By William Anderson–
Sewing enthusiasts in Citrus Heights will now find a wider selection at Michaels, thanks to the company’s recent move to begin carrying fabrics formerly sold at JOANN.
The Michaels Companies Inc. announced June 5 it had completed its acquisition of JOANN’s intellectual property and private label brands. The company plans to expand its fiber arts inventory, adding 600 new products in response to growing demand.
Michaels said in a press release, “The acquisition and expanded product assortment reflect progress as Michaels continues to reimagine the customer experience to become the go-to destination for fueling creativity and celebration.”
Michaels hopes to absorb the unanchored JOANN customer base, with Michaels’s CEO David Boone saying that the company is “honored” to welcome JOANN customers into its creative community. The company has also created a new webpage to welcome former JOANN customers, offering curated selections of JOANN brand products.
Searches for “fabric” and “sewing” on the company’s website increased by 77 and 39 percent, respectively. As a result, the arts and crafting retailer has increased its fabric assortment in 680 stores, with plans for adding inventory to an additional 280 this year.
After the acquisition, Michaels reported an offering of more than 10,000 different fabrics online. The company is also offering new sewing machines, thread packs, and other sewing products, and is increasing its yarn assortment by 25 percent this year, including the addition of several JOANN store brands such as Big Twist Value Plus.
Michaels in Citrus Heights is located in the Marketplace at Birdcage next to Best Buy at 6120 Birdcage Centre Ln.. The store is only a short drive from the former JOANN location at Sunrise Village shopping center, which officially closed at the end of May.
The major fabric retailer announced in mid-January it had filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy for a second time within 12 months. Almost one month later, the company announced that 500 more stores, on top of six initial store closures, would shutter nationwide.
Related: Citrus Heights fabric retailer now listed among national closures – Citrus Heights Sentinel
