People who sew, knit, crochet or do other crafting projects are about to lose a lifeline. 

Joann, a chain of stores filled with fabric and other crafting supplies, has announced the closure of all stores, including the one at 1535 S. Bradley Road in Santa Maria plus another in Oxnard. Going-out-of-business sales began earlier this week.

“We have been proud to serve as a destination for creativity for more than 80 years and thank our dedicated team members, customers and communities across the nation for their decades of support,” a statement on its restructuring website said.

Local store employees, who will lose their jobs, said they could not comment. 

The company didn’t provide a closure date for the stores, saying only that “we expect it will take a number of weeks to complete our final sales.”

Going-out-of-business sales have started, and payments by check are no longer allowed. Additionally, gift cards must be used by Friday.

In January, the company filed its second bankruptcy case in less than 12 months and announced plans to close 500 of 850 stores. However, Santa Maria avoided the axe at that time.

After an auction, GA Group became the winning bidder for substantially all of Joann’s assets. 

“Subject to court approval of the transaction, the winning bidders plan to wind down ongoing operations and conduct going-out-of-business sales at all Joann locations,” it said. 

On Tuesday afternoon, signs throughout the Santa Maria store offered discounts spanning from 10% to 40%.

One shopper greeted store employees upon entering and lamented the loss.

“I’m sad,” she said. 

The loss of Joann follows the closure of the Betty’s Fabric in 2016 and Beverly’s Fabrics & Crafts.

“It sucks,” another shopper said, lamenting the pending end of “the last real fabric store in Santa Maria.”

Santa Maria also has Michael’s and Hobby Lobby stores, also on South Bradley Road, but both have limited fabric selections, shoppers said.

The Santa Maria Valley also has a homegrown store that sells fabric. The Old Town Quilt Shop, at 165A W. Clark Ave., has been open since 2005. 

While the shop boasts nearly 3,000 bolts of fabric, nearly all of it is focused on cotton material for quilting. It also has threads and notions plus host quilting classes.

“It’s going to leave a gap. It’s always sad to see,” owner Michelle Strunka said of the loss of Joann as a source of fabric for those making clothing or doing upholstery. 

In addition to the chain stores, Santa Barbara County residents have other options for finding non-quilting fabric, but they will require trips to locations to the north and south.

A San Luis Obispo store, Cut and Run Fabrics at 2300 Broad St., offers assorted types of fabric for various purposes. The store has been open since at least 2021.

For the past 50 years, Ventura has been home to the locally owned Fabric Town USA, 2686 E. Main St. With 10,000 bolts plus yarn and more in its inventory, the store has been dubbed a “fabric haven.”

Joann’s website noted that business grew in 80 years from a single storefront in Cleveland, Ohio, and “has inspired creativity in the hearts, hands and minds of its customers.”

The business touted itself as the nation’s leader in sewing and fabrics with one of the largest arts and crafts offerings sold in 800 stores across 49 states and online.