Jo-Ann Fabrics and Crafts

Not enough staff, the staff here lacks the desire to assist and you need to pay to use the shopping carriages?!?
Needed help with some fabrics for a project, the staff member I asked for help flat ignored me — so I tracked down another person who made it seem like I was asking the world if she could help get what I needed. I had my one year old with me — I was planning on putting him in the carriage but apparently because the plaza is deteriorating at a speed faster than light — you have to insert coins to get a carriage out of some contraption. Guess what I didn’t have? Yeah it was a blast! Carrying my one year old, three rolls of fabric all the while staff literally just stared at me.
In the end I’m happy with what I purchased, but I won’t be back. Unless they rehire, retrain and allow me to use a carriage without carrying cash.

I come to Joanns because it’s very convenient since I live down the street. If youre coming in here knowing what you need and where it is you’ll be fine. If you need help GOOD LUCK. I have worked retail before on the sales floor and it taught me a lot about being nicer to people. If someone is asking you where something is they are looking for your help, not looking to bother you. I wish i knew this womans name but i will just describe her. Shes about 5’5″, heavy with brown hair and is just plain RUDE. I try to be really nice to people especially in retail because i have been in their shoes and i understand customers can be nasty… but if someone is nice to you… what does it do for you to make them feel like crap for asking you where an item is? I have dealt with this nasty woman more than once and every time i keep a smile on my face and be as nice as possible because i truly am looking for some help. That being said, there are two older women who I usually see at the register who are as sweet as pie and super helpful. I used to come here once a week, now maybe i go once every 2 months. I much prefer Hobby Lobby in East Haven, their staff is much friendlier and way more helpful.

I have shopped at Jo-​Ann Fabrics in Hamden, CT a lot. I usually don’t require help from the staff, but today I did, and I was overwhelmed by how unhelpful and rude the staff was to me.
I was buying some foam cushioning and fabric to make a window seat cover as a birthday present for my best friend’s daughter. I assumed I could have the foam cut to the dimensions I needed. I was told by an annoyed employee at the cutting counter that she could only cut the length, but not the width. I asked if I could cut the foam at home with scissors. She said no.
I (very nicely) asked to speak to a manager, as I wanted to buy the foam, but just wasn’t sure what to do if I couldn’t get it to the size I needed there and couldn’t cut it, myself, at home. I thought there must be a solution. The manager was, at least, able to tell me that they use an electric carving knife. I have one of these at home — great! However, she met me with a scowl, although I met her with a smile and she treated me like the enemy the whole time, rather than as a nice customer who was spending $ 40 on a small bit of foam, plus more on fabric, and just didn’t know how to go about making the project work, as she’d never done it before. The reason the manager gave me for not being able to cut the foam’s width was that it would take too much time. There was no one behind me in line.
Meanwhile, the first cutter had gone on to help another customer, and another employee came along to cut my foam and fabric. When I told him how much fabric I wanted, he said, «Oh, that won’t be anywhere near enough!» I had already measured, planned how I’d cut the fabric, calculated the total, including seam allowances. I explained that I still had to cut the foam smaller and told him how I planned to cut the fabric. He still insisted I needed more. Exasperated, I said I would take however much he recommended. It turned out there wasn’t even enough on the bolt for what I’d originally asked for. All of a sudden, he was telling me it was enough. Knowing I’d over-​estimated what I actually needed, I took it. I seriously would have just given up on the project if I hadn’t already committed to doing it for my friend and discussed the fabric choice at length.
To culminate the whole experience, when I walked up to the registers to pay, the two cashiers were talking and no one was behind any registers, so I wasn’t sure which register to go to. I stood there waiting to be noticed. One of them finally turned around and told me to go to register 5, as if it was the most obvious thing in the world and I was an idiot for just standing there.
I think all of the employees at this store, including the managers, need some serious professional development on customer service! It may seem trivial, but being treated rudely can permanently change a person’s impression of the store. As for me, I will be looking for a fabric store with better customer service for future projects.

Run of the mill Jo-Ann’s. Nothing special, but one of the few places that sells fabric in the area. They have a wide arrange of threads and notions. However, why is there never anyone in the fabric area when I need help or if I have a question? There is always a line in the cutting station and it takes FOREVER. Hint: Make sure you sign up for the coupons.

Overall, always have great items and the prices are decent. You should always make sure to look in the Saturday/​Sunday paper and cut out their coupons or go online and print them. They always have 40−50% off coupons on any single item and 60%off custom framing! I think the only downfall of this place is there is never enough people working. The ones that are working are super friendly, but they need more staff in order to make this place run a bit smoother.

Everything I needed at a reasonable price. Helpful staff who knew where to find items, and weren’t to busy to advise.

Looooooveeesss iiittt!!!
The Jo-​Ann I’m used to is fabrics. Just fabrics. So unless I was picking out a fabric to make my dog a sweater, I didn’t go. But this Jo-Ann’s! It has crafts! Not just a little bit of crafts but enough to allllmmooosst make me stop going to Michael’s all together because this place is so close and has everything I need! I just dropped $ 40 on Jolees scrapbooking decals because they were all 30% off. So good.
K I sound like a crazy old woman now, but this place is great. I’m glad I discovered it!