. I know there are a lot of scrapbookers, but there are still a gazillion quilters/sewers too!
And the one coupon about getting $10.00 bonus credit when you buy $50. or more sounded like it was just for decorator fabric. I would be interested is using this coupon if it was for quiting cotton. I can easily find $50. worth of material at a time...

ClairVoyantQuilter

Seriously???? Wow. . .


You know . . .I think part of the problem is they're trying to compete with Hobby Lobby and Michaels for crafters, which frankly . . .is no easy task. Why not just be the best fabric store that we, as quilters, would shop at. Considering how much the top of the line sewing machines have gone up in the last 10 years, I'd think there would be a demand for such a store????

LeeAnn

I was very disappointed in their recent sale too.

GrammaNan

I had the exact reaction! I think they are just trying to reach other crafters and will get back to a fabric focus as I have seen them do this before. I think there are some fabric listed towards the back of the brochure. Let's hope this isn't a long term trend!

CarrieAnne

Our JA's just got remodeled, so they are having Grand opening sales. Tomarrow the first 50 people get a 5.00 gift card, and shopping bag. I am going to try, lol!

mzsooz

I tend to constantly smile all the time (I don't know... gas? LOL) Anyway....I almost always have a good experience everywhere I shop. In fact my kids get bugged because I end up hearing the person's life story. They are just people who have bad days too. Their feet hurt, they don't have enough money, baby kept them up all night, their last customer was that old bag!

I had one that had just found out her dad had cancer. I let her talk and she was smiling when I left.

Try it. It works. :-D :-D :-D :-D :-D