Has Wal-Mart Stopped Selling Fabric?
Thursday February 15, 2007
When I was having fabric cut at my local Wal-Mart, I learned that the new Wal-Mart will not have fabric. I depend on their fabric department because there is no other fabric store in the area. I live for their $1 per yard section. I don't think there are more than 5 times in 12 years that I have gone in Wal-Mart without checking the new fabrics that came in.
I know I am not the only one who is upset that Wal-Mart is seriously planning on removing fabric from their stores, so what can we all do about it? Sure, we can complain to each other, but Wal-Mart isn't listening in on our conversations. Sure, we can sound off on forums and say that we will stop going to Wal-Mart for groceries if fabric is no longer offered, but are the Wal-Mart decision makers reading those forums?
Today I called Wal-Mart customer service and was told that removing fabric "was a corporate decision and the decision is being reviewed." I was also told that voicing our concerns does make a difference!
If having economical fabric available at Wal-Mart is important to you, there are things you can do.
- Call 1-800-WAL-MART(1-800-925-6278). Take the time to go through their automated system and wait to speak to a real person. Let them know that fabric availability is important to you.
- Write a letter. Let them know that you are not interested in supporting sewing machine sales unless fabric is available. Let them know you will not be stopping in their store if fabric is no longer offered.
- Wal-Mart Stores, Inc.
Bentonville, AR 72716-8611
- Wal-Mart Stores, Inc.
- Contact Wal-Mart via the Wal-Mart corporate website
- Wal-Mart Denies It's Closing Out Fabrics - 12/04/06 article published in The Morning News
- Wal-Mart -- Save the Full-Service Fabric Department! Online Petition
- Questions and Answers with William Wertz; Wal-Mart expands departments, becomes energy-efficient - article from The Oklahoman (Oklahoma City, OK) January 26, 2007
Comments
I know the Kingston, NY store has fabric… not as much as other Wal-Mart’s but at least some fabric to choose from.
Oneida, NY does have fabric in their store. The $1.00 selection is getting smaller by the week it seems.
The Greenport Wal-Mart $1/yard section got real slim for a while but picked up recently. The Kingston Wal-Mart has never had a great selection of $1/yard… and I’ve seen the same fabric that is $1/yard in Green port, marked at $2/yard or more in Kingston…. gee can ya tell I spend TOO much time in the fabric departments LOL
I am employed by WalMart in Indiana and as far as I know they are phasing out fabric at all stores starting this month. At my store it is being replaced with party supplies.
I live in Gallatin, TN, and they have cleared their shelves of all fabric.
A lady who worked there gave me Lee Scott’s name who is the CEO of Walmart. I emailed him and voiced by disapproval about removing the Fabric Department. No email was returned to me from him. There is also a petition you can sign online. It is http://www.petitiononline.com/savefab/petition.html. Mr. Scott’s email is Leescott@walmart.com if you care to voice your opinion.
I, too, work at Walmart (in the fabric and crafts dept.)80% of all the Walmart stores are eliminating custom-cut fabrics. Instead, they will be selling pre-cut, pre-packaged fabric.
Your voice can be heard, so speak up NOW. Call 1-800-Walmart, sign the petition, email Mr. Scott, and do whatever is necessary to let Walmart know YOUR feelings.
Once again, Walmart is trying to impose THEIR ideas on you.
Hmmmm, another lie? To read about the closing of Walmart’s fabric department, check out:
http://www.nwaonline.net/articles/2006/12/04/business/120506wmfabrics.txt (also note the date)
In my area they are already closing out some of the fabric sections and others are in the planning stages. I was told by some of the different employees that they are planning on closing most of them within the next 3 yrs. I was in Springfield, IL last week and bought some of thier close out fabrics at 50% off. I am waiting to hear about the dates of the next close outs on fabrics.
Sam Walton would turn over in his grave if he saw how uncareing his company has became. people stand together and shop elsewhere pay the little higher prices at the other places. the only way you will get through to them is through their pockets. for all they understand is profit not people.
Our town, Rolla, MO heard that we were going to lose our fabric to a “celebration center”. Our schools and especially the fashion design class at high school were going to lose their ability to buy fabric unless they drove 2 hours to purchase it. It would do away with school sewing here in Rolla and surrounding small communities. I wrote the newspaper and got a letter printed asking people to write a personal letter, the students all wrote a personal letter, (about 200) from middle school through high school FACS classes, our quilt guild wrote letters and emails. WE GOT OUR FABRIC BACK! Please, people, DO NOT write insulting comments, just ask them to consider leaving the fabric and why without threats and other unprofessional remarks.. I would NOT count on petitions. Personal letters count more then any other way of communication. I don’t know who came up with the “celebrations department” thing, but it is a bad idea.
They just opened two new Walmart stores in my area. Winston-Salem and Lexington. They do not have fabric in them. Also they have removed the fabric from the other store in Winston-Salem.
PS to the #10 statement. I understand they will have PRE-CUT fabric in some stores. Not much consolation for us who sew.
I second comment #10 from Joan! I know I wrote a long heart felt letter this morning about how important I feel the fabric department is to our local community.
I hope everyone takes the time to write… even a short note!
Wal-Mart in Commerce Texas still has the usual notion and fabrics as of this date.
HA!!Seems Walmart has done it again!! Put cheaper fabrics in their store so independant stores have had to close, and now they are doing away with fabrics and leaving us all in the lurch…just what you could expect from a ‘box’ store!!
Our store in Cameron Missouri seems to still have fabric for the time being. I am well-acquainted with the dept. manager and she tells me to keep filling out the comment forms in the store and to call, email or send a letter to let the corporate folks know how we feel. Our rural area has nothing within an hour’s drive if the Cameron store loses its fabric and notions dept. I personally will not stop in the store for other items if I can’t visit the fabric dept. while I am there. They probably don’t realize that other departments’ sales would probably suffer when they convert fabric to “celebrations”!
The store in Tallahssee FL just closed their fabric department. They said the notions would remain but what good are notions if you can’t get fabric. A petition was circulated before the fabrics were removed and had no effect. A lot of people called and were told the decision had been made. We have one JoAnn store here but it caters mostly to crafts. I think Wal Mart has made a big mistake.
Wal-mart is indeed eliminating fabric. My cousin is an employee and verified this. In Kansas City, one or more stores have already eliminated fabric at 75% off but they are keeping other sewing related things such as scissors, machines, needs, etc… If I know that they do not have fabric, then I would never think to look there for anything else related. It is being replaced with “party” supplies.
The nearest Walmart, in Camillus, NY has expanded their fabric department in the last several months and the fabric has been getting better quality, too. The dept “associates” tell me that they have no plans to discontinue the fabric dept in that store. Some of the fabric is quilt shop quality, yet only $2-$4 a yard.
Walmart Supercenter
Pikeville,KY. 14501
Please dont take away our fabric Deptthere is nowhere else we can buy fabric
there are a lot of sewers in our area & they all feel the same
I shop in Pekin, Il walmart and was told that they are reducing their dept, Lincoln, Il has done away with theirs in the old store and they are stocking the new super store that is to open in March but I was told by some employees there that they are not having fabric, either. Both of these towns are 23 miles from us and the closest affordable places to purchase fabric. If I have to drive an hour to get some at a Hancocks or Joanns then I will shop at Meier and Gordmans. I hope LOTS of people do the same thing, I think this stinks!
I live in West Tennessee. They just got rid of the last fabric at our store as well. I was told at another store that ALL Wal Mart stores are phasing out the fabric dept. and that the company just wasn’t making enough on fabric.
I sew for the public and family and this has certainly put a damper on my business.
Wal Mart has taken over every market – even causing the mom and pop type shops to go under and close.
When I called corporate, the lady I spoke with said “I do not have any information in regards to your store loosing its fabric dept”. I replied with “well, you are at corporate and don’t know a thing about it….but the dept. manager at our store has already gotten her offical notice that her dept. is being closed. I am outraged that Wal Mart would lie about it instead of just coming forward and explaining their actions.
Thank You
I live in Cape Girardeau, Mo. Please do not close the fabric section of the WalMart Store. Many people, in smaller areas come to our store, plus, Hancock needs some help, in keeping their prices down. A second store is needed for the poorer citizens, like me a Senior, on a fixed income. Many thanks
The Walmart in Mansfield, PA, was recently remodeled and the fabric department is now almost non-exsistent. I complained to the store manager but he said that the matter was out of his control. I was and am still very upset about this decision. I live in a very rural area and Walmart was the only place within an hour and a half to buy fabric. Walmart has gotten so big that they do not care what the consumer wants. They do as they please. We need to bombard Walmart with phone calls, e-mail messages and letters. Let’s unite!
I was recently at a brand new supper Walmart in Fayetteville, North Carolina and the do not have any fabrics. I am also told that when they build the new Supper Store here, St. Peters, Missouri they will not have one either.
I am greatly disappointed with what has become of the stores since Mr. Walton died and often do not go there anymore. Fortunately I have options of other places simular.
Mary
I live in a small town outside of Massillon Ohio and have been told our Wal Mart is phasing out material and yarns, please reconsider….I work with a lot of Seniors and this is the only place they have to get what they need for projects to keep them busy. It was bad enough when JoAnn fabrics went crafty and we do not go there often. I have been in one other department(clothing) store and they are starting to sell yarn and precut fabrics now. This is going to be bad for your business if this happens.
Why oh why is Walmart doing this. I do a lot of quilting for our church and for charity and the less expensive fabrics are just the thing for me/us. Every time I go to WalMart for whatever reason, I walk thru the fabric dept. Shame on them for discontinuing that dept.
I have emailed Walmart two times regarding the removal of cut fabrics. An employee told me that only 500 stores will continue to sell cut fabric and cut trim. I am glad that others are voicing their concerns. Please keep it up. Thanks
I sat down and figured out how many miles I would have to travel if Wal-Mart no longer sold fabric by the bolt. The only “fabric” store would be a distance of 90 miles. I sew every day on some project or another, and I shop for fabric in the Wal-Mart stores in three cities which are all at least 50 miles from where I live. I don’t shop at Wal-Mart unless I want to visit the fabric dept. So Wal-Mart would lose another customer.
Suellen
This is what happened to K-mart. They had fabric. After they eliminated it, the company started going down hill. I think they lost lots of customers, and they didn’t even realize why.
I live in South Bend, In and we have waited on the south side of town to get our new Wal-Mart for several years. Finally we get one, only to see it look like a Target Superstore wannabe. No fabric, higher prices [not alot, but I noticed] many items that I bought are no longer carried or are being fazed out. I sent an e-mail to the corporate office about my dismay. I just hope other people do so. I now have to travel 25 to 30 minutes to our other Wal-Mart. Or go to Mishawaka which is further away.
The Super Wal*Mart in Spencer, Iowa, has a terrific fabric area. I was just there this morning and they have a lot of new spring fabrics on display.
I asked the sales associate if that store would be cutting down on fabric and she said the decision will be made in May. The “word on the street” is that the fabric and crafts departments will be split and no additional associates will be hired. The sections won’t be located next to each other, so service may be a problem.
I’ll keep shopping for fabric at Wal*Mart as long as they still have it!
My local paper just ran an article on 4H sewing… I’m sending a copy of it with my letter to the Wal-Mart Corporate office.
I too am disappointed that Wal-Mart does not have fabric. The new store in Columbus, Georgia does not have fabric. I went looking for the fabric and as forestated was very disappointed.
SHOP EBAY, QUALITY IS BETTER ANYWAY AND YOU’LL BE SHOPPING WITH SMALL AMERICAN BUSINESSES THERE!
Our Wal-Mart did a much needed remodeling last fall. Little did I know the crafts/fabric section would be further reduced to a pitiful memory of what it used to be. Now we must drive nearly an hour for any kind of selection in fabrics, buttons, yarns and other crafts. I was delighted to find the feedback button on this page and used it immediately.
Our Wal-Mart did a much needed remodeling last fall. Little did I know the crafts/fabric section would be further reduced to a pitiful memory of what it used to be. Now we must drive nearly an hour for any kind of selection in fabrics, buttons, yarns and other crafts. I was delighted to find the Wal-Mart feedback button on this page and used it immediately.
Try the online fabric shops. They are soooo much better than Walmart. I shop the online shops all the time.
I live in Myrtle Beach, SC and there is one Walmart in the Surfside area that has done away with their fabric but so far the others in my area have kept theirs. I asked at one and they said the decision had not been made yet to get rid of it. I am like everyone else, there is no other place to buy fabric in the area other than some quilt shops that have fabric but of course other carry quilting type fabric. I will be needing some satin soon for a wedding and I guess I will be almost out of luck.
My WalMart no longer carries fabric. When I first contacted home office, they denied the removal of the fabric dept., but not it no longer exists. Repeated letters recently have been totally ignored. They simple do not care what their customers want. Fabrics was the one reason I shopped at WalMart, but now I will do my shopping at Meijer. They do not have fabric, but their prices are comparable and the store is cleaner and employees friendlier. I encourage everyone to sign the petition on this website and to call, write and email our dissapointment to WalMart home offices. If they do not change their minds, I will cease to shop there.
This is the comment I sent to Wal Mart Corpoate.. Maybe as crafters we should unite and get a petition started so they know how much we rely on them..
I shop at the Wal*Mart in Montoursville PA. When the store first opened it had the greatest craft dept around and now you are slowly takeing it out.. I now understand that you are considering doing away with the material, this in my opinion will be a big loss to all crafters.. Instead of taking away more of the craft department why dont you consider putting it back to the way it was.. I still go to Wal*Mart first for my crafts (I think outof habit) but always end up driving twenty miles to AC Moore.. We as crafters all miss your old craft department and would love to see it restored instead of slowly taken out..
They just opened a new super Walmart in Fayetteville NC, I could not find the fabric section. I finally ask a Walmart employee and she said oh honey…they did away with the fabric dept. She said that they are phasing out fabric at all Walmarts. This is NOT an urban legend- it has happened here!! I was so disappointed.
Walmart has made the decision ased soley on profit margin and how man attendant hours are necessary for a particular department. In St. Louis, there will be no stores that carry fabric. Oe sore about 30 mles outside of the area will still have some selection but for how long, no one knows. Unfortunately, the lower midwest is not considered a large sewing contingent in our country and most chain stores in the city are “C and D” level stores. We have a few really good indepentdents but they are limited in selection.
The Walmart here in Cadillac, MI still has some fabric. If they take fabric out of the stores here the only place I’ll be able to get anything is in Grand Rapids, MI which is 2 hours away from where I live, or Traverse City, MI which is 1 1/2 hour drive away. This is not making me very happy.
We still have fabric in our little store in Iola Ks. How ever they are closing it out. Our new store opens in April and I understand there will be no fabric in it. I am retired and it is 60 miles to the next WalMart. So makes it difficult to get to them. Very disappointed. Eva
This is discrimination as Walmart is trying to eliminate an entire group of customers. A very bad business decision since most sewists are women and women generally handle the household spending. I’m so tired of big businesses, like Walmart, dictating our shopping needs and not taking into consideration what their customers actually want and need. Maybe it’s time to visit headquarters to show that there are real people behind these emails and invite the media people to come along. Women, especially, can exhibit tremendous power and more bad publicity is not what Walmart needs. It’s hard to believe they would alienate their biggest group of loyal, spending,customers(women).They need to expand this department, not eliminate it.
Does anybody know if the fabric department will remain open in Walmart’s Canada stores? Where I live we only had the Walmart store built in the last 3 years. I do love that fabric department. I do pray that it will remain in the store.
Comment by Carol-February 23, 2007@12:37PM
I can only say, ladies unite. The women got the vote, boycott hurt ford motor company. If none of this helps then group together to help those that have no other place to purchase fabric. Get a carload together to go to the nearest fabric shop, negotiate group purchases. Schools, sewing circles, churches, charities could work together to get quantity pricing. Those that have internet access and expertise can research fabric sources and work for group discounts etc. Remember, we are woment and we can face and solve the problems that men put in front of us.
Polite letters, phone calls and emails to the corporate executives in large numbers may be helpful, but have your backup resources in the works. God Bless.
I live in Stillwater, OK. Our story is the same as others. The main WalMart was updated last summer and the fabric department became so small and the fabric so much lower in quality, that I began shopping at the various thrift stores for fabric. A new walmart was opened on another side of town this month. You are right! NO Fabric at all.
We have at least two thrift stores here that sell nice quality donated remnants or larger pieces for very low prices. Also buttons, taken from old clothing and re-carded. My money goes to a better cause this way too.
I am a handicapped shopper and have not been able to shop for a while. My closest WalMart used to have a great fabric corner and I depended on those $1 a yard fabrics when I was sewing for the One Dress at a Time program as well as for 7 granddaughters. I hope they don’t discontinue as the JoAnns that is only a few miles away is so cluttered and small that to shop in a motorized cart is frustrating. I Just can’t get close to that bolt that looks so enticing down the rack there!
I will write, e-mail and bug the store manager next time I am in the store. I had not heard this bad news until a few min. ago when I happened to log on. Good luck to all of you who have to go miles and miles to another store. I am sure you would love to shop in ‘my’ JoAnn’s in spite of it being crowded. hugs from Phoenix, Kittikins
I talked to my area manager yesterday. We have 2 stores in Fayetteville, AR. The one with higher fabric sales volume is keeping a fabric dept.; the other is losing its fabric dept.
In Stratford, CT, the local JoAnnes AND Walmart will discontinue fabric in June of 2007. JoAnnes is closing their store in Stratford and another one Milford, CT and moving everything to a new store closer to Orange,CT. I was told the move was to force the new store to be profitable since the store in Stratford was–get this!–PROFITABLE!
The Walmart employee indicated that their fabric department just didn’t have enough business to justify its existance to corporate.
I always said that sewing kept me off of the streets and out of bars, but now that Walmart intends to expand it’s “party” department?????
And all I wanted was a zipper——
I have written WalMart both as an Email and a postal letter. I did not threaten to stop shopping at the store. That would have been an empty threat. Instead, I approached them with a business point of view. I pointed out the upsurge in sewing with today’s young people. I pointed out references such as news sources (newspapers, TV, magazines, etc). I told them that people such as I that are teaching these young women (and men) are sending them to WalMart for their supplies. And it what a shame it would be to not be able to do that! I also mentioned about being able to buy a sewing machine, but not being able to buy material to sew on! And that perhaps with the changes going on in the way young Americans with disposiable income were looking toward sewing, they might want to re-think their position.
CharliAnn =^,,^=
Re: our new “upscale” Wal-Mart that just opened here in tony West Plano, TX, I read somewhere that the thinkin is the customer base they’re aiming at doesn’t sew. Of course, the crafts department is still there stocked with the usual cheapo machines. But no fabric. Well, I am one of their “upscale” clientele and I sew, and there are tons of quilters here, so what gives? Says something about how the way sewing is perceived and I don’t like it.
I live in Schenectady,NY and learned about these plans in the Fall from the fabric salesperson at the Glenville supercenter. I called headquarters and spoke with someone who was clueless about the importance of sewing/craft interests to many people in this community. I told her that this dept was the main reason I shopped at Walmart from which I would expand my shopping trip to other depts. I also said I would no longer shop there once the dept closed. When I stopped in yesterday,I observed much lower inventory throughout the dept, and each bolt of material was inventoried by hand as yardage was cut. So long Wally. I’m glad Rotterdam (adjacent town) voted you down.
Marcia… I LOVE your post! Now please… Don’t let Wal-Mart force you into partying! Sewing is so much more constructive… and on a serious note… taking away that fabric just may be helping encourage our youth to party.. it’s like the retailers don’t want to carry anything that might keep our youth constructive.
Eileen, NOT Glenville/Glenmont too! My son and daughter in law, live across the street from that one… and she called me yesterday to find out how much fabric to buy to make a kitchen curtain valance. AND that fabric department wasn’t as big as the Hudson store fabric section to begin with. DARN!
Please be sure to mail Wal-Mart with your opinion. I sent them a long heart-felt letter, along with a full page newspaper article about the kids I have been teaching sewing and the community service they do with that sewing.
I got the blanket email they are sending about the “celebration center”… I went snail mail after that. I’d love to see a mail-person need back-up to deliver letters about fabric to Wal-Mart.
Please Everyone WRITE to Wal-Mart! We can make our voices heard!
Wal-Mart Stores, Inc.
Bentonville, AR 72716-8611
I know that they will be taking the fabric out of the Auburndale, FL store on Rt. 92 coming up. There are so many folks that come in and are grateful for the $1.00 fabric. They make quilts for kids, and other folks which they donate. If the Walmart fabric center is closed, this type of donating will cease because they can’t afford to purchase fabric at such high prices to donate. There are many of these types of givings in the areas in Florida and I am sure elsewhere. I have emailed twice about it. I was told they will put in a party supply area in it’s place. I think that this will fail because people sew much more than they have parties. they should expand their sewing fabrics area instead of closing it. Offer more selections. It is really busy in Auburndale, FL in the Walmart sewing area. I will call again and see what message I can leave to help the cause.
It’s a matter of marketing. Yard goods take up a lot of room that could be used to sell CDs or anything else that takes up less room per item.
ALSO There must always be an employee in the department. If they can get rid or one or two people per store, think of their savings.
Not a fan of WM’s practices.
I am in Miamisburg/Centerville Ohio area. Dayton mall area walmart. I spoke to the ladies in our walmart fabric department. She stated to me that they will NOT be closing our fabric department. That the people in my area have called corporate headquarters in large amounts to protest the closing. WAHOO our will remain open!!
The new Walmart Super Center in Columbus, GA has just opened, and sure enough, they no longer have fabric. There is a craft department, and they sell sewing machines, and some notions. NO FABRIC for sewing. We have a few other stores which do have fabric, but the prices in all except one (HOBBY LOBBY) are a lot more expensive since they are specialized stores. I know that Walmart will lose a lot of customers if they don’t sell fabric.
When I was in the Greenwood, SC Wal-Mart 3 weeks ago, the fabric was all (what was left!) half price. When I asked about it, they informed me that fabrics were being replaced with the more profitable “party center.” The next closest WM is in Columbia. They say they are not phasing out fabric, but they certainly haven’t gotten any new stock in the last 3 weeks. There are often teenage girls with their moms in the fabric dept. They need an economical way to get their start in clothing design. Time to revert to snail mail to get the attention of WM CEOs.
I called and left a message with the corporate customer service rep at the number posted in the article.
I also backed it up with an email to my local store and to the corporate offices.
If you just complain by phone, they won;t get as much feedback. Customer service reps make short reports. I wanted them to know how I really FEEL about this.
Please write to the corporate office!
Let’s see – we can’t make enough money per square foot because fabric is too bulky. Perhaps my presence in their stores would free up more space for someone else.. My money will be going elsewhere for oh, food, drugs, housewares, cheep shoes and cd’s.
Our town is getting a new store and there will be no fabric department. I was so looking forward to having the store closer to my home – now – I wish I had not supported their expansion. Party Supplies – they better stock up on black crepe paper……
I quit shopping at Walmart a year and a half ago. I have been able to find everything I need elsewhere – granted probably paying a little more for it, but they (WM) have not gotten any more or MY money. I try to support the mom and pop store that still try to exist against all odds with the BIG BOX stores around. With the closing of the fabric departments, maybe some more small shops will try to reopen. Maybe if more people quit shopping WM they will finally get the message. An ocean starts with one drop of water — a mountain starts with one pebble. Will you be one?
I emailed Walmart with my displeasure about this and the reply was a song-and-dance about changing this for the better for the customer. What a crock!
The WalMart in Manteca, CA, is discontinuing their fabric soon. We were told that many if not all of the stores would be doing the same.
The last time I was in our local Walmart (Scotia, NY) there was a fabric section. If they discontinue it, it will be a double blow… our local fabric store closed because it could not compete with Walmart’s prices. However, the fabric store gave service and assistance when needed.
Wal-Mart blew into our community with their big store & fabric dept. The smaller fabric store closed & now we wil be left with the closest fabric store 30+ miles away.
You know, I never thought too much about it, but the comment about K-Mart? Yes, when they stopped selling fabric, I also stopped go there all together. So Walmart – be afraid. Be VERY afraid. We might just all abandon you !!!
I am so disappointed in the WalMart Co. I am a quilter and have been purchasing Fabric at their store in Ware,MA for the past 6 years and have always been able to buy more fabric if I should run out and also have taken advantage of the $1.00 sales. What are they even thinking of to omit the sale of Fabric? I see a ton of Toys that are laying in the isles broken time after time. How about omitting some of those items that are laying around mangled.Please put the Fabric back on the shelves. I always buy Fabric when I am in the store. I also buy all my Prescriptions at the Pharmacy monthly and also I buy 99% of my groceries there monthly. Come on now. Keep the store name true to itself. ALWAYS Thank You for caring about us sewers enough to pu it back.
The Wal-Mart here in West Texas is lousy, the fabric, craft, Yarn area is getting smaller and smaller. There are no other stores in this town who carries fabric or yarn. I drive 40 miles to go to Michael’s or Hobby Lobby. It is nice going the distance.
The Wal-Mart in Waco was taking out the fabric sction the last time I was there a couple of weeks ago. Luckily we do have other choices but of course they are far more expensive.
I have suggested that Walmart keep their fabric section but post days and times when fabric could be cut. What do you think? I feel that it is an alternative to the all or nothing plan now.
I shop at a Wal-mart Supercenter in Kansas City. The woman in their fabric department gave me the names, addresses, etc. of the people at Wal-mart we should be addressing our concerns to. That information follows:
Wal-Mart Store, Inc.
Attn: DMM Lucy Cindric
Mailstop: 0580
702 SW 8th St.
Bentonville, AR 72716
Lucy.Cindric@wal-mart.com
479-204-6183
Wal-Mart Stores, Inc.
Attn: MM Joe Biddulph
Mailstop: 0400
702 SW 8th St.
Bentonville, AR 72716
479-273-6461
jbiddul@wal-mart.com
Wal-Mart Stores, Inc.
Attn: Buyer Dept 19/Leonra Babb
Mailstop: 0400
702 SW 8th St.
Bentonville, AR 72716
479-273-6370
lrbabb@wal-mart.com
I have sent e-mails to all 3 but have not received a response yet. I am not hopeful that I will. But at least I have let them know how very disappointed I am in their decision to discontinue their fabric department.
Let’s all flood them with emails, letters and phone calls!!!
The fabric has been gone from our store since Dec 2006.
Wal-Mart North Brunswick, NJ
I will write all of those listed above.
I am a sewer and a quilter. WM is the only store that sells fabric in my small town in IN. The closest fabric store is over an hour away and I don’t have a car because I am no longer able to drive. My son takes me to WM to do all my shopping, groceries included, but if the fabric department closes, WM will not see me again. I will take all of my business elsewhere and so will the rest of my family. We are scattered out over 11 states, thats a lot of customers to lose.
Let’s see – Walmart is doing away with fabrics. Now who is that going to affect (besides the sewer?) We have several theatres nearby. The costume-makers often come to our store to buy material for the costumes. Now they will have to travel 40 miles to get fabric, so their overhead will increase. And since their overhead will increase, thier profit will decrease. So that means the price of tickets will increase, which means the higher cost of a ticket to see a performance will decrease the attendance. Hmmm.
Let’s see – there are several schools in this area – both public and private. Both entities have Home Economics Clases. Both parties send their students to Walmart to get fabric. I guess that won’t be happening soon either.
Several (actually, quite a few of the senior citizens) sew just for the fun of it. They then donate their articles (made from fabric bought at Walmart) to the American soldiers overseas, to those who suffered a loss due to fire or some other catasrophy (sp?)and to local religious organizations (for charitable purposes). I guess that will stop also. Hmm
Our local fairs often have a homemade section. Many items are displayed there, including homemade articles made from fabric bought at Walmart. That too will become past history.
Hmm
A few weeks ago, on the Today show, there was a short segment aired. It noted that a lot of college students (both men and women) are once again sewing. The students realize that they can make trendy outfits that will hold up to the physical deeds of everyday happennings at an affordable price. I guess that thought will go down the tubes also. Hmmmm
At one time, when Mr. Sam Walton was alive, Walmart cared about the consumer. But now that Mr. Walton is gone, so is the care. Hmmmmmm
Remember, a happy shopper makes for a happy life – ummmmm, looking into my crystal ball (LOL), I see a future of many unhappy shoppers.
We are not happy with the prospect of the closing the fabric dept. of our local walmart stores. We have already lost this department in Surfside SC and are waitng for a decision concerning the WalMart in Myrtle Beach and Conway. If we can not longer buy fabric there we will no longer buy ANYTHING there. If WAlMart did their homework they would know that this is a not a good decision.
I stopped by the WM on Bandera here in San Antonio, TX yesterday afternoon just to check out how the fabric dept. looked. Although they still had the walls lined with bolts of fabric, I don’t think there were nearly as many fabric displays on the floor as there used to be. I asked the dept. mgr. if they were closing out the dept. and she said “No, we haven’t been told that they are.” There was also several shelves filled with $1 and $2 fabrics. There were also still patterns,notions and machines. I thought there were several aisles filled with other crafting items that used to be filled with sewing accessories.
Another note..I was told by the mgr. of one of our quilting shops that they are moving across the road from WM within the next couple of weeks….I wondered if they thought they might pick up the trade from the WM fabric dept. should they closeout.
OUr local walmart, (Foley, Al) no longer carries fabric.
The Walmart in Kamloops, British Columbia still carries fabric. But I have noticed that there is less selection than there used to be, especially of quilting fabric.
The new WallMart in Winchester, Va will continue to carry fabric sold by the cut yard. The older store in Winchester, employees were not sure about thier situation. I find many fabrics at WalMart to be better quality than some fabrics at JoAnn’s. So I too am disappointed that many Walmarts are closing thier fabric departments or changing to precut/prewrapped fabrics. I prefer to buy by the yard, the exact amount I need. However, have you ask yourself why WalMart is making this change? If their fabric by the yard was profitable, maybe this would not be happening. I have talked to several people who have indicated that Walmart has a shrinkage problem with sales of fabric. It is not the shrinkage you would expect. People request two pieces of fabrics to be cut, one cheap and the other more expensive. Then they switch the cheap price to the expensive fabric and leave the cheaper fabric in the store. This is stealing plain and simple. One manager has told me personal experiences she has had with stealing schemes used by customers at Walmart througout the store. i was shocked at the magnitude of the problems all retailers face. If I am wrong, then I stand to be corrected.
I am a quilter and a sewer..I love the quality and the selection of the material..each time I need to shop at Wallmart I do check out there material.Please do not disctoune it..there are so many quilter I know that do shop there.
Englewood, Colorado
Wal-Mart opened a store in White Plains, NY in the late summer or early fall of 2006. When it’s grand opening was announced, I was excited because this store would be the closest within 40+ miles that sold fabric.
Imagine my disappointment when entered the store, asked for direction to the fabric department and was told they did not have one! Instead I was given direction to the the “Crafts” department.
I’m a sewing enthusiast (and a hoarder of fabrics) who’s returning from several years hiatus. I also frequent the store in Charleston, SC when I’m in town as it is closer to relatives I visit there than driving to the store here in NY. I so envy Chris who shops at the Camillus, NY location for fabric, but it would not be economical for me to drive there.
WAL-MART are you listening? Maybe SUPER SIZING is a bad idea, if it means downsizing, err, eliminating a “small” practical department.
Not only do I hope Wal-MART reverse their decision concerning the present stores, but would greatly appreciate it and would consider it a sign of good faith if they would add a fabric department to the White Plains location.
Have Wal Marts closed their fitness or hunting dept.? They must keep people (men) in these dept. for sales. Why are they closing the fabric dept. because they don’t want to hire people (women) to measure fabric?
Well,yes I am upset and very sadthat Wal Mart is doing away with,in my opinion,one of the most important dept.in their store.Iwork for Wa; Mart for 9 yrs.most of them in the fabric dept.and it is so hard to believe that you are taking it out.PLEASE!PLEASE!!!!!!!!!!! take another look and reconcider NOT taking it out of the store in GRAND PRAIIE TEXAS store #896.if sales are down like they say they are its because of the down sizing.I have a question for you,why do you feel you have to down size just to put a food dept in.Why can’t you just leave the dept the same and just xpand the sq.ft of the whole store or just and a food store to the already store there.I buy alot of fabric and so i check around, WalMart IS the ONLY fabric store around close.Sure there’s Hobby Lobby if you want to pay 2 or 3 times the price per yd.of Wal Mart and it’s the same material.When I was dept.I couldn;t keep fabric in.So PLEASE!!!PLEASE!!!just reconcider oand think about NOT removing fabrics from OUR stores
THANK YOU
GOD BLESS
Angelia Isbell
Grand Prairie,Tx
I was at Walmart yesterday, and visited fabrics to see if we still had fabrics, and the lady there told me that there has been SO MUCH NOISE from emails, letters, and phone calls that headquarters has stopped the order to eliminate fabrics and crafts and they(Walmart) would continue to sell fabrics and craft supplies for a trial period of at least two more years. She(clerk)said that angry sewers all over the country flooded Walmarts email system so hard that they had computer problems that stopped them from doing their regular routine work. Congratulations to US!!!!! A corporation was stunned to find that people ARE behind those dollar bills that they take for granted. Are there any more issues anybody would like to challenge? We really could change things, maybe.Any other mega-corporations need to be taught that people are not just watching anymore, but we’re starting to act.GOOD JOB EVERYONE!!!!!
By the way, if your Walmart is still trying to tell you that the fabric is going, tell them to check their most recent Corporate news bulletin. We’re going to have fabric in the Texas City, Texas store and that came from corporate! Our store here has just gotten in some really nice in-door/out-door fabric. Got some last year and made replacement cushions for the patio chairs. Turned out great.
I understand the hardship this makes on a lot of people-not to have these fabric departments open-but consider this, Walmart ran most of the smaller shops out of bussiness. I have worked for a major company that supplied Walmart for years and became dependent on it for the majority of sales. Now a large part of that company has closed down and I don’t have a job there anymore. By not paying that extra few cents for some things at a smaller retailer, we have allowed Walmart to affect out entire way of life. It has cost millions of americans their jobs. It has nearly taken over our lives. I am not going to fight with Walmart over the fabric section-if they want to close it that’s fine with me, I will just stop shopping there for anything. There are many grocery stores in the area that can use my bussiness and I can always go to a Joanns, or Hobby Lobby or Michaels. And yes, I have to drive 3o miles one way to get to one, so its not like its so easy for me either. The easy thing is not always the best thing for us.
I live in South West Missouri and the Wal – Mart stores in two near by towns no longer have a fabrics department . The Carthage , Mo. store was a favorite of many people from the four state area that shoped there because they had such a nice fabrics department . I was one of them . The fabrics department is now gone from the Carthage store as well as the Webb City , Mo. store . I was told by the manager of the Lamar , Mo. Wal – mart that they were going to replace our fabrics department with Party supplies . We have Amish people in our area and I told one of the Amish ladies what was going on . I also told everyone I met . I guess enough people complained because I heard that the manager of the Lamar store told the employees that they had been miss informed about the fabrics department at the Lamar store and that it would be staying until at least 2010 . Big deal ! What then ?
We still have fabric in Rocky Mount,N.C.. Although not a very good selection. I used to go to Tarboro,N.C. about 15 minutes away from my home. They no longer have fabric. Thier slection was much better. Thank God we still have a Hancocks and there is a good variety of fabric and craft supplies as well as home decor. Hopefully Wal-Mart will reconsider this decision.
When I first moved to Kinston,NC, we had great fabric store that carried just about everything. Then Walmart came to town and Piece Goods went out of business. Wal-Mart hired the ladies that worked at Piece Goods, which was good. Now, Wal-Mart has done away with our fabric department. When our local newspaper interviewed the Wal-Mart manager regarding the closing of the fabric department, the manager said “this leaves the market open to private store owners”. But local vendors say it is difficult to offer supplies in the same volume as Wal-Mart. Most store owners can not buy in bulk like Wal-Mart.
Who ever made this assinine decision at corparate headquarters should be fired with no compensation.
I am a senior citizen who cannot afford to travel 30 or 40 miles to find a fabric store. I thought Wal-Mart’s motto was that the customer comes first. I have cut back on my shopping at Wal-Mart because there is no reason for me to go there now that the fabric department is gone. I can do must of my shopping at the local supermarkets!
Southport NC store is closing the fabric dept, they plan to sell notions and machines but not fabric. I have emailed them with my displeasure.
I just called Wal-Mart 1-800 # & I was told that the Corporate Office “DOES NOT CARE WHAT WE SAY” they are STILL doing-away with the fabric area of Wal-Mart. When I called , their recording said , “Our Customres Are VERY VALUABLE to us! IF that IS the case , WHY are they “NOT LISTENING TO US??????”
I live in The “Quad Cities” in ILLINOIS & they ARE doing away with the fabric area, AAARRRGGGHHH!!!!!!!!
Wal-mart does not sell pretty cotton fbrics for women to sew their clothes. I live in Junction City, Ks. and there are no fabric shops here, believe it or not. I must travel to Walmart in Manhattan, where there is a bit more cotton selection, but not much better. Ido not know where to get nice fabric anymore to sew, it looks like thing of the past. Wal-mart has a bigger selection of quilting fabric, but heck, I will not sew my clothes with these prints. Wal-mart has definately failed in the home sewers market. They have fabrics sitting on the shelves for 7.00 a yd, that no one is buying or cares for, plus, they have yards and yards of what they call undetermined fabric,that is so unattractive noone cares for.
Just wanted to say that I checked the
Walmart on south Hwy 31 in Indianapolis IN. they (thank
goodness) are not discontinuing the fabric department.I believe it has to do
with demigraphics, they will close in places that dont sell much fabric.
The new Supercenter in Phoenix, Az at 19th Ave and Bell Road does not have a fabric department. The regular Walmart that it replaced had a great fabric department. When they were selling the fabric out before the store closing, I had no idea the department would be completely gone. I am extremely disappointed and have told Walmart my feelings.-
I live in a remote area in Montana where I have to drive 100+ miles to the nearest fabric store(Miles City WalMart). Since changing into a “super store” last fall they have downsized the fabric department and craft departments to the point of almost nonexistent. They keep reassuring us that there will continue to be a fabric department, but actually I don’t think that the employees or managers will know untill the day arrives when it is eliminated. It has to be a profit making problem. It sure isn’t a sales problem. Fabric moves too quickly out of that department. When you see something you like you’d better buy enough because the rest will be gone almost immediately. In my opinion, WalMart is stretching their popularity to the limit by making these kinds of moves.
copy of email i sent to Wal-Mart;
Hello;
I live in a Handicapped Apartment Complex. The criteria to be able to live here are quite strict when it comes to income. So let us simply say we are all on a restricted income because we are forced to live off of SSI Disability. Its not much, but we get by. There happens to be a Wal-Mart store right next door (one of the reasons I decided to move here) and it is easy and convenient to ride my bike there or walk over. BTW, many of us cannot afford the upkeep of a vehicle, so many of us have no vehicles). Many of us were dismayed to learn that Wal-Mart decided to close its Fabrics section of the store (I will bet you any amount of money it was a man!) Wal-Mart has been here for a number of years, and they are the direct cause of several small local fabric store closings. So now there isn’t a fabric store within 10 miles of our Apartment Complex. Thank You, Wal-Mart! There are over 600 people here in our complex, and we all know each other. Many of us are dismayed at your decision to close the Fabric section, and have decided to simply stop shopping in the rest of your store. I have been chosen to tell you about it, because I have a computer and they don’t want to waste the cost of a stamp! What we have decided to do is to carpool. We will get up groups of people to go to Safeway (much better meat selection anyway) K-Mart (you haven’t managed to close this one down) and the ONE local fabric store left. Thanks to your decision to close your Fabric section, you have galvanized our little disabled community to actually do something, and others in the area are hearing about it. Just so you know what you are loosing, we have calculated that, collectively, we used to spend Its $60, 000.00 a month. Holey Moley. But, unfortunately, to you folks its just a drop in the bucket. FYI we said 300 people spent about $200.00 a month. We know those figures are not accurate, because there are over 600 in our complex, but we do know some folks are still shopping in your store. Also, we averaged out the $200.00 because some spent way more and some spend a bit less. But at least you folks get the jist of it. We will continue to organize our carpool, and we are helping others that live in the area make a different decision about where they will be shopping in the future. So, yes, Wal-Mart Management, you have caused a bunch of disabled folks to actually come together and do something about your foolhardy decision to close your Fabric section.
FYI didn’t you people hear that Hancock Fabrics are closing most of their stores due to bankruptcy? bet you that they will be able to keep several of them open now because of your foolhardy decision.
We are fighting back. You have managed to upset yet another segment of society.
buh buye
M. Steffy
for over 300 residents of the Marble Canyon Apt. Complex
i, too, am losing my walmart source!! my primary location has completely done away with the crafts/fabric (with exception of the few things that can go into the toy section) and my secondary location is in the process of getting rid of it all! not only will i lose fabrics, but yarn! i craft LOTS of things with crochet and fabric, and though i didn’t always have the selection i wished i did, i ALWAYS found something useful. so now, i guess i’ll just keep my fingers crossed…
I live in Henderson, Nevada and the Wal-Mart stores in this area (Henderson/Las Vegas) are discontinuing the fabric depatment sometime this month. I always see people buying in this department, so – along with everyone else out there – I don’t know what their problem is. When I spoke to someone in the fabric deparment here, she told me that they were told that ALL Wal-Mart stores are discontinuing the fabric department.
Dittos on Wally-World doing away with the fabric dept. Our closest fabric is now 30 miles away. I did e-mail Wal-
Mart in November ‘06 and it got me absolutely nowhere! Why have sewing notions and sewing machines not fabric?? BIG MISTAKE in our opinion. Calhoun, GA. 30701
Have you ever thought about how Wal-Mart can sell fabric for $1 a yard? Wal-Mart is notorious for stocking their shelves with products made in extreme sweatshop conditions, with people making only pennies a day and barely surviving. Not only should you not be buying $1 fabric from Wal-Mart, you should not be buying anything from Wal-Mart, period. I am, however, disappointed at the decision to drop fabric from their shelves because I would hope that the progressive decision would be to actually improve conditions. But that’s a lot to ask from a company who doesn’t even give their store employees the respect of a living wage, let alone the people half way around the world slaving over their low priced merchandise. If you disagree with me then watch the documentary “Wal-Mart, The High Cost of Low Prices”.
If your store still has fabric, good for now! but soon you’ll see it’ll all be gone, do everything you can to try to get it back i know i am!
whathapened to customer satisfaction garenteed,what a mistake,u sit in your office and look at numbers .people make the difference,so stop filling the people you train at walmart with the 3 basic beliefs if you dont apply them yourselves.keep all the fabric depts.im sick of hearing hancocks gloat over this and their material is too high to buy,your hurting sams image and the people too the consumer.
i live in moore, oklahoma and all of our walmarts discontinued their fabric before they even finished with their “remodel” which by the way has become a disorganized disaster. Sewing is my only hobby and way i relax and without walmart i have no material. I think its just ridiculous and plan to write as many as i need to.
I know that this is an old article, but just wanted to say that all of the walmarts here in Tampa, FL still have fabirc, awesome fabric at that. But when I tried to return an uncut purchse just after x-mas they told me they the system won’t allow them to return fabric anymore since they’re getting rid of it
Do your community and yourself a favor – and don’t shop at Walmart. Not for fabric or anything else. Walmart puts places like fabric stores out of business.
William Wertz comments in the Jan. 26 interview were just so much “double speak”… review that link towards the bottom of the page, and see… “announced plans to convert the fabric department to …merchandise that focuses on life’s celebrations…” another words, party goods. He goes on to say it’s “part of our emphasis on being a store of the community”. And “Our research indicates a change of this kind will better meet the needs of our customers today”…
As they always have, their decisions are based on slim facts, and their bottom line.
There are so very many great places to buy fabric online now, and the quality of the fabrics available are soooo much better than the schlock Walmart was selling anyway… I really won’t miss not having to slog through another mega store as long as I live. The Birth Control pill mess was the start… this tops it off for me, and I won’t be visitin a Walmart again – EVER! They are bad for their communities, and bad for the people who work for them… just say no and patronize local businesses, or… internet based small businesses.
- KarenQuiltsTexas
“That’s the WalMart Way”. Come into town – run all the small stores out of business, and then stop selling fabric. I just moved from a town where the only fabric store for 50 miles was WalMart, and they are threatening to quit selling fabric. I was told it was so they would have more room for Quincinera supplies.
Please do not stop selling fabric especially your knits. I make all my clothes and it is so hard to find knits in our area. I always end up buying much more at Wal-Mart when I go in the store for just fabric. Say it will still be there!
the store near us in Phoenix has stopped fabric sales only by the staff’s failure to assist customers. I rang the bell, had another employee page help 2x and after 15 minutes of waiting, NO ONE ever showed up to cut the roughly $50 worth of fabric and webbing i was going to get. I went to Joann’s and got service at the cutting table within 5 seconds. I would have to guess if they don’t sell it (cos no one working there can be bothered), why stock it?
It seems a conspiracy to me to erode our ability to provide for ourselves. The supermarkets are now mostly delis. We’ll be lucky soon to find anyplace to get flour, baking powder, and the like. We’ll be out of luck to teach our daughters and sons basic cooking skills. Well, likewise, Wal-mart has meant the demise of small fabric shops, and when they drop their fabric completely, well then, we’ll be out of luck to sew our own clothes. We’ll be totally dependendent on delis, if we still have jobs and money. But it’s our own fault. Anytime over the last 40 years that a large store opens up next to a small one, like sheep we flock to the big one, and the small one goes under. Too bad for us.
The Walmart in Fenton, MO is expanding to become a Superstore – and has already gotten rid of fabric and yard is on it’s way out also. I wrote a letter three weeks ago to Walmart about this sad decision, and told them not to bother sending me their “corporate response” form letter. So far, that’s what I’ve received – no response.
I live in Charleston WV recently we went to Maryville Tn while there we were looking for material and cross stitch materials and we found no cross stitch and very limited material. On our way back home we stopped at 5 other Walmarts to check for a specific pattern and material and not one of had that. I shop Walmart superstores here and i cant wait to go to the fabric department guess I will change my shopping now. The only place I can get fabric is a JoAnn’s and it is 20 minutes away. It really is a shame that this big chain store is doing away with the material not everyone likes scrapbooking or jewelry making
I am really beginning to believe all the BAD things ANGRY people say about Wal-mart dominating & ruining our economy/society……………………………….!! Let me tell you my un-happily founded experience of the closing of a fabric section in Roswell, Georgia…………………. I was @ evil Wal-mart when a manager begin to throw away all the patterns, I mean 100’s of them, drawers full, big trash bags full, For REAL in the ‘trash’, Good Product NOT FOR SALE OR FREE TO CUSTOMERS because he was eager to get the old Fab-Dept. furniture removed out of the area, so they can start there new build……………………………………..SO I asked Politely, if I could buy a bag for a low price or even purchase patterns for 50 cents a pattern so I can get as many as I could budget since they were going in the trash anyway, But he would not even consider, he’d rather just throw them away…..!!… I mean I almost felt descrimnated against, I did not know if he was just being mean or if my almost spanish decent look’ was causing him to be ugly, Because somehow there seems to be a hispanic distinguishing war going on in all the northern cities of Atlanta since 9/11 or the GOV closing the Mex Border, & even though I am not of hispanic decent, I have look ‘of’ So I have been very much racially targeted, snubbed, discrimnated, talked to in spanish, until they find out, I speak english, I am fullblooded native american, who was born & raised, Really the only rightful resident of this american land, Really those ignorant type of people I hope for egg all over their faces,………………………………………….. Well in my case it just proves that people can be really ugly & cruel to the targeted, exiled, discrimnated, unwanted people of the moment,…..But anyway I just kind of wrote it off…!!…………..Hoping that wasn’t what it was,…I hope the manager was just a Asshole who had no concern about these truly expensive patterns, he was throwing in the trash, He didn’t even care!!!! I have not been back to this Wal-mart in Roswell GA.. on Mansell RD..Since because I can’t stand this store anymore,….Because of that manager……Wal-mart it’s a low cost hoax.!!!!….. They nickle & dime or 1dollar you here & there until your over your head,…… Seriously they claim the meat is cheap “referring to that commercial with the women who bought the steak for her husband during a regular day because it was also cheap, SoooNooot,…Wal-mart….Liar’ Well when in fact you can get cheaper meat @ high priced Publix & Kroger now..So weird….!!!. Really……………………………………………. Burn Wal-mart burn……………………………………..But the throwing away of all those expensive patterns, really hurt my heart… I know 100’s of Atlanta sewers, whom would of gladly bought all of the patterns @ reduced prices if they knew a great clearence was going on!!!, They should of kept them even if they had to keep them in carts, in the back of the store until they sold, because Nobody knew they were getting rid of the Fabric Department……….!!!!,.. I mean how harmful can Wal-mart be to the environment to throw away that much paper without recycling……. GEE…….. What another infraction against Wal-marts character…. Although I really need those low cost 1$ bolts of fabric……I am really hurting now Wal-mart has killed my spirit, personally & my shopping happiness……… I say this because Walmart cops out or sweaps womens issues under the rug, By not honoring mostly womens crafts, hobbies & products, hiring possible arrogent, asshole, mean, RACIST Managers, Killing the environment by throwing away hundreds of paper patterns instead of recycling or saleing them, Not getting rid of the gun department first, buying mostly foreign now (((((((((( …………. I just don’t feel comfortable going to or buying products from Wal-mart,!!!!…. Or Maybe just @ this location or No I think Maybe all the locations,… EVER NEVER AGAIN….Wal-mart, Hates Women & their Hobbies, Pastime, jobs, Which explains why all their female associates are mean and haggered because they overwork and micromanage them into a fustrating corner……………Whatever happened to wal-mart being a country ‘General’ store it’s suppose to have a Fabric Department,….I mean Come on Wal-mart Ain’t Target Calibre… I expect two differant feelings and buying experiences when I go to these 2 stores I expect to pay more at target and get better service and payless at wal-mart and get cheap, angry, tired haggered service, & more of a variety of products from Wal-mart, which Sucks,…….. Sincerly so humbly depressed because wal-mart, has taken my shopping spirit… I Shop in the Atlanta, Perimeter, Dunwoody, Sandy Springs, Alpharetta, Roswell, Marrietta, Cumming, Smyrna, Duluth, Lawrenceville, Augusta, Georgia Area Locations
Don’t know how old these posts are, but considering Wal-Mart ( or as I call it — Wal-CHINA ) if it’s not made in China and taking American jobs away, Wal-Mart doesn’t carry it.
Ladies There is a lot of fabric on the internet and I know I have not seen much of it. Someone needs to make a list. I go to Fabric.com. You don’t have to go out in the dead of winter either. Just delivered to your house. If you think this is bad——–
they are closing Goodys here too. Woe is me.
SAY as Debbie Cosgrove said
our local Wal-mart very small super center
just north of Phoenix Arizona was considering NOT continuing to sell fabric and got many
protests so . . .
there you go – it pays to complain to the corporate office.
Bubba
There are no longer fabric departments in the Berea, KY area; Richmond, KY; Knoxville, TN; and the Corbin, KY store has reduced their department by 75%. Sad, especially since many of the other area fabric stores went out of business with the arrival of Walmart.
I’ve spent most of my paychecks at the walmart fabric department and now their taking it out. I don’t know why, alot of people around my town sew and do crafts and if they take it out then we have to buy fabric from an expensive fabric store no one in their right mind would pay so much for thier fabric. It laves me with the only option stop sewing which i never want to do
We in Pace,Fl. have at present fabric– I wrote a letter to headquarters requesting the fabric remain in our store– we are in the hurricane zone and wqhen the last 2 storms came in Wal-martand Home Depot were the only stores open to replenish our needs. we had to go a distance to get any supplies— I pointed out to corporate to get out in the field and get out from behind their desks and find out how the real world lives– Please write letters maybe corporate will wise up or go down the drain!! Marilyn
There is no fabric at the Wal*Mart near me (Leesburg, VA). I once read in a trade magazine that Wal*Mart instructed its employees NOT to cut exact yardage–no “finger width” extra, because their profit margin is eroded completely by the extra finger width. I don’t mind, as long as the cut gives me the amount I need, but, if the employees are that skilled to cut so straight and on the exact yardage, I bet they’d be working somewhere other than Wal*Mart?? Outside Wal*Mart, in our area, a sales clerk with pretty good selling skills can expect to earn $20-25 per hour. Those are not Wal*Mart wages !
The measuring and cutting process is tedious–and I have always wondered how many hundreds of fabrics and trims one employee would have to cut in a day to equal what an average employee is expected to sell. You may not think of it that way, but the fabric department is probably the most customer-service intense section of the store.
$1 a yard fabric does not excite me. Sorry but there’s a reason its $1 a yard !
I noticed the last time I was in a Hancock Fabrics that they sell “fat quarters” pre-packaged very attractively…but the fabric quality is awful and at the price you pay for a silly “fat quarter” you might as well buy a quarter or half yard of something decent.
I always think “lowest common denominator.” The fabric selection and quality is declining because that is where we are looking. If we sewing enthusiasts don’t value our time enough to spend money on a lovely fabric, then why would our “segment” appear valuable to Wal*Mart?
its the everybodys fault that fabric is gone. everybody buys dollar fabric do u people actualy think walmart makes money off that? they dont.more people have partys than sew anyways.walmart will make way more, they are a company thats what they do, make MONEY not FRIENDS same thing with lay away people take advantage. y would they want to hire people to cut fabric for picky people who complain about every thing? i have bought fabric from walmart and witnessed rude people in action. i can’t w8 for the new party stuff to arrive!!
No matter how much u guys say walmart is not about coustomers u are wrong they read your emails and put up with BS every day. just because theres no fabric you guys are going to b like 5 year olds and not shop there? haha ya right if you do your home work u will c walmart is cheaper. and no matter what u say u will shop walmart
When you go out of business it will be your own fault. My that the main man is gone you think that you will get your way. Well I guess what you want it 0000
There is no fabric department in either Walmart in Highlands County FL as of this summer. We have to drive at least one hour to get a spool of thread – unless it is black or white that we need.
We have 5 wal marts in the area and the one that is the furthest away is the only one with fabric. I have to travel 30 minutes to Lancaster SC just to buy sewing machine oil and they’re not open 24 hours.
Good, now I don’t ever have to go in that store again.
Wal Mart in La Habra,Ca has eliminated fabric and patterns. HELP PLEASE! KEEP IT TOGETHER WAL MART!
i am very sadden by the stories that Wal-mart have discontinued the fabrics,i was raised in New Mexico and i tell you they are so many woman and men who use alot of fabris,i buy them by the rolls and never have enough so i go for more.please do not stop the selling of the fabric, thanks
Since Wal-mart has done away with their fabric in there new stores,I can’t afford to go to the ones in Denton or the Colony in Texas.They are the only ones left,so I have to pay Hobby Lobby to have or pay the high price of gas to get there.If not there I find fabric on the internet,so give us a break who buys from you,not just fabric,I buy my meats from you and my clothes.Thank You Pam
The WalMart Fabric Dept. in Poulsbo, WA did inventory during late summer, then didn’t really order much for Fall. The dollar table has had nothing added since inventory. (Poulsbo has a population of less than 8,000 people. We’re not in the ‘boonies’, but the price of gas pinches us, of course. The only true fabric store in our city limits will be the Quilt Shop, which is gourmet sewing. The rest of us strive to balance champagne taste with a beer budget, or a no-beer budget.
Then this week (mid September) fabric prices were cut by 25% for entire stock…not a good sign! Today, Less than a week later, prices dropped to 50% off. The employees were putting Halloween gingerbread house kits on the ‘dollar fabric’ display table. Very little fabric left at all; definitely closing the department to devote space to ‘Crafts and Decor’. As if Michaels and JoAnn’s were not enough.
This is a new WalMart Super Store. I am thinking that the stores open 24/7 have a bigger issue with Fabrics than the ones that have a closing time.
We have another not-Super WalMart less than a half hour away, and have been told that store will retain its fabric department. It does seem some effort went into reorganizing and improving it. To lose that fabric, too, would cause great dissatisfaction in general population and would also be a disservice to the families of military troops.
If Poulsbo eliminates the Notions wall (scissors, pins, elastic, bias tape, threads) they will get way less of my money than before. If I have to go to Silverdale or Bremerton for fabric AND every little notion, some of my grocery dollars will logically fall there, too. Their produce is generally not a bargain, and pre-packaged stuff doesn’t really appeal to me.
another trend I’ve noticed in the women’s clothing: putting mark-down stickers directly over the Original pre-priced sticker, so we won’t be able to see what the mark-down amounts to.
Sort of conflicts with the ‘falling prices’/Smiley Face ‘tude, eh?
elitist remarks about the Dollar table are off the mark. Sure, there’s some junk there, but I’ve found some beautiful fabric now and then. One memorable piece was Mary Englebreit in a bark-cloth decorator print.
the Regular-priced fabric at WalMart is a great value compared to JoAnn’s fabric, (even with a JA coupon), for identical prints from identical suppliers.
I’ve also noticed more kid-friendly prints at WalMart than at JoAnn’s. Dissing Grandma’s purchasing power may not be corporate suicide, but believe this:
few of us just walked in, bought Dollar fabric and exited without spending money in other departments. It is also hard to visit a WalMart with children without investing in McDonald’s or Subway, right within the walls of the store.
Ryan, if you don’t sew, or have children to feed and clothe,
repeatedly offering your 2 cents worth on this topic is actually worth less than two cents, bro…
be a ‘troll’ elsewhere.
our walmart in columbia tn. closed the fabic deparment about 2 months ago. I loved the 1.00 a yard fabic because of limited income. now if I get the fabic Ihave to go up to franlin which is about 30 minutes away. and with gas prices that cuts into my spending money
In Sumter SC on 10/14/08 I was told that they do not have any cross stitch supplies they have discontinued it. Also that the fabric department along with the craft department will be closing soon (they have not released the date) that means everything in the craft department will be gone, yarn, beads etc. I will have to go 50 miles to Columbia SC and I don’t drive that far for my craft supplies.
I told the lady I would write to Wal-mart and she begged me to. I have signed the petition.
Also here are all the names that I am writing to by postal mail:
Senior Officers
Eduardo Castro-Wright
Executive Vice President, President and Chief Executive Officer, Walmart U.S.
M. Susan Chambers
Executive Vice President, People Division
Patricia A. Curran
Executive Vice President, People, Walmart U.S.
Leslie A. Dach
Executive Vice President, Corporate Affairs and Government Relations
Linda M. Dillman
Executive Vice President, Risk Management, Insurance and Benefits Administration
Michael T. Duke
Vice Chairman, International Division
Johnnie C. Dobbs, Jr.
Executive Vice President, Logistics and Supply Chain, Walmart U.S.
John E. Fleming
Executive Vice President, Chief Merchandising Officer, Walmart U.S.
Rollin L. Ford
Executive Vice President, Chief Information Officer
Linda Hefner
Executive Vice President and General Manager – Home Division, Walmart U.S.
Craig R. Herkert
Executive Vice President, President and Chief Executive Officer, The Americas, International Division
Charles M. Holley, Jr.
Executive Vice President, Finance and Treasurer
Thomas D. Hyde
Executive Vice President – Legal, Compliance, Ethics and Corporate Secretary
Gregory L. Johnston
Executive Vice President, Operations, Sam’s Club
Thomas A. Mars
Executive Vice President and General Counsel
C. Douglas McMillon
Executive Vice President, President and Chief Executive Officer, Sam’s Club
Stephen F. Quinn
Executive Vice President, Chief Marketing Officer, Walmart U.S.
Thomas M. Schoewe
Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer
H. Lee Scott, Jr.
President and Chief Executive Officer
William S. Simon
Executive Vice President, Chief Operating Officer, Walmart U.S.
Jack L. Sinclair
Executive Vice President, Grocery Division, Walmart U.S.
Gregory E. Spragg
Executive Vice President, Merchandising and Replenishment, Sam’s Club
Vicente Trius
Executive Vice President, President and CEO of Wal-Mart Asia, International Division
S. Robson Walton
Chairman of the Board of Directors
John T. Westling
Executive Vice President, Replenishment, Pricing and Planning, Walmart U.S.
Steven P. Whaley
Senior Vice President and Controller
Eric S. Zorn
Executive Vice President, President, Wal-Mart Realty, Walmart U.S.
Board of Directors
Aida M. Alvarez
James W. Breyer
M. Michele Burns
James Cash, Jr., Ph.D.
Roger C. Corbett
Douglas N. Daft
David D. Glass
Gregory B. Penner
Allen I. Questrom
H. Lee Scott, Jr.
Arne M. Sorenson
Jim C. Walton
S. Robson Walton
Christopher J. Williams
Linda S. Wolf
Corporate Office
Wal-Mart Stores, Inc.
702 SW 8th Street
Bentonville, Arkansas 72716-8611
479-273-4000
I might be just a small person on this planet BUT!!! I have a big mouth and I have never been afraid of speaking my mind and writing to people. When I don’t get answers I always go to the next person higher.
I am addressing all of my envelopes as I speak they will go out to all the Officers of Wal-mart and the Board of Directors.
I am tired of BIG companies stepping on us people.
Lynn Hudak
lynnmariehudak@hotmail.com
I was in SO. Fla.ave Lakeland Fl. wal-mart yesterday for fabric horrors NO FABRIC so buggy full of goodies pushed to aside and left 98 No. still has some fabric,but a lot less than it has had. So sorry to hear of the fabric closing out Hope we can get this turned back around for our sake.
This is terrible news. I just heard that Ogdensburg, N.Y. may no longer carry fabric as they are going to have a Superstore. We lost our fabric department in Brockville, Ontario, I understand Kingston, Ontario is losing their department. We lost our Fabricland in Brockville, the one in Kingston has reduced it’s size. I belong to a quilting group and have talked to many friends that can’t understand why this is happening. What are we going to do? We are regular visitors to Watertown and Ogdensburg for these great purchases. We support fabric remaining in the Ogdensburg store.
Hey who cares about your fabric!
Do you have any idea what your friendly walmart is doing to there workers NOW!
A computer is scheduleding! No human is scheduleing them. THis is what there doing
You have to open your days off.. Keep it 24/7 to just get 34 hours and your lucky to get that! Full timers have to get 34 on advage to keep there full.There getting 24 houyrs part timers are getting 34! Full timers are being FROCED to lose there full time with there bennys!
This system you will never know what day u will work! It makes your do shift work, that is 8 hours between shifts! Cashiers are being froced to work 4 hour shifts and so is the people on the floor.
Poeple that need day care, wont have that option to be on a normal day care system there will be froced out of wallmart cause wall mart will no longer be flexiable with there hours. NO care for them at all.
You have or are not making it on a wallmart wage, need to get a part time job? FORGET IT, thay will not work with that either. Well thay will but the computer will not schdule you if you cant work a full shift it generates! Say with people in collage.
Dont expect to be a family memeber to your family if you cant be there for your family when thay need you the most. Sure u can plan something but u dont know what day u will work or what shift you get! So thats not really working with your workers..
Thay are taking people that know there deparment and throwing them in other deptments with NO training just to try to keep full timers on the advarge to keep it and there bennys but that is not working. With that dont expect to get great care from the workers there anymore.. There NOT HAPPY with what is suppose to be a family company.
Thay say thay support the family and and things in place to just make it look like there taking care of the workers, thay even went far and said this system will help the customors and workers will be there WHEN the computer see’s its busy. and that my friends is all BASED ON the last years SALES! Only GOD nows when a walmart will be busy! LAst year sales dont make a differnce. Thay make the profit point almost everday!
This computer scheduling system is 100 wrong and well if you dont have a happy working crew, you wont have good help and the customors will desicde to go else where.
I know you dont have to be number ONE all the time to have a good running company.
This computer scheduling system has TO GO. Thay need the Dept managers to go back and start scheduling and back to where family agagin can be brought up with wallmart. It would be easy to switch this back to the right system. Think thay payed 4 billion dollars just to mess with there great workers and hard working workers.. Wall MART when WAY TO FAR and now it looks like Goverment will be getting involed in how walHELL decides to mess with the working men and women there. I wish thay luck.
Back this this fabic thing…. Forget the CRY for it. CRY and shout out for the workers RIGHTs for one.. You want the low prices but is it worth all the sadness and punishment what wallmart the company is doing to them.! FORget the fabic thing.. Soon you want even get good service there!! Hell i think i could say that I SAID IT**SAY IT** Use the number ect to make sure the workers get the deptment mangers to schedule them the right way, if thay treat there workers right, the company will get alot better, not just for them BUT YOU. YOU might start seeing fabic dept back! It starts with the workers remember cause if it was not for them. You would not have anything to shop for there.
I know the last message was messed up and makes me look like a dumb moron, but its worth it. Make sure you all look online and read about this this evil system.
I wont shop walmart untell i here thay do the right thing and go back to where a human Deptment manger does the scheduleing! I cant stand going there cause most of the people I got great help from are getting punched in the face and no one in the world is trying to help them out. Rememeber there the ones you see everyday at your local walmart…Lets get them there scheduling as in deptment mangers scheduling them once agagin and where thay dont have to sacerfice on our behalf…WHere thay can go TO collage agaign and get a better job! Where thay can have a 2nd job if need so! Where parents dont have to worry about how there getting there kids and how there going to get a day care with so messed up hours.. Support the workers there. There the ones that need you! You need them there right and you want them to be happy with life right. Just like you would, you want to be happy with work and life… Why should be let walmart get away with this on our behalf. Its about time we stand by them.
I,too, work at Walmart and though I Have to agree about the lousy treatment, this isn’t the place to vent.
The Plattsburgh NY store still has their fabric department. They threatened to close it last year and we had all our customers write, call, or email to keep it. So far so good. They decided to take it on a store by store basis. Honestly tho, it is probably only a matter of time. Walmart does what it wants to do and it really doesn’t matter to them who gets hurt–until people stop spending money there.
I stopped by the fabric department tonight before coming home after work and there is a ton of fleece and a good selection of flannel. The fabric wall looked fairly well stocked but I didn’t get over to the dollar table to see what they have.
The best way to keep the department is to buy fabric and tell them how much you spend there. If we lose our department here, the nearest non- quilting fabric store is at least an hour away.
Keep fighting folks!
11/1/2008 – I just went to my WalMart to guy thread and fabric to start making gifts for Christmas and to my surprise NO MORE FABRIC DEPARTMENT. They have been renovating the store for the last month, but had the fabrics up to a few weeks ago. I am really disappointed. I will call Walmart, send a letter and email them. I had to go to a fabric store and they do not carry ANY fabric for $1 or $2 per yard – I ended up spending $75.00 on 6 yards of fabric, 1 pattern and thread!!!!
We heard about this nearly 2 years ago, but our local WalMarts still have fabric and continually get seasonal fabrics in. True, the $1.00 per yard fabrics seem to be a thing of the past but sometimes you really have to search. I truly hope that WalMart reconsiders this decision.
As of yesterday, the $1.00 a yard fabric is definately a thing of the past at my Walmart (Lawrenceville, GA). I was there while she was marking all the dollar bolts to $1.50. But hey, at least we still have fabric and at least $1.50 is still inexpensive. Yes, some of it is garbage, but surprisingly, some of it is decent. And I use it for muslins of 1st time patterns anyway. If it turns into a wearable item, Hooray!
I live in the middle of 3 Walmarts. I stopped shopping at one when they discontinued the fabric and started at the one I shop at now. I have come to know the cutting ladies real well, and to their knowledge, there is no end in sight for the fabric at this time. Yea!! The third one had a very small and unexciting fabric dept, which may be gone now, so I didnt shop there.
As others have said, Walmart carries many fabrics identical to Joanns at a considerably lower price. I will be very sad if MY Walmart becomes yet another notch in upper managements ‘what your doing wrong belt’. Also, I would have no reason to shop there any longer. Target is closer and prices are comparable. Without the fabric, Walmart has no draw for me.
I contacted Wal-Mart via e-mail and expressed my displeasure in them closing the Fabric Departments in both of our Super stores that had opened in the past 2 years. They basicly said that I could obtain my fabric elsewhere. To which I replied, “I don’t believe I will be shopping your stores in the future for ANYTHING.” I can walk the 4 blocks to one of the Wal-Marts but have to drive over 13 miles to the closest good Quilt Shop. They also suggested that there would be SCRAPBOOKING supplies available, but I am not into that craft.
PLEASE DO NOT CLOSE YOUR FABRIC DEPARTMENT.I SEW AND DO CRAFTING,NEEDLE WORK ETC. THIS DEPARTMENT HAS BEEN WONDERFUL,IT IS ALWAYS BUSY.I CAN NOT UNDERSTAND WHY YOU WUOLD EVEN CONSIDER CLOSING IT. PLEASE DO NOT!!!!!!
What the heck???!!!??? I count on Walmart for their excellent prices on fabric and crafting supplies. Noone else in the syracuse area has the great prices that walmart has. I make gifts of pj pants every year for christmas for my family members, and I count on them for the less than $3 per yard that they have always charged for their flannel. I make halloween costumes every year as well, WHY ARE YOU DOING THIS?????????????
The reg. Walmart in Lantana, FL no longer has fabric, unfortunately. I have heard the SuperWalmart in Boynton Beach still does have fabric though.
PS. I needed a dark brown trouser zipper and the Lantana Walmart only had black, navy and white!!!!!!!! Plus a limited choice of thread colors. Not happy! I have to drive miles to get a zipper and thread now, when there is a Walmart 1&1/2 mile from my house!!!!
I was very happy to see that the WalMart in the Cortlandt Center in Lake Mohegan, New York. Had a wonderful selection of fabric. I have contacted WalMart and told them how happy I was to see this… I was disappointed that they removed all their cross stitch merchandice… I have no other fabric stores in my area….Have a great stitching day…
yes,MerryAlice: I agree with you.The cortlandt ctr in mohegan lake is great, heard rumors there going to do away with it as of last year.there is anoth fabric place off 202 near triangle shopping center-very small opposite side of cablevision in the same parking lot. I dont understand why fabric is becoming obsolete, im a sewer and quilter and make many sewing crafts for the holidays for the less fortunate. I just dont get it!
Our Wal Mart in Roanoke, VA just went through a remodel and the fabric is gone! I was upset. I know it had already been taken out of a couple of the others in the area.
I too am very upset that Walmart will be closing their fabric department in Tuscaloosa, Alabama. They have wonderful, reasonable fabrics. The only reason I go into the store is for the fabrics, and while there I shop in other departments too. If the fabric department goes, so do I. I would have no reason to shop there ever again.
Closing fabric dept at Walmart in Greenville Michigan.
Every year I leave my state of Alaska and fly down to visit family in Oregon and Washington. I bring an extra suitcase,rent a car and we stop at every Wal Mart from Oregon(there is only one in Oregon) all the way to Marysville in Washington. I have discovered that the brand new Wal Marts in fall of 2008 do not have fabric…the sales people tell me it is all about money(of course what isn’t) they say that the full service fabric center isn’t as lucrative as other things they cell. It is a formula they all use for every square foot of floor space and what products can make the most for that square foot. My house is full of dollar Wal Mart fabric…I love fabric and it is the only reason for me to go to any Wal Mart. If the fabric section is taken away there really is no reason for us to stop there…My buying fabric isn’t going to end if Wal Mart stops selling fabrics…instead I will go to JoAnn’s just down the road. But Wal Mart looses because while I hang around the fabric section my husband tends to buy things he can’t live without.
Florence AL and Lawrenceburg, TN still have fabric but they went up to 1.50/yd and told me they were seriously cutting back on the orders per management of it (L’burg) and Florence is supposed to close theirs down by the end of 2009.
I already found and mostly use online sources for 2-3/yd fabric because of this. It is doable online, but it sure is a hassle. And if you order enough the shipping isn’t bad.
Bonus to not shopping at Wal-Mart’s been I’ve had more money to buy fabric and notions as I don’t buy all the other junk too.
I made my own silver lining here.
Elle
My local Wal-Mart (southern California) no longer carries fabric. They have VERY few sewing notions and no embroidery thread. They do carry some yarn still, but not much.
Wal-Mart is evil. They put all of the local fabric shops out of business and then stopped carrying fabric.
Kentucky-
The fabric department in the Wal-Mart store in Bryan, Ohio is nearly empty. Just a few bolts of fabric and miscellaneous notions left. I also live in a tiny town nearby and this was my only “close” option for fabric & sewing supplies.
Although are likely making an incredibly stupid move, has anyone stopped to think that they might be seeking to make money by losing the fabric department?
Consider that this new age group of young people (along with the previously existing crowd) who seek to make their own clothes are saving money in the long run by not buying clothes off the shelves.
Looking at some of the scrupulous things in Wal*Mart’s history, it is very likely that they see this, see that they would make a profit (albeit small – unbeknownst to them) by making people buy pre-made clothes from what is quickly becoming the only store in many small towns: da, da, dum, *drum roll* Wal*Mart.
After all, they have a positively tested method for getting customers, which is _convenience_. Will young people (the next generation of shoppers) who are used to convenience be prepared to drive 25, 30, 50, 90 miles to the nearest fabric store? Most likely not.
Wal*Mart is thinking long-term. A dastardly, sly move.
Colville, WA is a rural area with an awesome WalMart Store – we need the fabric and accessories department to stay in our store. We don’t need more party favors or supplies – we need the fabric and accessories in Colville at our Wal Mart Store. Thanks for your consideration. Marty Weeks
Our Walmart (Granbury, TX) has already eliminated their fabric. They have changed the whole store around and I hate it. I call everytime I go in & complain; by the time I have gone thru the “phone tree” I am so ticked I could spit. They eliminated their craft section after they ran the craft store out of town too. I try not to shop there anymore. They never have what I want, they argue about matching prices and ring up extra stuff when they do match..you end up not saving anything.
Walmart has a lot of nerve! First they drove all the fabric stores out of business by offering unbeatable prices on fabric & sewing supplies. Now that they have no competition, they ae doing away with their cut fabric department! I live in a small, low-income area and Walmart was the ONLY store in town that sold these items. The nearest fabric store is about 60 miles from here. They are hurting our community! We have an Amish population who depended on them for all their sewing needs as well as school teachers and small craft business owners such as myself. What are we supposed to do? I’ve heard they are going to use the floor space for party supplies! Who has money for parties during a recession? They are also selling sewing machines now. Come on…..why would we buy a sewing machine when there’s nowhere to buy fabric? WALMART, YOU ARE IRRESPONSIBLE AND GREEDY!THE ONLINE PETITION HAD 41,449 SIGNATURES THIS MORNING!!! WHEN ARE YOU GOING TO GET THE MESSAGE? GIVE US BACK OUR CUT FABRIC DEPARTMENT!!!
I live in Ontario, Canada and I too noticed that the fabric has been slowly depleted. I asked the fabric salesgirl if they were closing out the fabric department and of course, she said Yes. She just didn’t know when. Why is it that sewers seem to be the one’s who are constantly being pushed aside? The only other place to shop for fabric is Fabricland, about 1/2 hour away.
I just emailed WalMart(Feb.2009) to see if a new super WalMart, that opens next spring 2010 in Kenai,Alaska will have a full service fabric department. I got the same ‘canned’ answer that everyone is getting. And if you read the long answer there is no answer. So for those that live on the Kenai peninsula and want the bolt fabric(as they call it)then I guess you will just have to either call or email. Anchorage is a long 4 hours trip over the mountain to get to the only two Older WalMart stores that do have fabric. And one of those stores is remodeling to a super store and downsizing the fabric dept. Currently…Their dollar fabric is now $1.50/yd! I think that is a giant increase for each yard of fabric but willing to pay if they continue offering fabric.
OUR WALMART IN HALFMOON,UPSTATE NEW YORK, HAS NOT SOLD FABRIC FOR ABOUT 3 YEARS NOW.
One of our walmarts had fabric and as of 2 months ago it took the fabric department out… Now i will have to drive 30-50 miles one way to get fabric and to add insult to injury it will be at a higher price.. Walmart needs to also cater to their smaller community of those who still enjoy the art of sewing.. It all comes down to the bottom line and that is the good ole $$$ or so they say..but most of all it is us the consumer who suffers by thier decision,
I live in New Mexico, near Albuquerque, we have 2 Walmarts that still have a small amount of fabric. They said they still have material because they got it from the other stores & probably will not order much more. The other Walmart, a new one,that is near me, doesn’t have any & are not going to have in the near future, they have very little in crafts at al. The new stores have wider aisles & the products are on display different than the old stores. Good luck trying to get them to have it back, the people here reeally bought from them & I really think it is making a difference in their sales…I hope it makes a BIG difference.
I have created a facebook petition about this. Maybe if it is joined by tons of people Walmart will finally listen. Even having Amish in your area will not save your fabric department, as ours here just closed. We have one poorly stocked hancocks where you cant really shop the fabric because it is often piled on tables, which makes it hard to compare prints and hues for your needs.
This is the facebook group:
http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=56499517085
especially with the current economy and financial problems, fabric can be so useful, and I just can’t conceive that it is not profitable, when it was a source for so many locations.
Ours went out as of March 3. I myself has stopped shopping there since the remodel. The celebations center will be a failure since I never celebrate at home anyway. I drive to one that still has it ,but I don’t know how long that will last. Personally $400 dollars a square fo0t in the store seems high. They don’t downsize sporting goods or hardware. I read where as of2006 27.7 people quilt, it is a 3.3billion business, and 17% of American households quilt. Yet they want to cater to Mexicians and blacks so why can’t they cater to quilters? Probably a man is makimgthese decisons. so, thanks for all the addresses to write . i just think that the yare tryingto pc and cater to everyone else notthe white women who happen to quilt and sew. Oh well, I work there and it is my second remodel. I was told they do them every 7 years whether they need it or not. In this recession/dpression I think many would start sewing again, but with cheap fabric so hard to find, they my just give up and become someone that everything is done for them.
I’ve come to realize that being ugly about things never changes anything. all we can do is ask Wal-Mart to bring back the fabric dept. to their stores because so many people depend on it for many reasons. Some depend on it for financal reson to provide for their lively hood. like making dresses, quilts, purses, and clothing of all sorts. we can only plead with Wal Mart to PLEASE bring the fabrics back to the stores.
I need to find a place that sells fat quarter bags on the cheap.
I was very concerned when I learned that walmart may no longer be carring fabrics please do not discontinue the fabrics in my area are 3 stores 1 in perry and 2 in warner robins GA. and i visit them for different sew projects i was very disappointed when i went to the one on booth rd in warner robins and found no fabrics PLEASE KEEP THE FABRIC DEPT
I’m in the Onaha Nebraska area, just moved here from Peoria Illinois, They still had material in the Peoria store, most of the stores in the Omaha area do NOT have material, I found the Bellvue Ne, store still has material though, Suburb of Omaha. I have counted on them for over 20 years for their fabric and prices. The same material at Joann or Hancock fabrics is double the price. I will E-mail them to support the others, but I have written to Wal-mart before to tell them to put more help in the deli, (one gal, slicing meats) their losing customers for the deli. I never got any response, or acknowledgement even. I think Walmart is gonna do what Walmart wants to do. But, It’s worth an E-mail, we can’t lose them. I don’t think I could pick material on line. I gotta touch it!
It is so sad that Wal-Mart has closed out their fabric dept.In San Antonio,TX. The were the only place that had affordable fabric and sewing notions. The regular fabric stores are way overpriced. Who wants to pay $2.99 a yard for a dirty piece of remnant ?
Ladies, I learned that if you write Mike Duke who is CEO of Wal-Mart, that is the only way to keep andd getthe fabric back in stores. Here is a list of Wal-Mart board members to write to also. Aida M Alvarez, James W. Breyer, Michelle Burns, James Cash, Roger Corbett, Douglas N. Daft, Michawl T Duke, Gregory Penner, Allen Questrom, Lee Scott, Arne Sorenson, JimC. Walton, Robson Walton, Christopher Williams, Linda Wolf. So maybe if we write and e-mail enough, who knows?
The Walmarts in Tennessee are closing out their fabrics too. I don’t know about any one elce but I really can’t afford to pay $7.00 a yard for simple cotton fabric to make a dress
The owings mills, MD Walmart still carries fabric, at extremely reasonable prices
I know that none of the wal-marts in the Chattanooga area are carrying fabric anymore.
as u can c we wat the fabric back so listen to the people that keep u in business
I couldn’t believe it that Walmart did not have a fabric department. When I went in to inquire about patterns and fabric it was to my surprise that there was not a department for this item. Unfortunately I asked an associate what Walmart does carry fabric or patterns I was told that I would need to travel either 25 Miles West or 20 Miles East or even if they those particular stores did not have what I needed than I had to travel 45 Miles further East. Mike Duke, Aida M Alvarez, James W. Breyer, Michelle Burns, James Cash, Roger Corbett, Douglas N. Daft, Michawl T Duke, Gregory Penner, Allen Questrom, Lee Scott, Arne Sorenson, JimC. Walton, Robson Walton, Christopher Williams, Linda Wolf. Sure hope that you consider in providing fabric in these areas there are still customers that still sew and appreciate the affordable prices you provide.
I know Wal Mart is in the business to make money. I also know that I would have to travel 30 miles one direction and 15 miles in the other direction in order to purchase material if the store in Morrilton, Ar closes its fabric dept. I shop a lot in the fabric because I am a quilter and I know a lot of other ladies buy material to quilt from WalMart. Some of these ladies are too old to drive out of town to purchase material. Thank you for listening to people who pay your salary.
They will be sorry for doing away with their fabric department. That is one of the only reasons I have for going to the back of their store. We have dollar stores,drug stores and other grocery stores that are better than WMt here in TX, but the cheap fabric and such is their main draw for me, otherwise, I don’t need Walmart.
All of the Wal-marts in South Florida have remodeled and done away with the fabrics. What a shame because that only leaves one store in our area to buy clothing fabric.
why are you moaning about the loss of crappy sewing machines and crappy fabric? I know that some of the fabrics were ok, but the majority was not. Perhaps a smart business person in the area will open a sewing center that sells good machines and good fabric. Neither needs to be expensive.
I am so disappointed with Walmart, first they buy out of force out all the other stores, and make it so we have to buy from them, and now they take away what we need. I guess they made all their money from Walmart customers, people like us in the beginning now we don’t matter . I was told Sat, that if you are not an electronics customer at Walmart you are not a Valued customer.All I can say Walmart: Remember Circuit City!!! You should reconsider those of us who live in the smaller communities that you chose to come to and now are dictating our lives. I will go to Food Lion, and that is a promise. I don’t need you.
They just took the fabric out of my local Wal-Mart. I will not be shopping there anymore. I can get everything else I need somewhere else with fewer hassles. I only went there for the fabric. And I usually bought other things since I was already there. Not anymore!! They have lost my business.
How can we get these people to listen to us. I live in a rural area and have no where else to buy fabric. I like to touch fabric to know it is what I want to buy, so buying off the internet is OUT. These people that have ran our K Marts, and other small stores out of bunises now telling us they arent going to supply us with what we want to buy.
I live in Pueblo Colorado we have three Walmarts and just one carries fabric now. I was pretty upset at first but when I found out that it was going to be at at least one I was relieved. Im going to have start looking at those 1 dollar per yard fabric times are getting a little tough.
ALL the Wal-Marts in my area of Salem, Oregon still sell fabric and are constantly getting in new fabric.
The WalMart store in Burleson Texas has all of their fabric at 50% off…..When all gone they are not going to sell anymore
i quit shoppiong at our various walmarts when they got rid of fabric and hardly carried yarns anymore. it is always such a hassle to get in and get out. yeah, i spent LOTS of money there. they get NONE of my money anymore! i can get everything there at other palces! i made the dresses for my daughters wedding party and her dress from $1 fabric. bought the bolts and spent less than 50 bucks for both of them and went on to make costumes for the grandkids. wal-mart can go to ____ for all i care. don’t miss them at all.
In the Knoxville, TN area there are still 5 WalMart stores that carry fabric, but at a greatly reduced selection from what they originally carried. When the fabric is gone – so am I. That is the only reason I shop Walmart stores. We do have 2 Hobby-Lobby stores that carry fabric but the selection is mostly home dec and quilting – not much to choose from in the way of fashion fabric.
I work in the fabric dept in Rocky Mt, VA. We had heard rumors for a couple years about losing our fabric but kept our fingers crossed we wouldn’t. Yes it finally happened! The last 2 weeks the fabric has been on sale and is leaving fast! In the area we are there is no other fabric stores for about 50 miles either way. If there were fabric stores on every corner we could understand, but with nothing? I think corporate is making a big mistake in taking it out.
Both Walmart stores in my area have stopped selling. So disappointing….
I work at Hobby Lobby in the New Orleans area. Every time another WalMart gets rid of its fabric, our fabric business increases. Upper management won’t admit it, but I feel our sales throughout the store have increased because customers come in for the first time for fabric, and find so much more. We only have one other fabric store in 10 miles with regular fabric. I quit shopping WalMart at least 5 years ago because they were putting the grocery I worked for out of business. I want choice! Now WalMart is getting out of the fabric business after it put the fabric stores out of business. They really care about their customers!
I AM AN ASSOCIATE IN THE FABRIC DEPARTMENT IN THE FREEHOLD, NJ WALMART. I JUST LOVE THE FABRIC AND THE WONDERFUL PEOPLE I MEET EVERYDAY WHO DO SO MUCH GOOD FOR THE ELDERLY, CANCER CHARITIES, CHILDRENS HOSPITALS AND FRIENDS AND RELITIVIES. I LOVE THE THOUGHT OF SCHOOL KIDS LEARNING HOW TO SEW AND COMING TO WALMART FOR THERE SELECTION. SEWING IS NOT A DYING ART. I DO BELIEVE IT IS BECOMING STRONGER THEN EVER.
I KNOW CORPORATE IS LOOKING OUT FOR THE PROFIT NOT REALLY THE PEOPLE. WE HAVE NOTHING IN OUR AREA THAT IS AFFORDABLE. I KNOW MY CUSTOMERS AND I ARE REALLY UPSET AT THIS DECISION, BUT I’M SURE IF CORPORATE REALLY PUT THEIR HEADS TOGETHER AND THOUGHT ABOUT IT THEY COULD CUT BACK IN OTHER AREAS AND SAVE THE FREEHOLD NJ FABRIC DEPARTMENT.
As a former supervisor of a super walmart I do know their decisions on what went nto the new stores was based on national sales which in my honest opinion was stupid. Just because one thing sells in one area doesn’t mean it will sell in another. The sushi department was a perfect example in our store. Nobody eats that stuff around here. This corporate decision also means less of some things folks buy and more of things they don’t. To me this is a foolish mistake because while the product sits on the shelf their profits suffer, but then this is walmart, they will never be poor. Don’t bother talking to corporate or any other level of their store because they don’t care. The employees might because they’re the ones who have to work there and take the heat from the customers but anyone higher, forget it. And take note, they focus only on certain brands as well. If you want a certain brand of something, you might not find it because they couldn’t get a great enough deal with China for it. Almost 50% of the brand names or products they carried a year ago they don’t carry now. They figure either deal with it and buy what they do have or drive somewhere else and pay a higher price. Trust me, if we could get a Target in around here Walmart wuld be out of business here in a heatbeat.
I am from NC but moved to TX. At home a few stores are closing out fabric but most still have it. When I moved I was unpleasantly greeted by the “Celebrations & Crafts” section. (The new section in the middle). I sent an e-mail to wal-mart and got a customized form letter back. The gist of the e-mail: We don’t care about you because you don’t buy enough to pay for our next vacation. I’m seriously disappointed and I’m cutting back on my wal-mart trips. If my crafts aren’t welcome then they are not welcome to my money.
Walmart is also discontinuing fabric in many of their Canadian stores. Fabricland has also shut down some British Columbia Canada stores and getting onto the website for the west doesn’t work. I find that they have really been “sneaky” about it all. I think if they told people that this was happening then they would have “picket signs” at their doors.
when my son moved to Mahopac NY I was delighted to find a wal-mart store and that they sold fabics. Since I’m a quilter I enjoyed buying lots of fabrics. This week I went to shop and the fabic dept was gone I was so disappointed. I live in the Bronx in NY and when I found out that a new wal-mart was opening in White Plains I was happy but then I found out ” no fabic dept”.
I think its a shame, Walmart wants you to buy anything and everything there to make it your one stop shop. Well, this is not working for me since you pulled out your fabric department this week. In Seaford, Delaware I would stop and look at all the new fabric that was brought in every time I did my regular shopping, to see what things I would like to sew next. Now I’m going to have to drive to Salisbury Md to find fabric, and PAY 6% sales tax. Thanks a lot Seaford Walmart. You have really dissapointed me. What are you going to take out of the store next? All ready took out the Layaway department, that was a great help when Christmas came around. Keep this up and you want have any shoppers.
OH No please dont take the fabric out of the Walmart I have traveled the world from NC.to AZ. and for two year I was in a 40 foot trailer sewing quilt for my family. Wal Mart material was my special thing I got to do for myself. My mother, Billie can’t do hardly anything but she still sews we need Wal Mart material. Everytime I go to Wal Mart I always go to the fabric and most of the time buy something or plan on it for the next trip. My sister,Freda sews and my Aunt La Jean. She has made me three quilt tops this year alone. We buy material for the customes, table runner, curtains etc. I live in a small town their is not much to do her but sew. My mother did embroidery until you took the thread out at Lindsay store. Please think of us before you take it out of Oklahoma stores. My aunt cant get the monthly quilt patterns I still can so I send them to her.
We are members of Campers On Mission and when the men are building or repairing churches or missions the women sew and quilt; since Walmart has stopped selling fabric we have a hard time finding enough fabric/material to make the needed projects. We also travel all over the USA working and the “Party/Celebrations Department” is of no use. We buy by the bolt: flannel, denim, cotton, and quilting material. We use batting, ribbons and lots of thread in all colors too. We make baby blankets for the neo-natal department at the hospitals,pregnacy centers,comfey quilts for the disaster trailers and need material. I alone spent close to $1600 last year on flannel and cotton. We are from Oklahoma and the Walmart Super Centers now no longer carry and material. We need them to be returned as soon as possible so we can continue our work. You closed our Fabric Departments in both of our Del City and Midwest City Stores in Oklahoma. I just found out that the Belle Isle Store had fabric and I bought two bolts of Christmas fabric Sunday for the Christmas Shoe Boxes sponsered by the Franklin Graham Ministry for which we needed 350 bags to go into these boxes so that when the shoe boxes wear out the children have sometning to put there goodies in. PLEASE RECONSIDER YOUR FABRIC DEPARTMENT IN DEL CITY!
We have a new Walmart (2008) in our small town and if you looked in my craft room, you would think that I owned Walmart. It is my store and the only place to buy fabric. I too have heard from the latest crafters at the friendship festival in the park this month that Walmart was closing out its fabric department in London, Ontario. I buy all my supplies there for 3 bazaars at Christmas.
I am very upset to find that walmart is no longer going to carry their fabric center. I do a lot of sewing and I could alway count on walmarts to get what I need without spending a fortune and not have to travel 50 miles to get it. Walmart should have a little consideration for the customers that keep Walmart in business, Fabric or no. If I need to travel for my fabric I guess I can also travel for my other needs.
I also depend on the fabric department in my Walmart stores. I like to sew for the holidays and make fun little accessory pieces to wear with my outfits. Joanns is far to expensive for my budget and the boutique fabric shops don’t carry anything that interests me. The one dollar fabric selections have always satisfied my needs and I will never have to go to a Walmart again if the fabric and notions department is taken out.
I was told yesterday that WalMart bought out a fabric store and will open their own in some areas soon.
I recently talked to the worker in the fabric dept. at my Walmart in Scottsbluff Nebraska. they are eliminating all of the “by the bolt” fabrics and will also be selling pre-cut and fat eights etc. the notions dept has drastically decreased and they will no longer be selling sewing machines. My fabrics dept is going for the expansion of the “photo dept” and enlarged electronics dept.
Everytime I am in there the dept is busy and people waiting in line I certainly don’t see how this is going to help their sales….
WALMART wake up!!!!
I was very upset when I went to the new super center
store in Lewiston, Idaho and they did not have any
fabric. The store in Moscow, Idaho still has fabric but not as much as it use to. If you pull the fabric out of the Walmart stores, the only fabric store left is Joann’s and they are too expensive. If you take away the only competition they will probably go higher yet. I realize that the electronics dept makes more money for you but to us who still sew and do crafts, this is not a good company practise. If the fabric goes I will not go to Walmart as much. When I am there for fabric I will go through other depts and buy other stuff also.
The big Walmart Supercenter in Glenville, NY recently did away with their fabric department when they remodeled their entire store. Someone that worked there said that they had to make a lot of room for the electronics department and their expansion of the cell phone area, since they now are an authorized payment/sales center for many of the big cell phone carriers. (This was also discovered when I went to get a new IPhone at my AT&T branch and was told I could only get them from a corporate store, online or a Walmart since they now have an exclusivity contract..hmmm). I never used the fabric department often, but it was nice to know it was there. I could use one today, with Halloween around the corner!!
Our Wal-mart is also re-structuring ! It’s good for all the electronic nuts , but not for the crafters. We had a beautiful craft department . Now it’s a shell of what it was . Luckily we also have a Joann’s in our town . Walmart is going to lose some business with the crafters , but not only on craft items. I will be doing most of my “grocery” shopping elsewhere too .
Hi,
I live in Bayville, NJ. I can shop in the Toms River Wal Mart which does have fabric or the new Super Wal Mart in Lacey which does not have fabric (they do sell sewing machines, however). The Super store is closer to me, but I still prefer the other because of the availability of inexpensive fabric!
Michelle
Doesn’t anyone in the offices at Wal Mart listen to
us?? We don’t want you to take the fabric dept.
out of the Wal Mart stores! There are still a lot
of us who sew and make crafts and we NEED that
dept. Please RECONSIDER!! and DON’T take the
fabric dept. out!
I LIVE NEAR THE SECAUCUS WALMART AREA, AND FOR MY SURPRISE, I WAS TOLD THAT THE FABRIC DEPT. CLOSED.
I ENJOY MAKING CRAFTS, AND I CAN’T FIND ANYWHERE A FABRIC STORE NEAR ME. THERE I FOUND EVERYTHING I NEEDED FOR MY CRAFTS IDEAS.
Sadly they cut out the fabric part of the store here in South Indianapolis.
At least they still have beads!