Joann Fabrics

Jo-Ann Fabrics stores are a chain of retail shops specializing in the sale of sewing, quilting and craft-related goods. The stores are known for being "the nation's largest specialty retailer of fabrics and one of the largest specialty retailers of crafts" http://phx.corporate-ir.net/phoenix.zhtml?c=74290&p=irol-homeProfile and sell a variety of other items including sewing accessories, home decor, frames, paper craft items, artificial plants, holiday items, bead and woodworking crafts, and more. Many stores also offer a wide range of sewing and craft classes

This chain of fabric and craft stores was founded in 1943 and is headquartered in Hudson, Ohio.

Jo-Ann Fabrics currently operates 750 stores in 47 states under the names "Jo-Ann Fabric and Craft stores" and "Jo-Ann stores", each one taking up an average of between 14,700-37,400 square feet of space, depending on the store status as either a regular store or "large-format" store . Jo-Ann is publicly traded on the New York Stock Exchange (JAS), and reports that the average net sales per regular store is $1.5 million, and the large-format stores generate average net sales of $4.7 million (as of 2009).http://phx.corporate-ir.net/phoenix.zhtml?c=74290&p=irol-homeProfile Combined, all of the stores employ over 22,000 workers.http://www.joann.com/joann/common/content_corporate.jsp?catName=factSheet The chairman, president, and CEO of Jo-Ann Fabrics is Darrell Webb. http://phx.corporate-ir.net/phoenix.zhtml?c=74290&p=irol-newsArticle&ID=1361094&highlight=

Jo-Ann Fabrics was founded in 1943 when a German immigrant family, named the Reichs, invited another German family--the Rohrbachs--to sell fabrics at their import store in Cleveland, Ohio. The successful venture launched additional locations by 1947, and resulted in a small chain of stores under the name Fabri-Center. It was not until the 1960s that the shops began to change their names in an effort to expand their brand. The new name, Jo-Ann Fabrics, came from a hybrid of two names of girls who were related to the founders. "Jo" came from Joan Zimmerman, and "-Ann" from Jackie Ann Rosskamm.

By 1969, Jo-Ann Fabrics stores, operating under the Fabri-Centers of America, Inc. company, went public.

In the 1990s, the company faced a major shift in business practices as it elected to focus on opening "super stores", and began carrying craft merchandise, in addition to fabrics. That is when the company formally changed its name to Jo-Ann Stores, Inc.http://www.fundinguniverse.com/company-histories/JoAnn-Stores-Inc-Company-History.html

• Hancock Fabrics, Inc.
• Hobby Lobby Stores, Inc.
• Michaels Crafts

While shopping at the official Jo-Ann Fabrics website, these are the shopping categories you will find to search and shop from. The same departments are available at Jo-Ann store locations.

• Fabric
• Sewing & Quilting
• Scrapbooking
• Crafts
• Crocheting & Knitting
• Kids Crafts
• Home Decor
• Lighting
• Storage
• Holiday