Jo-Ann Fabric & Crafts

I love everything about Jo Ann. My mom is super creative and she has taken it upon herself (and volunteers me) to decorate and cook for countless wedding, showers, parties, etc. This store always has what we’re looking for. The things we’ve found here after searching other places, I could go on forever — giant cupcake papers, origami place settings, party favors, etc. My mom even made me a bolero to wear to prom, using silk and patterns she bought here. Our house is always decorated to the max for the holidays and we get lots of ideas from the catelog or just from browsing around the store. The staff is always friendly, and when we forget our coupons they usually get us the discount. I’m not the most creative person in the world, but having this store helps.

Think Hobby Lobby, 86 the Jesus music and clean up the store, pitch ½ the country crap– you got Jo-Ann’s.
True to hobby store style the lines are long, prices come up wrong and granny is in front of you returning something that has a story as long as the receipt.
I pulled my number out of the red wheel of pain and wait to have someone cut my fabric. «What are you making»? Nope… no talking… cut! I would love to tell you about my zippered gimp suit, but I don’t want to chit chat while 20 hoarders are burning a hole through my back.
Sigh…but what can I do? Every holiday season I suck it up to get my glue sticks, paint, canvas and occasional impulse purchase. If you are creative and you know it clap your hands… then check your receipt.

First and foremost, may I just point out that this store is located on «Crackerneck Road.»
That said, this is quite the super center of crafty needs. I used to drive out of my way whenever I visited Chicago to shop at their Joann Etc — now I have one close to home!
This place is pretty massive in size. In Jo-​Ann FABRIC tradition, they have a big olé’ supply of non-​designer fabrics, many of which are one sale. I can’t speak for the fabric supply as well as I can to their jewelry and cake supplies. Like their Hobby Lobby and Michael’s competition, JoAnn has their own lines of jewelry supplies, in addition to the basics and LOTS of pre-​packaged Swarovski crystals. Not as extensive of a collection as Michael’s, and not as well-​presented as Hobby Lobby. Their cake supplies are shoved in two narrow aisles near the back of the store, and include most main-​line Wilton products for cakes, candy-​making, and cake-​pops. They do not carry Duff brand items :(
I’ve also grown fond of Jo-Ann’s $ 1 bin sales and their canvas selection. Points to Jo-​Ann over Hobby Lobby for honoring competitor’s coupons. Though they often come in the Sunday paper or in weekly e-​mails, you can also get up-​to-​date coupons online and use them in the store:
… making this Jo-​Ann on the top of my list for coupon love and deep discounted, crazy good-​deals. Even if they are located on Crackerneck Road.

I can’t think of a single time I’ve left this store happy.
The first time I went into Jo-Ann’s, I asked one of the employees if they had mini-​top hats. She ignored me at first and when she finally decided to talk to me, she was hateful and in probably the most pissy tone ever, told whoever she’d been talking to on her walkie that she was with a guest (sorry lady, I’ll try not to ever inconvenience you by asking you for help, which is part of your job).
Another time I went in looking for supplies to make an Indian choker. After looking around for over ten minutes for an employee to ask about it, I found a guy in the sewing section of the store. When I asked him if he knew if they had supplies or kits to make Indian chokers, without even looking at me or stopping what he was doing, he told me he wasn’t sure. A manager walked by and he asked him if he knew anything about it, and the manager laughed! As he was walking away, he said he didn’t know if they had any. I was so pissed that I left right after talking to the rude employee and manager.
The third and last time I went to Jo-Ann’s, there was one employee working, ONE, and she was the cashier. Since I was buying piping supplies that I knew nothing about, I would’ve liked to have been able to ask someone. After waiting in line for 15 minutes to check out, I asked the cashier if the tip and such I bought would work together, she said yes, but damn. I shouldn’t have had to wait until I was in line to ask about a product.
I will NEVER go back to this Jo-Ann’s again. The service is so offensive that I leave in a rage every time I’m finished shopping.
EDIT: I made the mistake of going back (Dec 4, 2013) to look for some Bernat Dippy Dots yarn in green and to no surprise, I couldn’t find anyone working the floor, they didn’t have what I was looking for, and their prices are ridiculous. If it wasn’t for the fact that I was looking for a specific yarn that I knew I couldn’t find at Hobby Lobby, I wouldn’t have put myself through another rage-​induced incident at this hellacious store.

For an unbeknowest reason, I decided I wanted to learn to decorate cakes. I already started making Cake Pops, and I wanted to put pretty edibles on well baked cakes. I’ve always loved looking at well decorated cakes, and wondered how they did that. Having no idea where to go and learn it, with Joann’s the only place close by that carries Wilton products, they also teach the classes.
The class was listed for 27.00, I was able to sign up for the class for $ 24. Joann’s gave me a 30% off coupon, and I had a 40% off coupon, so my class supplies were purchased at a great discount. Jo Ann’s is better stocked than the Wilton’s website.
There are 4 classes, and I’ve taken my first. They are 2 hours long, and I can’t believe how much I learned, and how thorough and fun the class is.
I go to cup cake shops alot, and I learned, just form one class, how to make those cute little stars on cakes, and how to smooth icing a cake, so smooth, that when touched, the icing doesn’t come off on your hands.
There is homework, and alot of cake baking in the next 4 weeks. Then, there’s 2 more sets of classes, to become level 3, if desired. They are also affordable. Joann’s for yarn, fabric, and cake decorating supplies.