National chain announces list of store closures but didn’t tell employees in Wichita
Though it’s not exactly a surprise that Joann Fabrics and Crafts Stores is closing 500 stores amid its Chapter 11 bankruptcy filing, it apparently is news to at least one of those stores.
Word circulated nationally on Wednesday when the Ohio company filed a motion to get bankruptcy court authority to close the stores.
That includes the Joann’s at 3665 N. Rock Road.
However, a manager there said she hasn’t been told “one way or the other.”
A spokeswoman confirmed the news to The Eagle in an e-mail.
She did not address what could happen with the Joann store at 6930 W. Kellogg, but it was not on the list of store closures.
“A careful analysis of store performance and future strategic fit for the Company determined which stores should remain operating as usual at this time,” a company statement said. “Right-sizing our store footprint is a critical part of our efforts to ensure the best path forward for JOANN.”
It’s not clear when the Rock Road store may close, in part because the closure has yet to be approved by the court.
Just as Walgreens said in a statement this week that closing a store is never an easy decision — that was in response to news that it’s closing its store at Harry and Broadway — the Joann statement also said it’s not easy.
“This was a very difficult decision to make, given the major impact we know it will have on our Team Members, our customers and all of the communities we serve.”
This story was originally published February 12, 2025 at 4:54 PM.