gg, why does it have to be ladies? Some of us guys sew, too!
Don

I was just heard this too, and was pretty bummed. Is it just the fabric, or the whole craft department?

I agree, we should write in protest!
Anyone have the address to post?

Hazie

jmy sister told me about it...she will have to go 80 miles R.T. to get to a fabric store. I know some stores will still have some crafts and some flat fold packaged material for sale (at least that is what they said 4 years ago at my store).
my sister writes:
Wal Mart wants to replace the Fabric Dept. with Party Notions (balloons, party hats, etc.). Call 1-800-WalMart or go on line at www.walmartstores.com and help us by giving your feedback.

I went to the website and a search found nothing about the eliminationof area. But they probably do not want to let you know til it is done. So on the first web page at upper right, click on feedback and give your opinion.

I found this spot to email them, it is customer service, if any one has abetter one please share. I am very upset about this as there is no other place in our town to get fabric's
http://www.walmart.com/catalog/catalog.gsp?cat=542393

I e-mailed my letter in. Thanks for the links!

I also let many others know. Hopefully our letter writing campaign will grow, and make some kind of impact.

Hazie

the walmart in my town has already downsized the fabric drastically. A clerk gave me this information to voice my opinion to; www.walmart.com/storefeedback
or customer relations ms:0705
walmart stores,inc.
702 sw 8th street
bentonville, ar 72712-9907

hope this helps they wont know unless we tell them!

this is flying around the web...some people got answers back from Walmart...I did not. I think they are being bombarded...:)
From what I understand, they will still sell pre-cut flat folded fabric in 3 yard lengths and notions. This will be self help, so they don't have to have a person covering the fabric department.(I had to wait 25 minutes the other nite to get fabric cut...the sign on the cutting counter ALWAYS says..go to layaway if you need help...then layaway calls someone from shoes to come over...and it seems you always have to go back and say..."I'm still waiting".)
I would rather put up with buying 3 yards of a fabric, than none at all...it's better than driving 30+ miles to get to another fabric store. Bucolic life does have its drawbacks.
I also heard they are all supposed to stop selling cut fabric by April 1...but I have not heard any verification of that yet...none of the employees knows what's going on at our store.
Woodsy

I just emailed Walmart. My comment ended with. This would just be another reason for people NOT to shop at WALMART..

Just sent my message. My town doesn't have another decent store for fabric! Just awful news.

I emailed WalMart about the closing of the fabric section.
I told them I was not happy about this. Here is a copy of what they emailed back to me.

Thank you for your message.

Thank you for your recent inquiry regarding the fabric department in your local store. In keeping with our emphasis on being a store of the community, Wal-Mart is converting the fabrics and crafts department in some stores to a newly expanded assortment of merchandise that focuses on life's celebrations. We are thrilled to offer our customers this exciting new crafts and celebrations center that makes available craft and party planning needs along with information on current trends and new ideas in the area of life's celebrations, such as holidays, weddings and birthdays.

In those stores where the new crafts and celebrations center is placed, merchandise commonly referred to as 'notions' will be included in the product offerings - such as sewing machines, yarn, needles, thread, etc. As a part of this conversion, most of our new and remodeled stores opening in early 2007, as well as a small number of existing stores, will feature the new crafts and celebrations center in place of cut fabrics. Wal-Mart will continue to carry cut fabric in most of our stores. Due to the continued evaluation of our stores, we are unable to share a list of existing stores scheduled to receive the new crafts and celebrations center at this time.

Thank you,
Wal-Mart Customer Relations

Most of the swing notions and craft items I can get cheaper with a coupon at Michael's or Hobby Lobby. But material is a different story. I think they are cutting off their noses to bite their face.

Unfortunetly for me a Michaels is 60 some miles away and I looked up Hobby Lobby, none in PA.
In a pinch I have to use Walmart. Lucky for me when the Ames and Kmarts closed here, everyone was buying clothes and I headed straight to the sewing dept. I have enough to fill a small store, lol. At 10cts a spool, you bet I loaded up.

I have not bought any fabric for awhile.

I used to have a bumber sticker that said "She who dies with the most fabric wins!". I am going to win.

But I do think I might want to buy some fabric, and I would be very aggravated if I had to drive 40 miles one way to do it.

These people have lost their minds.
No common sense at all. Put the party stuff somewhere else! They have many areas that could accomodate a few party hats.

Janie

I emailed them my thoughts about it over a month ago...

this is the contact address
http://walmartstores.com/GlobalWMStoresWeb/navigate.do?catg=224

Here is the link.

Here is a link that might be useful: contact walmart

They closed our layaway dept in Gonzales and now are doing away with fabric. Please call 1 800 WalMart!!!!!!!!!!!!

WHERE'S THE PARTY!!! What am I missing? So!! Does China have some kind of real cheap party stuff that us party people are going to go crazy for?

What are we? I haven't had a party of any kind for a long time and no one has given me one either. -- some party people?

THIS DOES IT! Now I'll not even buy a greeting card there. That's where I would buy a bolt of net every year to put over all the stuff the deer eat.

Wal Mart is not your friend.

I don't buy a ton of fabric at either Walmart or Joann's but may I suggest when needing some fabrics, for crafts especially, check out your local Goodwill Store. I was at ours looking for whatever and as I saw all the clothing I thought, just come here for a small amount of fabric for a project. What the heck, it's clean and real cheap actually.

Sal

This winter I got a basket full of fleece fabrics at the goodwill....all of them at least a yard...most more...One piece was about 3 yards...

All fabrics at our goodwill are 59cents a yard...and if it is over a yard a little it is just 59cents.

I've been enjoying all of it...

One piece was white with blue outlines of winnie the pooh and friends..

It was at least a yard and a half.

We just happened to have a new litte greatgrandson born and he got a new blankie from his great grandma....(for 59cents...but who's telling)

But Whoa....I got off the subject...

Everybody but everybody needs to email or call them and complain....send out emails to every one you know...

patti

Where I live, north of Houston, we have the old Super W-M that has a HUGE fabric/craft/yarn dept. The NEW super W-M opened about 6 mos. ago about 20 mins. in the other direction. The new one has such a small fabric/crafts/yarn dept., it is a joke. I was at the older SWM today and got fabric for curtains at 1$/yd. The new SWM has practically nothing crafty. I can see in my own little world where WM is getting out of the craft biz. What a shame! I will call/e-mail/petition for them to continue to give us what we NEED!

I got the same reply.........computer generated........
Any ideas to get past that??????? where can we hit them with??????!!!.............come on gals!........we have
to do more!.............they don't care!.......party supplies are their motive............who the hell told them we needed that more???????!Let's tell them they need to add on, to their stores, for that crap!! and leave our needs alone!!!
I love party supplies!!don't get me wrong!!! but ..........
in exchange for our needs!......... that's just stupid!!!!!
I'd love to get party supplies at Walmart costs! but not at the cost of our craft deartment!!

Around Los Angeles, there are hundreds of outlets for fabrics, trims, buttons, zippers, etc. Any large city should have sewing contractors. If you find some, you should be able to find their outlets in the same general area. Those outlets could be large non chain, stores, or small no name out of the way stores. Some of these stores chase cheap rents, so you may have to hunt for them. Our swap meets have oceans of fabrics and sewing stuff on certain days of the week. I looked up 'Houston fabric trims' on a search engine and got this link. Hope it works. Don't forget ebay and thrift stores. Lots of clothing and linens in thrift store are made from great fabrics. Tell your friends what you're looking for. Stuff will likely show up on your porch. Ask for fabric at yard sales. Most stores just carry what sells. About one third of our new large Michaels is devoted to scrapbooking. Don't know what it replaced, but they don't have things like miniatures any more. Joann's built a super store here and it's about 80% crafts, decorations, holiday, etc. and only about 20% sewing and fabric. It seems that when one window closes, another one seems to open. I remember buying fabrics at J C Penn., Mont. Ward, Woolworth, TG&Y, Sears, and Newberry's. OK, so I'm old. Sorry for the looong post. Linda

Here is a link that might be useful: Houston fabric stores

I just emailed them too. I wonder what their demographics are for shoppers. Perhaps this is why they are thinking party supplies will sell better - but more likely they don't want so many sales people working in a department that doesn't generate enough income to warrant their salaries. Sometimes when companies need to cut costs, they trim in areas based purely on statistics rather than asking the employees of that department and the customers and getting suggestions on how to improve the department and make it more cost effective. - Sam Walton is probably turning over in his grave.

I once worked for a hospital that wanted to cut costs and so they quit ordering those little pink message tablets, we were supposed to take messages on scrap paper to save money - but if you think about it - it took longer to write the whole message instead of checking the little box (just a minute or two, but every minutes for every person added up) - and that was manpower hours - so in the long run they weren't saving any money - and the ones who decided on this little company savings idea got raises and went on corporate retreats. I'll bet the same is true in this situation. Sometimes companies can't see the forest for the trees.

If anyone knows of other forums, inform them - also if any of us has a contact in the media: newspapers, TV, radio - perhaps they can make some static about it too. More complaints the better.

Three yards isn't enough for some things - like curtains. Also I'll bet the choices won't be that great either and what about interfacing, batting, etc. etc.

I live about 20 miles from a tiny city with Walmart being the only place to get crafts and fabric. The next biggest city is 72 miles away. Perhaps more people live in cities though and this is where they are coming from.

Our only other resource would be to shop for fabric on the internet.

Shame on Walmart - they invade every city, put the mom and pops out of business, and then look what they do. Perhaps the small fabric stores will come back. I do have a Penny's - maybe they will start a fabric department?

If they have already decided - I doubt there is much we can do.

No this IS NOT my sewing room (even though it may look like it.)! Thought you might like to see what a couple of off the wall sewing joints look like. The fabricholics in the photos have been cloned to protect the guilty. They also have mountains of buttons, zippers, cone threads, trims, and who knows what else, and it's cheap! Lots of the fabrics here are under 50 cents a yard. Like to dig? Linda
{{gwi:129877}}
{{gwi:129878}}
{{gwi:129879}}
{{gwi:129880}}



{{gwi:129881}}
{{gwi:129882}}
{{gwi:129883}}

lindasewandsew, where is that fabric store? I live in Central California, but will be going by there on vacation? I tried a Google but couldn't come up with anything. Thanks.

Hi Springville, There are 2 stores in the photos. Shawn Tex, at 851 S. San Julian (almost on the corner of 9th St.) Los Angeles 90014. Phone #213 622 6623. Drive up the driveway across the street to park. It's usually under $4. This is my favorite place downtown, although there are many more within walking distance, incuding the "Paris" one in the photo. There are 3 large bead stores within that space. Hope you can spend a day down there. The Fashion Institute of Design and Merchandising (FIDM.com) is over on 9th and Grand. Starting this weekend, they'll exibit costumes from the Oscar nominated movies. This will go on through April. Oh, and it's my favorite price, f r e e! Another one of these stores is in Rosemead, probably 10 minutes east of downtown. It's Textiles Durango 8740 Garvey Ave Rosemead 91770. #626 230 5630. This store has no sign on the front. You won't find these places on the internet. Most are hole in the wall shops, and they'll relocate if the rent gets raised. Email me when you're coming and I'll tell you what days to get fabrics at what swap meets. Linda

I have been in Wal-Mart in my home town as well as nearby ones in Virginia and Tennessee and they are all doing away with the cut fabric. I live in a rural area and the closest fabric stores will now be almost two hours away....not to mention that the fabric cost more. I am devastated. As quilters, my mother and I have each bought about 100 yards of quilting fabric at Wal-Mart recently...in a panic I guess..it was reduced to $1. a yard. I have also called Wal-Mart's 1-800 # and I put a bit about it in the free section of our local newspaper in hopes that more sewers will see it and call. The complaint I have is that Wal-Mart has come to our rural area and caused the small mom and pop stores to close because they could not compete with a store as large as Wal-Mart and then Wal-Mart stops giving us what we need. I wonder....what's next?

We were talking about this last week on a pond forum I belong to. Many quilters are upset about it. Its my understanding that this is only going to happen in stores that are scheduled to be remodeled, which you kind of get that idea from Walmarts response posted above.

I hadn't heard the part that they are going to use the space for party supplies. I had heard it was to expand on electronics. I had also heard that it was to install a babysitting type area where you could leave your kids while you shop and they would be "entertained."
We have numerous party supply stores here where I live, we certainly don't need more. I never buy party stuff anyway.
I don't buy fabric much anymore either. The few times that I have tried to buy fabric at Walmart it took forever to get waited on. If I need fabric, I usually go to other stores such as Hobby Lobby, Joanns, etc.
I'm sure if they are making this change its because they are not seeing enough profit in having the fabric section. :( Its all about the $$$.

What really irritates me is that Wally World comes into town, opens several stores, runs the independent merchants (fabric stores, florists, etc.) out of business and **then** Wally World starts cutting back on what they offer. Mind you I live in a fair size city (about 400,000), but the closest fabric OR craft store is at least 30-45 minutes away - pretty far to go when you run out of a certain color thread! Before Wally World opened in the north end of town (the part where we live), I could reach **3** fabric and or craft stores in less than 15 minutes. In less than 5 years they are all gone! Along with 2 florists, several smaller locally owned grocery stores and numerous other small businesses. The Wally World is now about 10 minutes away from me, so that's closer than the others were, but doesn't do me any good if they don't carry what I want. Rumor is that Wally World will be torn down in the next 2-3 years to make room for more parking for "Jerry World" - the new home of the Dallas Cowboys...but DON't EVEN get me started on taxpayers having to pay the freight for a billionaire's new playground!

OK, gotta breathe deep, compose myself and get an email off to Wally World!

Pat

There have been several (now closed-over 1000 viewings but can still be read) posts on HGTV.com on the Holiday craft forum. They are really up in arms there, and are doing everything. Go to your customer service, and pick up some complaint forms and mail them in, as well as the suggestions made above. Who knows if it will help or not!?!

How to get to Wal-Mart higher ups??? Call your local store ask for the district managers phone number (tell them you are not going to complain about that store!) If you are not allowed to talk to him then tell the person you are talking to that you will call your friend at another Wal-mart to get the Regional Managers number if necessary. You can also express your opinion to the Merchandisers and Buyers at home office. District levels also have these people in their office. Need more contacts? Ask a department manager in your store to put you in touch with someone at home office (no names mentioned of Wal-Mart associates EVER. That's the way to do it.

I guess one can always hope the wonderful small shops will come back and carry fabric and crafts if Walmart won't.

If the bigger stores are going to drive others out in the first place, then they should stock what is needed and wanted. Especially in small towns and rural areas where people have long drives to larger cities.

Karen

I am really sad about this. I guess Joanns will really benefit in our town. Whats with the party center? I don't see that as being that popular at all. But then I don't do parties either. SO maybe now if they have one everyone will start partying more? Geezzzzzzzz how sad)-:

Sometimes talking to district managers does help. In my small town we only have Home Depot as a source for some supplies so they have a corner on the market. The sales people were very snotty and not very helpful and I got the district manager's name and told him something needed to be done about that store. Recently they have done a lot of changes at that store. I am probably not the only one in this town who called, because everyone was complaining about them - so sometimes the collective voice does work.

Linda, thanks for the info on the fabric stores, I will copy your post and take it with me - I just love little hole in the wall places. Not sure I want to drive in downtown LA though - I'll probably get lost - will have to take a map with me.

I do not doo much sewing... I also live in a small town and WM came and put alot of people out of business... They are the Devil!!!! DH salesman and drives a delivery truck... (won't say what company to protect the innecent) Anyway... Wally doesn't like sharing the profits...Upper management give the venders a really hard time. They rule what prices other companies can charge for their products in WM stores. I used to love walmart till Dh started filling their shelves. I do buy marbles and such there and we have no other source close by...have to drive an hour. But I really doubt they will change their minds.

Wow! This post is generating allot of hostility. Don't see much of that on the Garden Junk forum.

As I read these posts, a couple of things came to mind--if you think about it-Walmart never put anybody out of business, the CUSTOMERS who stopped buying from them because they wanted to pay less at Walmart are the ones who do that.

All business want to make a profit, if you really want Walmart to keep carrying fabrics and crafts, then you have to buy the merchandise from them, and encourage everyone you know to do the same. If it is costing more to staff and stock the departments than what they are making from them--why would any good business person continue to do that?

Don't get me wrong--I always check for craft or fabric items at Walmart before I go anywhere else, BECAUSE they usually have the best price. Recently I was upset that their selection of my favorite brand of craft paints had decreased. But if they are not selling enough of it, why should they carry a larger inventory of it? It's just a matter of supply and demand really.

They have stockholders to report to, and if a department is not profitable, they have to try to turn that around or replace it.

Besides, according to the response from Walmart in one of the posts, the changes are only being made in specific stores, so it isn't going to change in every store.

Buy lots of their products, show them there is a demand and a profit in it for them. Remember, you attract more bees with honey, ladies, and more products with MONEY.

Luvs

WOW Kay, What a concept! Do you mean that I can't expect Walmart to keep storing fabric for me till I need it? Oh well, it was inexpensive storage while it lasted. DH may have to find another place to sleep, since his side of the bed will now be piled with fabric, too.lol, Linda

I just heard the first commercial for the party supplies today!!! They were advertising their superbowl supplies!!
So it will be real soon in my area, and I'm in a fairly small town!!......So pissed! I'm going there tomorrow, to
see what has been done. I feel like I need to bring tons of money too, just incase this is my last chance to get things I buy there! Makes me mad as hell!!!

Hazie

I'm hoping that the local W'mart is cutting their own throat with this move.
But, what I think they really have in mind is cutting the throats of the several small,
independant party supply stores that are operating in my area.

When they first opened, they successfully drove out the mom & pop fabric places,
and of course, all of the smaller local plant stores.
Now, with no competition, those departments are of little interest to them anymore
and for years, their selections have been miserable.

All I can hope, like purplemoon expressed, is that this will open a market niche
for some of those small local retailers to come back . . . but I'll be surprised if they do.

Which store do you shop Hazie? Rimrock?
I haven't seen that commercial yet.

I feel bad for people who do use Walmart for materials and other craft supplies. I rarely buy anything of that nature there, I usually go to the other craft stores.
We're supposed to get a new, larger Joann's here sometime this year.

Hmmm a totally OT thread but I can understand why ya'll want this to be where most people do their reading. hehe

No WalMart in Oz so I don't have that problem but there are plenty of things you can do.

Write to WalMart, write articles in your local paper, get a local news channel to investigate - the latter may be the best way. You can even do a spin article for the local paper re: karen's thoughts about how with WM bowing out of fabrics there's room for entrepreneurs, but also mention the names of the local party stores and say how the community will continue to support them - and somehow rally the community to support those small party stores.

When the big supermarket opened here maybe 20 years ago the people were up in arms but there are still 4 butchers, a veg store, 5 bakeries (a new one just opened 3 months ago and is doing great), a little minimart and there's only 10,000 in this community. What DIDN'T happen when the SM opened was people throwing up their hands in despair - they stuck it out and are doing fine. So all may not be lost.
Good luck!
Cait

Our town has 3 walmarts, two are SuperWM. I haven't been to one of them for some time, since I live smack inbetween the other two. One has a limited fabric section, and I've noticed that it's getting smaller and smaller, and being taken over more by the home decor section. The other one has a pretty good size area, still has plenty of patterns to chose from, and any time I go there, it's always got shoppers. The 3rd one (the 1st in town) had a better notions and craft area, but as I said, I haven't been there in a while.

I DID notice that all of our WMs are going 'high end'. They're carrying more Pier One and Target style stuff, and the prices reflect that. WM used to be where you could buy cheap stuff, but now I find that I can go to Target and get better deals on NICER stuff.

From my experience, it does no good whatsoever to write to WM and complain. They're the biggest retailer, they won't kowtow to the 'little guy'...and I don't think they look too much at their demographics. At least in my area, they're trying to bring in organic foods, and trendy stuff, but the people who can afford those things already go to the boutique shops or local grocery stores, they'd NEVER set foot in WM. And most of the WM shoppers don't have those kinds of 'sophisticated' tastes. (Do not mean to offend anyone, it's that my town is either high end or not...no middle ground!)

Luckily for us here, we've got many choices for fabrics...2 Joannes, a half dozen quilt shops, a craft world with a huge fabric area, I could go on...and we're an hours drive from Portland, where you find even better deals. I also have a great local store for fabric right down the street, and it carries home decor fabric lengths and often has great sales.

I am sorry for the folks that WM is the best choice for one-stop shopping, and the only real source for shopping...when they pull tricks like this. They must figure people will take what they can get when they're the monopoly in town.

In a since Wallmart does run business out of town.It is human nature to want to save money, that is our job, to save money for our famileys. What is really sad is walmart can sell there products for less than a small business can buy there's for. I have a shell gas station and I know that walmart can sell there gas for less than I can buy mine to sell.
They have made us so dependent on them it is really scary!
I get in my car it automaticlly goes to walmart how sad for the mom and pop business,even though there aren't many left here in a town of 6000.
Rochelle

What happened to one stop shopping. I have a business and i use there material and Aida cloth for Machine Embroidery. The Aida cloth at Walmart is $1.96 and at Joannes it is $3.99 plus i have to drive out of the way to get there. There is also a grocery store there and I will do my food shopping there instead of going to Walmart. The material is more expensive at Joannes or you have to wait for a coupon to get sales. Then I have to put the prices up on the items i sell. That is not fair to my customers. You people at Walmart are making a big mistake by getting rid of the craft section. Take a survey and see what people would purchase more of and keep that there.