Information

[Jolly Holly Scraps]

Well, I wanted to jump in with my two-cents.  
First of all, I'm sad that so many companies are closing, including brick and mortar stores. Yes, I think several companies will stay afloat, and Thank God we have ACOT! 
That said, I used to go to Michaels and Hobby Lobby with my mom and sisters and have the best times! There was a wide variety of arts and crafts products, and that's where my love for scrapbooking and paper crafting products REALLY took off. We used to have more scrapbook stores, too!
I LOVE that I can find a wide variety of products online, and ACOT has been my go-to since 2019! Blessedly, because Michael's and Hobby Lobby have been big disappointments the last few times I've went.

ALSO, I will always hold a soft spot in my heart for American Crafts products, because they were one of the first manufacturers that I bought from, and they've merged with or bought other good companies over the years.
I JUST hate to see so many of our special stores and company closing down! Hopefully American Crafts is JUST going to reduce some of their production, NOT stop all together!

I would be lost without ACOT! 
​​​​
 

[beachlover]

First they buy out Bazzill, which I loved for a strong cardstock base on my LO's.
Now they are being bought out.  Where do we buy nice sturdy cardstock????
And no one can say scrapbooking is a dying art!  I have met so many more scrapper
and groups near me in the past 3 months!  

[JAire]

Very interesting information, ladies!
As for Joann's I don't care much for Park Lane products and the only thing from them I bought was a pack of envelops I really needed. Joann's fabrics are not good quality, Hobby Lobby fabrics are higher and some of the Hobby Lobby are actually "quilt shop" brands. There is very little fabric I buy from Joann's - not putting that quality into my quilts usually.
The pillow cases I posted recently used Hobby Lobby sold fabric - Northcott. Even the Hobby Lobby brand is quite nice.

[VickiR]

Very interesting information, ladies!
As for Joann's I don't care much for Park Lane products and the only thing from them I bought was a pack of envelops I really needed. Joann's fabrics are not good quality, Hobby Lobby fabrics are higher and some of the Hobby Lobby are actually "quilt shop" brands. There is very little fabric I buy from Joann's - not putting that quality into my quilts usually.
The pillow cases I posted recently used Hobby Lobby sold fabric - Northcott. Even the Hobby Lobby brand is quite nice.

I love HL fabrics too, Joyce.  We also have a local store called Good's that has amazing fabric.  Great selection and some of it is Moda/Basic Grey.  It's an Amish community so I'm sure that's why the fabric inventory is so extensive.
 

[VickiR]

First they buy out Bazzill, which I loved for a strong cardstock base on my LO's.
Now they are being bought out.  Where do we buy nice sturdy cardstock????
And no one can say scrapbooking is a dying art!  I have met so many more scrapper
and groups near me in the past 3 months!  

I love Bazzill too but have really become a fan of My Colors by Photoplay.  There's a huge selection in the ACOT store.  I think the quality is a wee bit better than Bazzill.
 

[VickiR]

Well, I wanted to jump in with my two-cents.  
First of all, I'm sad that so many companies are closing, including brick and mortar stores. Yes, I think several companies will stay afloat, and Thank God we have ACOT! 
That said, I used to go to Michaels and Hobby Lobby with my mom and sisters and have the best times! There was a wide variety of arts and crafts products, and that's where my love for scrapbooking and paper crafting products REALLY took off. We used to have more scrapbook stores, too!
I LOVE that I can find a wide variety of products online, and ACOT has been my go-to since 2019! Blessedly, because Michael's and Hobby Lobby have been big disappointments the last few times I've went.

ALSO, I will always hold a soft spot in my heart for American Crafts products, because they were one of the first manufacturers that I bought from, and they've merged with or bought other good companies over the years.
I JUST hate to see so many of our special stores and company closing down! Hopefully American Crafts is JUST going to reduce some of their production, NOT stop all together!

I would be lost without ACOT! 
​​​​
 

AC has bought out so many of the great paper lines over the years, I worry what will become of them.  Bo Bunny, Pink Paislee, WR Memory Makers just to name a few.  When you go to their site, there is very limited paper offered.  When was the last time you saw a new release from Bo Bunny?
 

[JAire]

 

I love HL fabrics too, Joyce.  We also have a local store called Good's that has amazing fabric.  Great selection and some of it is Moda/Basic Grey.  It's an Amish community so I'm sure that's why the fabric inventory is so extensive. 

Moda's "Basic Grey" is so lovely!!! Definitely a fave of mine.
Oh, an Amish community - believe there would be a wonderful fabric inventory, for sure!
Lucky you!
 

[JAire]

I would be lost without ACOT! 
​​​​

AC has bought out so many of the great paper lines over the years, I worry what will become of them.  Bo Bunny, Pink Paislee, WR Memory Makers just to name a few.  When you go to their site, there is very limited paper offered.  When was the last time you saw a new release from Bo Bunny?

I used to really enjoy BoBunny and Pink Paislee!

[mjmarmo]

VIcki Boutin is now going to be with 49 and Market.  

It is sad but hopefully there will continue to be options for scrapbook supplies. 

[VickiR]

 

I love HL fabrics too, Joyce.  We also have a local store called Good's that has amazing fabric.  Great selection and some of it is Moda/Basic Grey.  It's an Amish community so I'm sure that's why the fabric inventory is so extensive.  

Moda's "Basic Grey" is so lovely!!! Definitely a fave of mine.
Oh, an Amish community - believe there would be a wonderful fabric inventory, for sure!
Lucky you!
  

Yes, there is Joyce!  We live just outside of Lancaster, PA among the Amish farms.
 

[Tam I Am]

But how does the price compare between Hobby lobby and Joann? 
Quality is one thing - I understand that - but what it costs to make stuff is a big consideration for some of us. I typically am not buying fabric that's not a really good sale, so for Joann that means $5/yd or better on keepsake calico.

[VickiR]

But how does the price compare between Hobby lobby and Joann? 
Quality is one thing - I understand that - but what it costs to make stuff is a big consideration for some of us. I typically am not buying fabric that's not a really good sale, so for Joann that means $5/yd or better on keepsake calico.

I buy fabric from HL and feel that their prices are very reasonable in comparison with a lot of Joann's being higher.  HL offers 40% off on fabrics every few weeks.  I think they may be on sale this week.
 

[rkokes]

The big box stores are just not the same as they used to be.  I have a Michaels, Hobby Lobby, and Jo-Anns all within walking distance but Michaels just really doesn't have anything good any more, and Hobby Lobby really cut back on their scrapbooking/card-making supplies, so I only get adhesive there.  Jo-Anns still has decent stuff, but the store is always a disaster and I dread having to stand in their really long lines.  I like Park Lane white card stock for my card bases, but otherwise, I try not to go in there.  The last two times I went in to get the card stock, my son found one pack by accident in a different aisle where someone had left it, and last time I happened to find two stuck up on a shelf above the displays.  One of the people working there who was trying to help me find something once told me that even though they say something is in stock, it might not be because they have so much shoplifting.  Yikes. Hard to stay in business that way.

[FoxyStamping]

This is all very interesting.  I haven’t been in a Michael’s, Hobby Lobby or Joann’s for over a year, not since I found ACOT!  LOL. However I had bought enough from all of them, previously to open my own store! LOL
 

[Mycreativerootscrafts]

 Really? Because the only list I see shows just over a handful across several states.And none are in TX. As a matter of fact, the furthest west is Iowa. The only thing is some sources are saying 6 stores and some say 8.
However, Macy's is closing quite a few stores. 

Most of the one around me have already closed.  There is one standing still.  It's about thirty minutes away from me.  They used be in every direction fifteen minutes away.  Not anymore.  We have a ton of Michaels and hobby lobby but no Joann Fabrics unfortunately.   

That's a shame unless you have other fabric shops around (for those that sew) because Michaels  doesn't sell fabric. I haven't looked at Hobby Lobby's a whole lot but I'm not sure they compare to JoAnn's for fabric either. I don't know how the prices compare either.
I have JoAnn and Michaels locally but Hobby Lobby is a half hour. And as I said upthread - our JoAnn isn't a bigger store. I remember the first time I was ever in a bigger JoAnn down in Warwick, RI, years ago. I was like      My local one actually used to be a smaller, rinky-dink one until they expanded it a bit into part of a store that closed down. So it improved, but not a big store.
  

Hobby lobby does have fabric but nothing compared to Joann. The pricing is much higher unless they have sales.  Which is when i typically will grab fabric.  I don't sew but I like making wreaths and garlands with fabric. Michaels in general are shrinking as well.  They aren't carrying many other brands anymore as well.  I just pretty much shop small craft businesses at this point. I prefer that anyways. 
 

[Jolly Holly Scraps]

Well, I wanted to jump in with my two-cents.  
First of all, I'm sad that so many companies are closing, including brick and mortar stores. Yes, I think several companies will stay afloat, and Thank God we have ACOT! 
That said, I used to go to Michaels and Hobby Lobby with my mom and sisters and have the best times! There was a wide variety of arts and crafts products, and that's where my love for scrapbooking and paper crafting products REALLY took off. We used to have more scrapbook stores, too!
I LOVE that I can find a wide variety of products online, and ACOT has been my go-to since 2019! Blessedly, because Michael's and Hobby Lobby have been big disappointments the last few times I've went.

ALSO, I will always hold a soft spot in my heart for American Crafts products, because they were one of the first manufacturers that I bought from, and they've merged with or bought other good companies over the years.
I JUST hate to see so many of our special stores and company closing down! Hopefully American Crafts is JUST going to reduce some of their production, NOT stop all together!

I would be lost without ACOT! 
​​​​

AC has bought out so many of the great paper lines over the years, I worry what will become of them.  Bo Bunny, Pink Paislee, WR Memory Makers just to name a few.  When you go to their site, there is very limited paper offered.  When was the last time you saw a new release from Bo Bunny?
  

Bo Bunny is one of my faves! The latest I can think of is when they collaborated with Vicki Boutin and did the Beautiful Things collection, a few years back!
It's such a shame!
I used to buy a lot of We R Memory Makers years ago, and wish I'd bought MUCH MUCH MORE! I suppose that's why I've went nuts buying so much paper the last few years! FOMO! I mean, I definitely dig into my older papers when I scrap and craft! Pink Paislee put out a LOT of cute stuff, too! 
I try not to hoard my papers these days, but I would go back in time and buy LOTS and LOTS of awesome stuff if I could!  
 

[stinkerbelle]

Bo Bunny has this collection out.  it's currently at Joanns as part of the Designer Destination or whatever they call it.  i used a few sheets of it here 

[VickiR]

Bo Bunny has this collection out.  it's currently at Joanns as part of the Designer Destination or whatever they call it.  i used a few sheets of it here 

Interesting...is it dated?  There is some BB in the ACOT store too but no idea when it was released. 
 

[Tam I Am]

I buy fabric from HL and feel that their prices are very reasonable in comparison with a lot of Joann's being higher.  HL offers 40% off on fabrics every few weeks.  I think they may be on sale this week.

Hobby lobby does have fabric but nothing compared to Joann. The pricing is much higher unless they have sales. Which is when i typically will grab fabric. I don't sew but I like making wreaths and garlands with fabric. Michaels in general are shrinking as well. They aren't carrying many other brands anymore as well. I just pretty much shop small craft businesses at this point. I prefer that anyways.

Interesting. 
I'm not looking for fabric now (no money or plans at the moment ) but I do remember have a kind of quick look last year and thinking they neither had as much options or what I wanted. Though I did a quick look online just to see pricing of calico (obviously I'd have to be in store to get the thickness/feel) and one of the first ones I saw I was ooooh, I like that!   But then back to the no money thing even if my store had it in stock. A mixed blessing. 

[stinkerbelle]

Bo Bunny has this collection out.  it's currently at Joanns as part of the Designer Destination or whatever they call it.  i used a few sheets of it here 

Interesting...is it dated?  There is some BB in the ACOT store too but no idea when it was released. 
  

it came out at the same time as vboo's Bright & Bold, Shimelle's Reasons to Smile, etc. so not super old