JOANN Fabrics recently announced they are closing all 800 of their locations. Crafters are mourning the loss of their favorite fabric store and trying to decide where else to buy fabric. Stores have already begun the liquidation process, and some products are on clearance up to 50% off. But while you may be able to get a deal, there’s one thing you definitely won’t be able to do: pay for it with a gift card.
If you still have one on hand, you’re out of luck: Unfortunately, the last day to use a JOANN’s gift card was February 28, according to a customer FAQ. That deadline was only three days after the announcement that all JOANN locations would be closing, leaving many crafters unaware that they would lose access to their funds.
To make matters worse, by the time JOANN announced that all stores would be closing, the website had already stopped accepting gift cards as an online payment option.
Between not being aware of the sudden deadline and not being able to shop online, many people were not able to redeem their gift cards. And upset crafters online are sharing how much money they’ve lost. Shoppers are complaining of losing access to $40 and even $100 worth of funds that are no longer redeemable.
“I want you to know how incredibly upsetting it is that you cut off our ability to use gift cards," one user commented on Instagram. "Regardless of the fact that you are closing, your business took money and now refuses to give the product in exchange for it. Wrong.”
“So upset you cut off gift cards so quickly and with little notification,” shared another.
It’s unclear how the gift cards will be handled in Maine. The state has a law that gift cards cannot expire, declaring "a period of limitation may not be imposed on the owner's right to redeem the gift obligation." So far, JOANN has not commented on the situation or if it will accept the gift cards in Maine.
Sarah Vincent (she/her) covers the latest and greatest in books and all things pets for Good Housekeeping. She double majored in Creative Writing and Criminal Justice at Loyola University Chicago, where she sat in the front row for every basketball game. In her spare time, she loves cooking, crafting, studying Japanese, and, of course, reading.
