The ladies that work in our WalMart fabric department have been waiting for the end. But they say fabric is still coming in - so we'll just hope it keeps coming. They have cut back on craft supplies, too. There are no other craft or fabric stores here and I don't know why they don't capitalize on the location - but what do I know?

You ladies better start writing or emailing Walmart and pleading your case. I live between two stores and when they remodeled the older one, they eliminated the fabric section and added a party supply section. They've left the other store alone so far. I read on one of the forums where a lady had all her friends write and call Walmart and they were able to save their fabric section. Luvs

I don't think it will do any good to email or write this has been going on for a year or more. Only one WM around here (mine thank goodness) still has material. and the old department. If I want a Targt I'll go to target. I don't like any of the new floor plans or stuff they are showing now. I used to feel comfortable and "at home" shopping at WM but only at my old fashioned store.
I think they are cutting off their noses to spite their faces.
It will come down to just shopping for food bargains I'm afraid.
Even if I don't sew much anymore I'll buy a couple of yards of fleece or something just to keep the sales going

We saved out fabric department. I took it to the public with petitions, letters, e-mails and phone calles. The CEO in this area knew my name for sure!!! Every time I went to Wsl-Mart, I would e-mail them letting them know what I had purchased AFTER going to the fabric department - I had about 50 people who did the same! It does help that our fabric department here is probably the highest in sales in this area... Think positive and do it! Contact me if you want help...

I live in SW Ohio and we emailed Walmart and told them that if they pulled the fabric department and left hunting, automotive and movies that we would pull the money we spend there and take it elsewhere. They backed down and a year later we still our fabric dept. I just explained to them that if I had to drive to Dayton for fabric then I could just as easily buy groceries and things in Dayton also. So many women still quilt and sew and it is insane for them to keep all the dept. that men support and not one that women support. It can't hurt to try it.

Our area really pleaded to keep the fabrics/crafts department..but when they built the new Super store - no fabrics and the crafts are about half an isle.

You might be able to keep the fabric department, but not if you get a new store.

I really dislike our new Wal-Mart. The prices are much higher than other Wal-Marts!

Congrats to those who were able to keep their fabric departments.

My daughter is a store manager at Wal*Mart up here in Canada, and when I confronted her about the fabric/material department being switched over to Martha, she said she hasn't heard anything, so hoping they keep the department up here. I also buy their wool/yarn, seems to be the most economical (cheapest...lol) in town.

As far as I know, all but one of our area stores lost the fabric dept. "My" store (Fairfield Twp) is keeping the fabric dept, for now anyway. They were going to get rid of it in Jan '09 but have changed to keeping it, as of right now. I was told that the manger got over 30,000 calls (at that store alone)reguarding th fabric dept. I hope they keep it! I cannot afford Hancock or JoAnn, even with my sister's discount!

Porter Ranch (Northridge, Ca.) Has no yarn, no fabric, no crafts & no craft paints & brushes. It has reduced it's pharmacy & vitamin asles down a lot, I'm not going to walk all over a huge store for 1 or 2 choices & most of the things I liked gone. Garden area is now 1/2 storage, maybe that is just for xmas, otherwise that dept is shrinking too. Our drug stores are very poorly supplied with everyday items, is it that way all over? Some have just 2-3 of each item. So if item is on sale you may not even find 1. They must make all their money selling drugs as they don't sell much else. We have Rite Aid, Walgreen's, CVS, WalMart & now some grocery stores have pharmacies, Costco does also. Guess all that TV advertising is doing the trick!!

Fellow Crafters and sewers.. I would surely write them a letter and tell them you are going to pull all your business from their stores and you will tell all your friends to do the same.. the name of the game here is profit and if they can not make a profit from certain items then they will pull them.. but if you can show them they will lose more of their profit by pulling the fabric and crafts then you may be able to keep them... it takes work and you have to stick to your guns.. I mean if they pull the fabric and craft departments then pull your business.. otherwise it is just foolish talk.. you know what I mean? I know if they say they are going to pull ours I will surely start writing.. infact I may start right now..before they think of pulling it.. Good luck to you all and remind them.. you are what makes their stores profit.. so do your friends.. Oh by the way... MERRY CHRISTMAS..AND A HAPPY NEW YEAR......
hUGGY

This shows how the times are changing when it comes to crafting. People are not doing the same amount of crafting now and it is showing in the stores. If they can't sell it, they are not going to stock it.

Our Walmart done away with their fabric too. I had even talked to one of the lady's in that dept and she said that they would be keeping it. That they have a really good business with it. They even went and brought fabric from another Walmart that was doing away with that dept. Then about 4 or 5 months later they pulled it all. We have no other place to buy material in our area. I don't shop their as much any more. My DH keeps saying that he thinks their prices are higher. I've been hearing a lot of negative talk about Walmart, but their parking lot is always full!!! They have replaced their fabric with lot's of scrapbooking supplies and when ever I've been in their, I always look to see if there is any customers looking around in that dept. and theres hardly any body looking around.

I e-mailed the headquarters and voiced my complaint. In their response, they said people just don't sew anymore. They said I would find the birthday and celebration items exciting. I replied back with how many birthday or other celebrations do you think I plan a year. My son got married in April and we hired a local decorator to do the church and reception hall for less than we could have. Plus, what do you do with all the stuff after the celebration? I also asked ,If people just don't sew how come none of the fabric makers, like VIP, are going out of business. If they think they aren't selling fabric, I can't wait to see how their celebration items sell.

I live in a rural area and have come to depend on Wally World for much of my crafting needs. In the last year they have closed out crafting and fabrics in 2 stores. They told me that the plans are to close out another 4 stores in the area this year. I'll have to drive 80 miles round trip to get anything. I'm really bummed about it and so are other sewers in the area. I live close to where the big quilt show is every year. ( western ky area) We have a lot of quilters and quilt guilds and groups around here, not to mention the large community of Amish (horse and buggy drivers) who buy a lot because they make everything. I've been buying supplies (all I can afford) at yard sales and thrift stores for about a year now. The whole situation bums me out.

I have 3 WMs I can go to (depends how much I want to drive) and 2 of the 3 lost the fabric department and have severely decreased the crafting section which is sad. We lost Rag Shop and now the only place where you can get bargain fabric is at JoAnn's fabric. Congrats to those who saved their WM!

In central Illinois, I was told two years ago that they were going to close the fabric and craft section. I have heard this several times since. As of yesterday, it has not closed. The last time the lady that works there told that story I said, how long does it take to close out the department? I'm not happy with walmart lately anyway. If they close their department I'll go to joann's or hobby lobby. Walmart doesn't need my money that bad.

Cindy

I remember when all department stores had a fabric section, plus there were a number of sewing and fabric stores. Now women just don't sew as much. My mother and grandmother taught me to sew and I wanted to teach my daughter - but she was too busy on the computer. I actually got a skirt out of the trash that she was throwing away, because the button had fallen off! It's just one of the many domestic arts that are quickly disappearing. (Like cooking!)

So true scarlett2001, my 2 daughters couldn't sew a button on if if their life depended on it. And as far a cooking goes, there are just too many pre-packaged foods they can buy. When I was going to school, I was taught how to sew, knit and basic cooking. How times have changed.

"If they can't sell it, they are not going to stock it."

I had to laugh at this - not at the quote itself, but just my local Wal-Mart. Here in Wyoming, January equals snow and ice - our Wal-Mart hasn't had any Ice Melt for over a month "because it's a very popular item right now". If they'd stock it, they could sure sell it!!

On a brighter note, our Wal-Mart did away with all embroidery/cross stitch (DMC) thread about a year ago. It's the only place in town that sold it; next nearest store is 50 miles away. There was such a HUGE outcry from all the local ladies, that we now are able to buy DMC embroidery floss again. Sometimes the squeaky wheels DO get the grease!

Cate in WY - wishing I had Ice Melt for my walkway............

The fabric has been gone for about 3 weeks now. What they have for Celebrations isn't anything that I couldn't get at the 4 Dollar stores in our town. I still say BOOOOO to Wal-Mart.

Wow! Walmarts with fabric? I might have shopped there if they had fabric. None of the ones around me in NH have ever had fabric. If there were crafts I never saw them.
I prefer K mart tho they don't have these things either any more. We must have started out with the new style W's as soon as they built here. I always wondered what the big deal was about Walmart - it sounds like there used to be better stores in other places.
Don't despair if your daughter doesn't sew. your grandaughter might. My mom doesn't sew at all (she does knit) and her mother made all their clothes during the depression and was always making quilts and all kinds of things. I sew tho not like Memere, at least I can repair clothing rather than throw them out!
kathy

Heck, lately I have been finding a lot of good buys at Hancock fabrics.. and I have two near me.. one by work and one by home.. I just I am lucky also have three Wal Marts near me too and so far all have their fabric departments.. but do not know for how long..
Huggy

I think Joannes is getting out of the material business too.