Shopping > Stores > Joann Fabric
Visiting Two Joann Fabric Stores in Jacksonville, Florida, during Liquidation
I went into the rise and fall of Joann Fabric stores in the US in Part 1 of this multi-part series on the store, and now we’re going to move on to focus on two of the stores in the North Florida area — specifically in Jacksonville, Florida. On February 17, 2025, I drove out to Jacksonville to check out the stores. I thought they both were closing, and I wanted to see first-hand what kind of sales Gordon Brothers — the liquidators — decided on.
Ends up, only one of the two stores in that area were sold to the liquidator. The store in Orange Park (in the Argyle Forest shopping center) is closing, while the store in Jacksonville is staying open.
Honestly, seeing the liquidation and how Gordon Brothers is mis-handling it was shocking. Let’s dive into the topic, shall we?
Which stores in North Florida and North Central Florida are closing?
First, let’s just clarify which are being closed in this first round of liquidation. The stores marked as being open won’t likely be open for long — the company is in the final proceedings of selling off the remaining stores.
Staying Open
- 3202 SW 35th Blvd, Gainesville, FL 32608
- 10261 River Marsh Dr Suite 149, Jacksonville, FL 32246
Closing
- 6001 Argyle Forest Blvd Ste 11 32244, Jacksonville, FL (Orange Park, FL)
- 463877 State Road 200 32097, Yulee, FL
Everything is Normal at the Jacksonville Store
The Joann store in Jacksonville is business as usual. Busy with ladies — some with their young ones and some with their partners — walking the aisles and getting their selections cut.
The store is located in a nice shopping plaza, and the exterior is clean and inviting. Sale items outside the store greet shoppers and inside are shopping carts. The team member at the register closest to the entrance sang out a warm greeting and politely laughed when I had trouble getting the cart over the hump. It’s all the little things that make Joann Fabric the place you want to shop.
Doorbusters are everywhere, and their discounts are decent. These Keepsake Calico cotton print fabrics were on sale for $5.99 a yard, and the rows were stuffed with color and prints. I’ve been thinking about making a sunshine quilt similar to what I saw at the fair this year, and it got me thinking about what kinds of yellow fabric I’d like to use.
Even better is the sale currently going for Quilter’s Showcase cotton prints. One yard for just $4, niiiice. I picked a few and had my eye on a few more until I looked over at the cutting station. The line was at least eight people deep. I told you there were a lot of shoppers!
While browsing, a fellow shopper reminded me that you shouldn’t buy fabric that you don’t have a project for. I don’t have any active sewing projects — and there’s already way too much on my plate right now, so I put back the bolts I had been considering (to where they belong, don’t judge me!) and moved on to my favorite part of the store…the pattern counter!
In my video, I talk a lot about the patterns sold at Joann Fabrics. Jacksonville has eight or ten filing cabinets, many still filled with patterns. I recall more cabinets at stores when my mom took me shopping in Orlando, but that was long ago. On the tables next to the cabinets are the huge catalogs for McCall’s, Simplicity, Butterick, Vogue, and my favorite, Burda styles.
One of the main reasons I even went to Joann’s today was the sale on patterns right now. It’s basically a clearing out of stock because these patterns are a hard sell. Right now, all patterns are $2 each excepting Vogue patterns that are $5 each.
I had hoped and hoped and hoped that I would be able to find a dirndl pattern and maybe some other German-inspired outfits. Lucky for me, the last dirndl dress pattern envelope was in its spot, and there were a few other Burda patterns that looked very ‘German.’
In all I bought eight patterns. I could have bought more, but…eight is enough. (Haha, I’m glad I make myself laugh.)
All the regular sales are going on around the store, with all the regular signage. It’s all business as usual here in Jacksonville.
Joann will always just be about the fabrics for me. I walked around a few of the aisles with seasonal decor before getting bored, and skipped the crafts side completely. I didn’t even check out the clearance section.
There might have been good stuff there, but it was time to head out and go check out the liquidation sale. I figured there might be better deals there, cause it’s a “liquidation.”
Argyle Park is a Ghost Town
Before going to the store, I had a look at the reviews on Google. Reviewers make this store to be a junky store with no stock and no customers. I love a good dumpster fire — especially if there are bins to dig around and sales approaching 99% off — so I head out to the store with a bit of glee.
The reviewers were right. The store looks like it’s in that neighborhood across the tracks. You know, all run down with a homeless guy outside asking for spare food and money for booze.
While there wasn’t any homeless guy per se, the store was a little scary from the front. Inside, there’s no AC and the air is stuffy. The shelves aren’t empty, and only the displays of stuff no one wants are stuffed full (like the end cap rack with fleece throws in the photo below).
I should say that I don’t really mind a dingy store. Joann’s used to be kind of discounty, with low lights and well-worn floors. That’s okay with me. The thing is, I read online that executives attributed losses company-wide because they had opened too many stores in high-rent districts, and had spent more than intended on costs related to these nicer stores. So why is it that the nicer store in a more prime area of Jacksonville is being shuttered while this store is being closed?
[Yes, it’s probably because the other store generates more money, and this store likely needs a costly new air conditioning unit and system. Maybe it’s lease is up earlier, too. Closing stores requires answers to an array of complex questions, and I’m simplifying things to make a point. Moving on…]
Did I mention that the store was empty? I think I counted maybe ten shoppers. Two girls in the yarn section, a family with a young son poking around for good deals, a couple and a friend sorting through the last chance aisle, a woman looking at heavy cotton for her next bag projects, and a woman shopping the 70% off Christmas stuff. Yup, ten plus me makes a whopping eleven.
No one was at the cutting station, so I guess someone would have to be called back from the register to cut when the threesome were ready. No one at framing, no one anywhere.
Lots of Joann employees are on reddit talking about the emotional drain it is to work for the chain right now. A few have told stories about the liquidator reps coming into the store and knowing nothing about Joann stores. “What do you do here?” was reportedly asked at the cutting stations. There’s total confusion and chaos in the stores.
I don’t think there’s too much chaos at this Orange Park location, probably a lot of boredom though.
Signage is from the liquidator and not Joann’s. Actually, this store and others that are being closed are no longer owned by Joann Fabric. Team members were asked to stay on while the stores closed, and I think they are now paid by the new company. The stores do not accept returns or coupons, since they aren’t technically part of the Joann brand any more.
The discounts also aren’t in line with Joann’s. Funny enough, the prices at the liquidation stores are higher than those at the regular stores! Can you believe that? Check out my video on YouTube to see and hear more on this.
I thought maybe the liquidators would pull more fabrics from the regular shelves and mark them as ‘last chance.’ Nope, this store has the same patterns on deep discount as the other Jax store.
And some of these patterns have been ‘last chance’ for a long, long, LONG time. Does no one need The Office licensed fabric? Seinfeld licensed fabric? No? Nope, they don’t.
The store in Orange Park wasn’t great but you know what was terrible? The “liquidation” prices. I realize Gordon Brothers wants to get as much as they can out of their big buy, but I assure you, Gordon Brothers, Joann buyers are savvy coupon ladies, and we aren’t playing these games. Treat us right and we’ll clear out the stores for you.
Overall…
Seeing Joann Fabric closing is almost too sad to bear. It’s the backbone of an American tradition — quilting, the store that brings together both American ideals of individuality and capitalism. It’s too bad that capitalism won.
Thanks for reading! Don’t forget to check out my latest video on YouTube!
Jenny Claire is an award-winning educational materials writer, travel journalist, and food critic, formerly based in New York City and Taiwan. She calls a cute cabin in the woods of rural North Central Florida home, but lately she’s been spending most of her time cruising and traveling. She also was a secret travel critic and writer — but her lips are sealed on those details!
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