18-05-2025
Maine fabric, crafts shops fill the void left after retailer Joann's bankruptcy
May 18—When Jinger Howell first started her apron business, Yo Momma's Apron Strings, she'd head to Joann to wander the fabric aisles, her eyes drawn to appealing colors and patterns.
As her business grew, she started buying more of her fabric online, but still relied on Joann for thread and other supplies. That will no longer be an option after this month, when all Joann stores go out of business, including the five locations in Maine.
"They covered a lot of bases for people who like to do things with their hands," said Howell, who lives in Bowdoin. "The impact is huge for a lot of people."
In Maine, there's no shortage of alternative options for quilters, knitters and other crafters who want to shop in person and avoid large chain retailers. Dozens of locally-owned shops across the state specialize in yarn, fabric and other supplies people need for their projects. Some Marden's stores also feature large fabric sections.
The local shops, owned by people passionate about sewing or knitting, foster community in a way that larger retailers can't do. They host classes, knitting groups and opportunities for people to get together to chat while they work. Their employees are experts who can answer questions, guide shoppers to the right materials, and talk about projects.
"It's really about the community. You get to know people working in the shops. They're always there to help you or just ooh and ahh over the colors with you," said Jennifer Fleck, co-owner of KnitWit, a yarn shop in Portland.
After Joann, previously known as Jo-Ann Fabrics, filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in February, it announced that all 800 stores would close by the end of May. That includes locations in Portland, Topsham, Auburn, Waterville and Bangor.
Joann had been a mainstay in the fabric and craft world for eight decades, but struggled more recently as it faced competition from online sellers and other large crafts retailers like Michaels and Hobby Lobby.
Fans of the store say its lower prices on fabric made sewing more accessible to people who were just starting or didn't want to spend a lot for higher-end cottons that quilt shops often stock. And Joann's selection of apparel fabrics, minky fabric, felt and fleece fit the bill for people making costumes and blankets.
Joann also stocked the basics for knitting, crocheting, embroidery and jewelry making. During the pandemic, it saw a boost of sales among people embracing a DIY lifestyle or picking up new hobbies to pass the time.
"There's a pretty big subculture of crafters and knitters who make Maine their home," Fleck said.
Maine has the highest rate of adults who do some kind of fiber art — weaving, crocheting, quilting, needlepoint, knitting or sewing, at 25%, according to a study published last year by the National Endowment for the Arts.
"In the winter, there's not a lot to do. You can sit at home and knit," said Rosemary Libby, owner of Rosemary's Gifts and Yarn in Windham.
NEW CUSTOMERS
Angela Streeter, owner of The Craftin' Scot, has been shopping at Joann for more than 25 years, most often in Topsham. She often bought multiple bolts of fabric at a time to make the potholders, lap quilts, burp cloths and other items she sells locally and through her website.
"Over the years, I used to go in on big sale days and come out with a cart full," she said. She got to know employees at the Topsham store who would give her a heads-up when the items she shopped for would be going on sale.
As her business grew, Streeter started turning to a wholesaler to buy materials in bulk. She also started buying fabric through an online retailer that prints it to order. Since the Joann bankruptcy was announced, she has found sources for the other items she needs. But she said she'll miss being able to pop into Joann.
"We've lost that spontaneity of being able to go in and shop," she said.
Rosemary's Gifts and Yarn boasts that it carries the largest selection of yarn in Maine and, like many local yarn and fabric shops, Libby, the owner, already has a strong customer base.
Since Joann filed for bankruptcy, Libby has seen more new customers looking for supplies and has added some items that people told her they previously bought at Joann, including notions for knitters and safety eyes for crochet animals.
"I'm trying to be conscious of what they need," she said.
At Past + Future Craft Exchange in Westbrook, owner Jo Bell said she is starting to carry more new merchandise "to fill in the gaps of what people would buy at Joanne, like interfacing and thread." The store, based on a creative reuse center model, largely sells supplies donated by people who no longer need them.
"Our products are, for the most part, a lot cheaper than you find elsewhere," Bell said. "(Customers) think it's so cool what they can find. It's the joy of discovery — you never know what you're going to find in the shop."
Vicki Pariyar, who opened Knots & Bolts Creating Co. in Sanford last June, hopes people used to shopping at Joann will find their way into local shops like hers, where they will find quilting fabric, yarn and supplies for crochet and embroidery.
Pariyar has noticed more people asking for fabric for clothing and has been expanding her inventory. She's also adding the zippers and threads that customers tell her they had been buying from Joann.
BUILDING COMMUNITY
Fleck, owner of KnitWit, said people who haven't shopped yet in local yarn and fabric stores will find most carry higher-quality products and local options that aren't sold at chain retailers. Her shop sells a lot of yarn from local companies and dyers, which she said people tend to prefer once they switch from acrylic yarn.
"I hope to see more people," Fleck said. "It's a logical next step for knitters."
Quilters, knitters and other crafters will also find community at local shops that host classes and groups where people can gather to work on projects.
At Yardgoods Center, a Waterville yarn and fabric shop that's been in business for more than 75 years, knitters gather twice a week to knit together for hours. In Portland, KnitWit offers classes for all skill levels and a Thursday knit night where people work together at the shop, then move to a brewery for more knitting and socializing.
Pariyar, who has always loved creating in community, is trying to offer more classes at her Sanford shop to build a community within her community. She said she encourages people to sign up for classes at their local shops to connect with other people and to support small independent businesses.
"You build community in that class and your stores will be able to stay open," she said.
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