Jo-Ann Fabrics and Crafts

I’m not sure there is any other place to go for a comparable selection of craft supplies in the area. I give them kudos for that. Well organized and clean store. Friendly staff. There always seem to be lines here. I had to return an item but found the clerk to be very pleasant about it. Pleasant surprise. I would recommend this store! Though I do like to be wowed when I step into a shop and this place is pretty predictable. No interesting displays. Pretty mundane blah appearing store.

I have never had a worse customer service experience then when I talked to their employees over the phone. I had called another Joann’s to see if they had something in stock, they didn’t when I went so I was calling around to other locations to see if they had it in stock. Before I called, I had checked the website and saw the Tigard location had 17. When the employee answered the phone, with a «why are you calling and bothering me» attitude, I asked if they could check to see if they had the item and told them the website showed they had 17 in stock. The employee rudely stated I was wrong and the total was for the website and not the store. I explained to her that they website said the Tigard location had 17 on hand. She said «Fine, let me put you on hold.» She came back and asked if I had the item number, which I had, and provided that to her. She said they had it in stock and what aisle it was on. I asked her if she was able to place it on hold. She stated they had «too many of the items to put it on hold». I asked if that’s how they work, giving a customer the aisle number and letting them walk around the store looking for the item and aisle.
I was over the attitude and asked to speak with a manager. The manager came on the line and I explained to him the attitude and treatment I had received from the previous employee. He stated that that was their policy and they can’t put things on hold if they have a large quantity. He added that if he were to put it on hold that it would take longer to take it off hold then looking for the item itself. I explained to him that in all my years of working in retail I had never heard of a store refusing to put something on hold. After explaining he couldn’t put it on hold, he wanted more information about the experience I had with the other employee. I explained to him what she had said and how she treated me. He said that I hadn’t provided him enough details and that he needed «more meat to the sandwich, so he could provide her with feedback.» I explained to him that it felt like he didn’t’ believe what I was saying and that I was making it up. He responded with «You worked in retail; you should know how to provide feedback to an employee. It’s like calling a shirt black, you need specifics» At that point I had had enough and was beyond pissed. I explained to him that I would rather drive to Vancouver and get my item then giving that store any of my business. The manager in the end provided no assistance or placed my item on hold.
I will never shop at this Joann’s again.

Just went in for magnetic tape. Walked around for 20 minutes and couldn’t find a single employee to help. This location NEVER has the staffing to give assistance to customers on the floor they only have employees stationed at registers. Line has at least 15 people in it. Very, very displeased and annoyed after that visit. Will drive further out of my way to go to a different craft store next time!

I buy lots of stuff there simply because I don’t really have another choice without driving all over the place. Good selection of stuff, but GOOD LUCK finding help if you have a question about anything. And when you do find someone to help you, they treat you like you have a third eye in your forehead a majority of the time. Their check-​out setup is usually ridiculous as well. I was there once and it took 45 minutes to get something cut, many other times it’s been quite the wait too. Meh, but it is what it is.

I love JoAnns but the customer service has gone downhill over the past few months. It is impossible to find help when you need it. Long lines with one maybe two cashiers. Long lines at the cutting counter.

This place is convenient for us and we always have a coupon. We like when their holiday décor items go on sale. I am glad I never buy fabric, the line situation sounds like a nightmare. Their selection is O.K. minimal for your not so extravagant craft projects. Mr. Chad goes here about once a week to get art supplies. The main checkout floor plan is set up in ridiculous manner. I am sure it is done deliberately to parade one past all of the end cap items and impulse purchases such as skin cream, glitter pens, and various stuff kids love to grab.

I do whatever I can to avoid getting my sewing supplies here. They are seriously understaffed and you can expect to wait a ½ hour to get your fabric cut and another to get checked out. Plus there is no customer service desk so when someone has an item to return it takes one (or two) cash register clerks away from checking people out. Absolutely horrible experience.

I have been in line for one hour (and counting) waiting for 24 people ahead of me at the cutting counter. The three women cutting are more interested in anything other than cutting fabric. They are taking breaks between each customer and have a blatant disregard for the people’s time. This is always my experience at this store. If there was a different option for fabric close to my home I would definitely use it.

I went to this store to try and quickly pick up some wooden letters to paint for my son’s room. They had all the letters I needed except for one. I walked around the store for 5 minutes trying to find an associate to tell me if they had any letters in the back of the store. After finally tracking someone down, they told me that they didn’t work in «that» department so they wouldn’t be able to help me. Trying to be patient, I walked to the front of the store hoping to find someone else who might be of some assistance. The line was wrapped around the store. I then headed to the fabric cutting counter to try, for a final time, to find someone who would answer my question. There was a gal standing at the counter, not helping anyone. I kindly asked her if they had any letters in the back of the store. She replied, «If you have a question, you’ll need to take a number.» Pretty frustrated at that point, I decided to leave. Will not be shopping at this store any longer.

While I do shop here often and will continue to, I was a bit disenchanted the other day when everything I wanted to buy was 20% off, so that I could not use my 30% off coupon.
That said, the location, merchandise and service is always good. I just didn’t get the savings on my last visit that I expected. I’ll get over it.

They have a good selection here, but the check out process is ridiculous. You wait in line far away from the registers, so extra time is wasted between customers, when that time could be spent ringing up the next person. Also, there is no customer service desk, so you have to wait in the long line of customers to get information. I have never seen any floor clerks, so no help there either. If you need to return or exchange something, you have to go find it yourself to see if it is in stock, then wait in the long line again. Prices are pretty high too. Everything I have bought here I have found later somewhere else for half the price.

Usually has what I need and many fabrics. Cute ideas. Nice coupons. Negatives are little help, long lines, unfriendly staff.

I expected the store to be mobbed during their Memorial Day sale, and I planned to wait for a long time to get some fabric cut. However they had ample staff at the cutting counter and really made short work of the line. And when it was my turn to get some fleece cut (for a dog bed, of course), the man at the counter was very friendly, asked me what I was making, and was helpful when I asked him where to find the jewelry making supplies. My one problem is that they didn’t actually stock the jewelry supplies I was looking for (silver-​plated charms).

Always short staffed.
I have gone to this store many times at different times of day, never during a weekend and they never have enough people working the registers. I stood in line today for about 10 minutes. There were 3 people on the registers. Once the line died down to about 5 people, so one of the cashiers left. Hmmm, I used to work in retail and we would only take people off the register if there was NO line.
Also, the parking lot is always packed.
I try to avoid going to this location as much as I can.

I go to this store because of convenience and the coupons. If it weren’t for those two things I would never shop there.
The majority of the staff has obviously never had any training when it comes to customer service. What they really need to do is screen their candidates for hire extensively. Most of the time they are down right rude or unpleasant.
I’d complain about the line and lack of people working the register at peak hours but this seems to be the norm for most of JoAnns and the Michaels of this world.
God I wish Hobby Lobby would come to Portland.

Great selection of fabrics. However, they are severely understaffed and it is a daunting task to find anything you may be looking for (I went for a pair of fabric scissors, and only found one pair that were actually misplaced in a fabric isle). I stood in line for at least 20 minutes to get my fabric cut, and then another 20 waiting in line to pay. Some of the staff are difficult to understand (language barrier) and aren’t very friendly either. This is my experience every time I go here. The only reason I go back is because there really isn’t another fabric store in my area. My advice, if you must shop here, make sure you aren’t on a time crunch!

True quilters would never shop here. The calico fabrics are a horrible thread count, and cheaply made. However, they’re half the price of quilt specific stores. The «you get what you pay for» mantra is true when it comes to fabrics.
If the store is busy – take a number for the cutting counter BEFORE you find your fabrics. I usually do this, and have had time to shop the ENTIRE STORE before getting close to mine. Then as they are announcing numbers, when they get within about 3 of mine, I head back that way. There really are only a couple of the gals at the cutting counter worth their salt, and one of them will be retiring in 2013. Sad day when that happens!
Their newer checkout line is a joke. Have more than 2 checkers for god’s sake! Plan on an extra 10 – 15 minutes during peak shopping hours just to wait to check out.
I read someone else’s review saying the store was organized?!? You must have been there the day of a corporate visit, because if you’re in fabrics – that would never be the case. Again – it’s a big box store that has more inventory than it’s space allows, causing them to jam it in. It looks messy most of the time.
You want better quality fabrics and better selection – go over to Fabric Depot at 122^nd and Stark in SE Portland. WAY BETTER! Prices are higher on quilting fabrics, but if you watch their website, you can hit a decent sale.
In closing, I tolerate Joann, because Michaels doesn’t carry thread or fabrics, and I don’t have enough time to run to Fabric Depot as I’d like!

I went in to by some sort of necklace cord or chain, and was a little distracted by all the jewelry craft stuff they had. The prices aren’t bad, but I was made to feel incredibly uncomfortable by the employee in the jewelry section.
For a good 5 minutes I was perusing in that section alone, and he never once said a word to me. At least three other people stopped by and he at least acknowledged them. Then he started following me around to the aisles I went to, you know when you’re looking at things and you keep jumping aisles. As soon as I left one aisle, he followed me into the next. He then made an excuse to get right in my way (usually just to fiddle with something), and then would hover over me basically without saying a word.
I understand that sometimes an employee has to get in your way to put something away, or mark down inventory, but this is not what he was doing. My friend asked if I thought that he thought I was stealing something (honestly I would be offended), and I don’t really know how he would come to that conclusion. I felt unbelievably uncomfortable in that store due to that employee, and will likely not be going back.

I love Jo-​Ann fabric. I can’t explain why… I am a computer dude in his late 30s and although I have driven by this place 1000 times I never stopped until a few weeks ago.
And. I love it. Again, not sure why… but I do.

Staffer Cheryl was downright rude to a guy waiting in line who moved forward before she called his number. Her tone and content were «I didn’t call you yet!»
Only one person cutting fabric, so line was long and slow. Other employees just walked by line and did nothing.
Fabric is fine, appear to be lots of crafts. Some locational fabric sales. Fairly broad selection of fabrics.
They need to train some staff in customer service and have employees be flexible enough to help customers where ever need is greatest. Owners need to hire more staff for the store or have more on shift.