It worked with our Walmart too.

same here,,,ours is so packed they keep re arranging the stock to add more stuff...

Did not work for mine. I know there were a lot of us that emailed, etc but our fabric dept is gone.
Glad it worked for some of you.

Sally

It must have worked at mine, we have lots and lots of fabric. Of course they are building a new one closer, so who knows what might happen there..
Dorothy

The Super Walmart in Brighton, Michigan was supposed to close its fabric department. At least, that was what I was told several months ago. Curiosity got the best of me. On a recent trip to Brighton, I had to stop and see for myself. Ya know what? The shelves were full of fabric. What a surprise.

Our local WalMart is closing the fabric dept. All fabric is 50% off...great deals for us but now have to travel another 15 minutes to next town. I live near highway 401 (Trans Canada Highway in southern Ontario) and there are stores along the highway corrider every 20 minutes or so
but still it is a shame. I was very surprised at their decision since this store is to become a Super WalMart within a year.

I am going to Illinois for my family reunion in a couple of weeks so can't wait to get my Joann Fabric "fix" lol

Mary

I don't usually shop at Walmart (fabric stores are closer to where I am in the city) but I'm happy for you all who made your voices count! I wondered what made them decide to abandon their fabric departments in the first place - it just didn't make sense as home sewing and quilting is definitely very popular right now - glad the right people got the message at Walmart!

The Walmart closest to me said they were closing when I asked back in the spring, but just today I noticed that they had new fall fabrics in stock. It doesn't look like the shelves are getting bare and the prices haven't changed. Just about the only thing I buy there anymore is their 108" wide backing that is cream or white on white with a vine pattern. I have used it on two quilts now and really like the feel of it...and the price at $5.96 a yard :).

Rebecca

One Walmart near me got rid of their fabric department, but another is keeping theirs. I guess it matters who complains, or how many complain. Walmart has driven hundreds of mom & pop stores out of business, fabric stores included, just because they couldn't compete with the low prices. Bet prices start going up on the fabric in the stores that DO keep it in stock.

You're right Red Clay. As far as I know, there has never been a fabric store in my town. There is a quilt store, but no where to get anything else. We used to have a Motts, and they had a little fabric, nothing great, but I think Walmart put them out of business.

The one Super W*Mart around here tried to close its fabric department. According to the news paper they had a ton of complaints so they decided to keep it open. A new Super W*Mart was built on the south end of town without a fabric department. The new store is doing so bad they are talking about converting it to a Sams club. I wonder if it had a fabric department would it be doing better. Makes you think W*Mart might be under-estimating the power of fabric!

I don't tend to buy my fabric at W*Mart since my LQS is much closer and has a better selection of fabric, but it is nice to know it is there just in case.

Foxy.

Fabric departments require customer assistance to cut and measure and mark material. If you look at their meat cases in the super stores, the meats are not cut in store, but come pre-packaged from the processor. It's cost effective to cut work forces as much as possible. I suppose box stores consider the decision to keep a labour intensive department based more on how much business they'll lose if they shut one, than how much their customers complain. The ironic thing is I suspect they'd be more likely to keep the department open if there is a competing box nearby. If there isn't, then they know they got you coming back, fabric department or not.

In the store near me the clerk said they want to close the fabric out of all the stores because one of the family members of Walmat wants to open her own fabric stores. That would be nice because the only stores we have around the Seattle area is JoAnn's and they don't have that good of quilting fabric.

FoxyKitten -- it does make you wonder. I know it's just anecdotal, but I will go to WalMart when Target and Kmart are both closer to my home because I want to check out the fabric. Once there, I buy all the other stuff I need. Were they to get rid of the fabric, I'd just go to Target or Kmart for those other items.