Joann Fabrics will be shutting down roughly 500 locations nationwide, including many local stores in Fairfax, Falls Church, Woodbridge, and Warrenton. The company filed for bankruptcy in March of 2024, and will now close down more than half of the 850 stores. 

By early 2024, Joann Fabrics had over $1 billion in debt, and were able to reduce the debt to about $500 million. However, it wasn’t enough to save the company. 

“The last several years have presented significant and lasting challenges in the retail environment, which, coupled with our current financial position and constrained inventory levels, forced us to take this step,” Michael Prendergast, CEO of Joann Fabrics, said. 

Joann is currently waiting on court approval to sell almost all of their assets. 

The only nearby Joann Fabrics remaining will be the Sterling location at the Sugarland Crossing shopping center. Joann has not yet released dates for when the stores will close for good. 

Many Joann Fabrics shoppers are disheartened by the upcoming closures. 

Sophomore Jaya Chatfield has been shopping at Joann Fabrics for over 5 years. 

“I love Joanns and I’ll miss it,” Chatfield said, “I make halloween costumes for myself so I get all the fabric there.”

Chatfield mentioned that she typically shops at the Fair Oaks location and will switch to shopping at the Serling location after the Fair Oaks location shuts down. 

“I’m kinda bummed that it’s closing. The Sterling one is nicer but I like the chaotic energy of the one close by (Fair Oaks),” Chatfield said. 

“They have a really wide variety of fabrics, threads, and sewing machine parts, so if I have a project I usually start there,” Chatfield added. 

Senior, Caroline Ayres, was also upset by the news of Joann’s closures.

“I am sickened by this communal loss,” Ayres said. 

Although various Joann locations will stay open, the company is still struggling and many shoppers are feeling this impact and will lose access to the fabrics they need.