Is Joann Still In Business? All Stores Closed And What Michaels Took Over In 2026
For more than 80 years, Joann was where Americans bought fabric, yarn, and craft supplies, with about 800 stores in 49 states.
Then those stores disappeared in 2025, so many crafters still ask: is Joann still in business?
No, Joann is no longer in business as a store chain, because all of its roughly 800 stores closed by the end of May 2025.
The company filed for bankruptcy twice in less than a year, and its assets were sold off.
However, the Joann name lives on, because rival Michaels bought its brands, including the popular Big Twist yarn.
It is a sad ending for a company that started as a cheese shop in Cleveland in 1943.
Below, we explain what happened and where Joann shoppers go now, so let’s dive in.
Is Joann Still in Business?
| Quick Answer | |
|---|---|
| Status | Not in business as a store chain |
| Founded | 1943, in Cleveland |
| Bankruptcies | March 2024 and January 2025 |
| Stores | All roughly 800 closed by the end of May 2025 |
| Brand owner | Michaels, which bought Joann’s brands in June 2025 |
| Where to shop | Michaels stores and website |
So, is Joann still in business? No, you can no longer shop at a Joann store.
Michaels even has a welcome page for former Joann shoppers that says Joann has closed down.
Why Did Joann Go Out of Business?
Joann did not fail overnight.
Weak sales, heavy debt, and trouble keeping shelves stocked all piled up over several years.
Did Joann File for Bankruptcy Twice?
Yes, and the two filings came less than a year apart.
Joann filed for Chapter 11 on March 18, 2024, planning to cut about 505 million dollars of debt.
It later emerged as a private company owned by its lenders.
But sales kept falling, and Joann filed again in January 2025, citing continued declining sales.
The company also pointed to problems with key products running low or no longer being made.
Retail analyst Neil Saunders told NPR that Joann lost customers to online retailers and to rivals like Hobby Lobby and Michaels.
When Did Joann Close All Its Stores?
In February 2025, Joann announced it would close about 500 of its roughly 850 stores.
Days later, it said no buyer had come forward to keep the business running.
Liquidator GA Group and Joann’s lenders won the auction for its assets.
They began going-out-of-business sales at every remaining store.
The last Joann stores closed by the end of May 2025.
Is Joann Coming Back?
Not as a store chain, at least so far.
But the Joann name has returned in a different way.
Michaels bought Joann’s brand names and private labels in June 2025, including Big Twist yarn.
Then it opened a Knit & Sew Shop inside its stores, as Fast Company reported.
That shop has fabric-cutting tables and new sewing machines, and Michaels says it sells fabric in more than 840 stores.
So you can find a version of Joann inside Michaels, but not a separate Joann store.
Some closed chains do return as real stores, like Big Lots, which reopened under a new owner.
No similar plan has been reported for Joann.
Who Owns Joann Now?
Michaels owns the Joann brand name and its private labels.
It did not buy Joann’s stores or take over the company itself.
Michaels was founded in 1973, and it operates about 1,300 stores across the US.
GA Group and Joann’s lenders bought the rest of the assets and ran the closing sales.
It is a path other brands have taken, like RadioShack, which lives on as a brand without its old chain of stores.
Where Can You Shop for Joann Products Now?
Michaels is now the best place to look.
Its stores and website carry fabric by the yard, sewing machines, chunky yarn, fleece, and embroidery tools.
Big Twist yarn is being relaunched there, along with brands like Bernat and Lion Brand.
Joann’s old website no longer takes orders.
Hobby Lobby and local fabric shops are other options if there is no Michaels near you.
Conclusion
No, Joann is not in business anymore as a store chain.
It went through two bankruptcies and closed all of its roughly 800 stores by the end of May 2025.
The brand lives on at Michaels, which sells Big Twist yarn and runs a Knit & Sew Shop in its stores.
Joann is not the only name to lose its stores, as Eddie Bauer did the same in 2026.
For fabric and craft supplies today, the Michaels website is the easiest place to start.
