Hancock Fabrics has been a popular fabric and crafts retail chain in America for over fifty years. The company currently operates 266 stores in 37 states, and also makes many of it's products available via hancockfabrics.com, it's online retail store.

Hancock Fabrics carries a wide variety of fashion, upholstery and crafting fabrics. Stores also carry an extensive range of patterns (including Vogue, McCall's, Simplicity, New Look, Butterick, and Kwik-Sew), sewing machines, and notions, making them one one of the few retailers today who focus upon offering a comprehensive selection to the sewing enthusiast. The company also sells necessary items for knitting, crochet, needlepoint, embroidery, beading, and home decorating projects.http://www.fundinguniverse.com/company-histories/Hancock-Fabrics-Inc-Company-History.html

Hancock puts a strong emphasis upon coupons and frequent special discounts to motivate it's customers to shop. The "Hancock Fabrics Preferred Customer" program entitles shoppers to receive promotional flyers in the mail (usually once a month) that detail new products and special sales, and these flyers almost always include a 40% off coupon for fabric and/or notions. Hancock Fabrics retail stores will also accept promotional coupons from their competitors, including Jo-Ann's (their chief competitor), Hobby Lobby and Michaels. The online store, hancockfabrics.com, likewise puts a heavy emphasis on discounts and coupon promotions, and offers the opportunity to sign up for an email list receive notices about new products, special deals and coupons.http://hancockfabrics.ecndigitaledition.com/magazine.aspx http://www.couponingtodisney.com/2010/03/22/hancock-fabrics-now-accepting-competitor-coupons/

A very popular aspect of Hancock's success strategy over the years has been it's willingness to make patterns available at bargain prices. The company frequently runs special promotions where patterns from one major company are made available for $.99 each. Hancock Fabrics also runs a special website, projects.hancockfabrics.com, which offers instructions and patterns for hundreds of clothing and crafts projects as complimentary pdf downloads.http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf95429674.tip.html http://projects.hancockfabrics.com/

Hancock stores occasionally offer inexpensive or free sewing and crafting classes. If interested, contact your local store for schedule information.

Hancock Fabrics was founded in 1957 by L.D. Hancock, who set out to explore the potential of selling fabric in a "superstore" retail environment. This was a fresh idea at a time when small specialty stores or dedicated areas in variety stores were frequently the only shopping option for sewing and crafts enthusiasts.

In a statement written for an online company profile, Hancock Fabrics reflected upon it's history and what has remained constant through its decades of evolution in the marketplace: "When Hancock Fabrics was founded in 1957, it marked the introduction of a significant new concept in fabric retailing. With a seemingly endless selection of specialized merchandise displayed in a large-store format, Hancock's supermarket of fabrics and related accessories represented the first real commitment by a retailer to concentrate on one thing and to do it better than anyone else. ... Despite the staggering pace of change in today's business environment, the fabric customer continues to be the ultimate reason for everything we do. In that spirit, the people of Hancock Fabrics remain committed to keeping our costs and therefore our prices low as we search the markets of the world for the merchandise values that our customers expect and deserve. You see, even after almost forty years, our mission is still the same--earn the right to be 'America's Fabric Store.'" http://www.fundinguniverse.com/company-histories/Hancock-Fabrics-Inc-Company-History.html

• 1957: Hancock Fabrics was founded

• 1988: Sales figures reached $315.4 million, and net earnings grew to $22 million.

• 1992: Hancock stocks dropped to $10, vs $24 in the previous year.

• 2005: Jane Aggers took the role of CEO in the midst of financial difficulties as Hancock sought to meet the needs of rapidly changing fabric industry.

• 2006: Hancock annouced plans for dramatic restructuring of the company, including plant to close at least 50 stores.

• 2007: Hancock filed banruptcy under Chapter 11.

• 2008: The company announced that it had emerged from bankruptcy.

• Fabrics for clothing, home decor and crafts

• Sewing machines (sale and repair)

• Hobby & craft items

• Home Furnishings and housewares

• Sewing patterns

• Jo-Ann Stores, Inc.

• Hobby Lobby

• Michaels