Joann Fabric on path to close Marinette location

MARINETTE – Joann Fabrics in Marinette is on a list of stores slated to close, much to the disappointment of quilters like Kathy Shepro of Menominee, Mich.
Shepro works for Quilter’s Haven, a boutique at 447 1st St. in Menominee that is a destination for quilters. It specializes in quilt kits and fabrics.

“I’ve been sewing since about fourth grade,” Shepro said. “I’ve been quilting for 25 years. Sewing and quilting, that’s my passion.”

While some might consider the shop a competitor to Joann Inc., it doesn’t try to be Joann’s, said Chris Caselton, owner. “I feel bad. I don’t want it to close,” she said about the Joann’s location in Marinette.

“Obviously, we can’t carry everything. We can’t carry fancy ribbons, special buttons, craft items, batting, stuffing for pillow forms. We don’t carry that stuff because we’re not Joann’s,” Caselton said.

Exactly when Joann Inc. plans to close its Marinette store at 2402 Roosevelt Rd. hasn’t been announced. Hudson, Ohio-based Joann Inc. filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection Jan. 15 for the second time in less than a year and put its assets on the auction block to raise funds.

Great American Group’s bid for Joann’s assets was accepted last week, according to a news report published Feb. 22 in Cleveland Business Journal. This information couldn’t be confirmed by press time. Whether the sale will result in fewer or more store closings wasn’t known.

The company hasn’t said when the Marinette store at 2402 Roosevelt Rd. will close or whether a new owner might keep it open. A newer Joann Fabrics location in Wausau, Wis., isn’t on the list of store closings.

“Certain ones are on the chopping block first – unless they can get a buyer,” Castleton said. “If they don’t get a buyer, I hope we get a Hobby Lobby in there because I think we need it.”

Stung by soft sales following COVID-19, Joann Inc., formerly a publicly traded company, had filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in March 2024 and reorganized as a private company, according to documents filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Its stock was delisted from the NASDAQ exchange in April 2024, the documents said.

The company thought it could continue operating its 800 stores and employing 18,000 team members and return to profitability, according to year-old documents. During 2024, it brought in new board talent and interim co-chief executive officers, according to news reports. However, the efforts weren’t sufficient to stem the company’s losses.

The company announced Feb. 12 it would begin closing about 500 stores. “This was a very difficult decision to make, given the major impact we know it will have on our team members, our customers and all of the communities we serve. A careful analysis of store performance and future strategic fit for the company determined which stores should remain operating as usual at this time. Rightsizing our store footprint is a critical part of our efforts to ensure the best path forward for Joann,” the company said.

With more consumers shopping online, Joann Fabric’s in-store retail sales have declined. The company also sells products on its website.

With a large amount of inventory, Joann’s Marinette location has benefitted Quilter’s Haven, by providing another place for quilters to shop for items other than fabric for quilts. “We have some buttons, but they have other buttons. We have some zippers, but they have other zippers,” Caselton said.

With limited space, Quilter’s Haven hasn’t attempted to carry everything needed for quilting and sewing. “I feel very bad that we’re not going to have Joann’s (in-stock inventory) available to us,” Caselton said.

As a brick-and-mortar shop, Quilter’s Haven attracts quilters who travel a distance for its special fabrics and quilting kits. “People who like quilt-shop fabrics, they’re going to come here. They’re not going to go to Joann’S for it,” Caselton said.

Quilter’s Haven posts photos of some of its fabrics on its Facebook page, but it doesn’t put its inventory online, Shepro said. “We put it on Facebook, and people can call in and order,” she said. Besides fabric, it carries a small number of related supplies. “We do have pins and rotary cutters and rulers – that kind of thing,” Shepro said.

Quilters are passionate about quilting. “Right now, it’s not a dying hobby,” Shepro said.

A phone call to Joann Fabrics on Roosevelt Road in Marinette for more information on a closing date prompted an automated message, stating:
“Our stores remain open nationwide, and any final store-closing dates related to the bankruptcy have not been established. Some of our locations have begun liquidations sales and will remain open with unique deals over the coming months. You can also shop our full product offerings and reach our customers care team from wherever you are using the Joann App or Joann.com.”