# Walmart Fabric Department



## bopeep (Apr 2, 2007)

I have been reading alot about the fabric department at Walmart closing, I ask one of the ladies that works at my local Walmart in fabics, she said they are closing alot of them, no word on ours. She said tell every to call "1-800-Walmart " and let them know we want your fabrics.
bopeep :help:


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## Tarot Farm (May 22, 2005)

The Wally Marts here are all cutting back on the fabric they have one hand. What they do have seems to be not what I need for my sewing! I make, give away and sell handmade quilts and the bright colors are not what I want. I drove to several Wally stores looking for some basic/plain colored 100% cotton for a quilt I am making....well, they do not carry but a few colors of cotton cloth in solid colors! I cannot find green for making some leaves! Solid red is also not to be found, some weird colors and shades of blue, pink and dirty yellow are there. I was told that the buyer for Wally Mart sends what they want and not what the people/customers want. I do not live near a fabric store, so I have to drive over 65 miles one way to try and find what I need.


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## 1eaglescout (May 16, 2006)

I e-mailed them and the reply was that most stores will be getting "Life's Celebrations".
More of the party and entertainining type stock. I guess not enough people sew or use the fabric line. They will continue the more popular crafts lines. Now they may be going after the Party City customer. They would not say which stores would lose their fabric department.\


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## Ravenlost (Jul 20, 2004)

This was in our local paper recently:

_Mississippi based Hancock Fabrics Inc., is being dropped from the New York Stock Exchange. The one-time retail giant is closing 134 stores and laying off headquarters staff. A Delaware bankruptcy court recently approved a $105 million loan from Wachovia Bank to keep the company afloat. 

Hancock and many small fabric stores were mortally wounded by "fabric centers" in Wal-Mart Supercenters. In years past, even small towns boasted a pretty good fabric store or two. Now that the big China outlet retailer has killed the competition, it is de-emphasizing fabric selection, sales, and availability._


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## minxbay (Jan 28, 2003)

some walmarts that did not have fabric departments now have fabric departments. The quality and quantity is limited,but it's a start.


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## Tinker (Apr 5, 2004)

I generally do NOT shop at WalMart, but Hubs needed to stop on our way home from an errand. I found 3 batiks I liked on the clearance rack. No sales clerk in site. I went next store to the garden center, and the guy said he would call for help, but not sure if anyone was available to help me. After about 3 minutes he passed by fabrics, and said "if no one shows up in 5 minutes, let me know & I will call again". I waited 5 more minutes, then left the fabric on the counter and walked away. So much for customer service.


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## Jlynnp (Sep 9, 2014)

I have never been impressed with Wal Mart fabrics. I much prefer our small local quilting stores, I do however shop at JoAnns and Hobby Lobby.


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## AngieM2 (May 10, 2002)

So strange seeing a thread 8 years later to see what really happened.


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## NEfarmgirl (Jan 27, 2009)

About 2 years ago our closest WM threatened to close the fabric dept and they told everyone to call corporate to keep it open. They did keep it open, but it is a lot of mill end fabrics and they did get some more expensive thicker fabric. Right now about 1/2 of the shelves are empty. They eliminated the buy by the yard ribbons and trims so you have to buy and entire roll now. They didn't tell anyone that once the fabric dept was saved that they would not have anyone to work in it and you would have to rely on people in other depts to help you. Our closest store has 1 person working half of a store during the evenings and weekends. A friend works there and she said they were clearancing fabric off again so I went in. The store was having a meeting and not a single person could leave the meeting to do their job. They had one cashier on the floor while everyone else was standing and clapping at their meeting. Great customer service, right?


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## MoTightwad (Sep 6, 2011)

This is typical of Walmart. We used to go in for some of the groceries we used, but after some of their rude employees, we just stopped. Haven;t been in one for over 3 years. And then they were talking about closing out fabrics in their words, cause no one sewed any more. The stores come in and ruin the smaller stores and not keep up what they promise. As you can tell, I do not like Walmart.


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## Chixarecute (Nov 19, 2004)

Our WM has done the same. About 50% of their fabric is now the canvas/tote bag/home deco/polarfleec fabric, but you can't even by canvas webbing for straps. They have some precuts, but very few bolts of fabric in suitable quilting prints, and no garment fabric.


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## minxbay (Jan 28, 2003)

I go there to check out their fabric remnants, sewing needles and other notions.


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## NEfarmgirl (Jan 27, 2009)

WM pretty much ran local business out of town, then changed what they carried to force you to order things online or drive an hour away to get what you need.


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## newcolorado (Jan 31, 2012)

Both Walmarts I go to have nice materials and sewing section. BUT not what I wanted for quilt making at the time. Very pale colors with small white designs. One 90 miles away and the other one bit closer. Closest cities. 

Last Thanksgiving I went to visit my older son and got material down there that I wanted, NOT a Walmart and I told the ladies what I wanted and boy they pull out bolts for me. The two store one did not have any I wanted but I had bought at both two years ago. They had it all at one this time. I knew I would not get back for a year. Maybe go again. I live in small town. 

I tried Joanns in Vernal and they did not have and never heard of it. . Walmart had in past have it.


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## joseph97297 (Nov 20, 2007)

We order offline for most of our stuff, but the other day I had to buy some baseballs and cooler for the local town team and there were two lil old ladies 'waiting' on someone to help them (the sports was across from the fabric selection).

I heard them moaning to each other about the service, and when I asked them if they had asked someone to call for them they said no. Never understood what they expected if they were just standing there, so I went along my way and stopped by the ammo register to tell them. Guy went right over, cut what they needed and away they went, muttering about the service. Go figure. They may have stood there until one of them dropped out before asking for help.


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## Ruby (May 10, 2002)

Wal Mart here has started carrying Waverly fabric. Lots of different patterns to choose from. Really nice fabric. I've read on other forums it compares to Kona fabric.

Oh and ours has a button to push that rings service desk and they call someone to come over.


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## Garnet (Sep 19, 2003)

My Walmart in Scottsdale, AZ does some things very well. Their pharmacy is well run. last month I stopped in at the vision center, just intending to see their selection of frames. I saw one that I liked and decided to get a quote on my new prescription. I asked the man about his training and experience as he was writing the information. Since most frames now have such small lens openings and large side pieces, and the one I found would give me larger lenses, I decided to go ahead and order glasses. We worked through some details, and he said it would take about 10 days. The glasses were back in just a few days. Good fit and better vision. DH was with me when I picked them up, and he was impressed with the professional way everything was done.

I shop at Walmart for personal care and OTC meds and household cleaning products. If you can't find something, they will take you to the product. sometimes it's necessary to ask someone in another department to call for help in the sewing and craft area and the instore garden area. 

I needed a new iron a month ago and looked at Target as well as Walmart. I ended up buying a Black and Decker at Walmart. Target had it at the same price, but theirs seemed to be a later production with push buttons rather than a dial 

There was no sewing and craft department 4 years ago when i moved from another state. Fabrics and sewing supplies have been brought back on a limited scale in the past year. I always counted on VIP fabrics, which were good quality at a good price. I didn't see that line. There is a minimal cutting table. The sewing supplies are more than adequate. Fat quarters are about the same quality as Joann. I needed 9 and 14 inch zippers for bag projects. The display at Joann was very low for what i needed. I got what they had. I looked later at Walmart. I found the same ones at lower prices.


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## ginnie5 (Jul 15, 2003)

our walmart here has added a fabric dept....it was built without one. Seems they are bringing them back.


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## housewife (Mar 16, 2006)

Our WM closed the fabric dept years ago turned it into a "craft" dept with pre-cut fabric. I haven't shopped there in years and would rather go just about anywhere but there. Around my house it is referred to as the 7th circle. We are lucky that one of our two fabric stores did survive the coming of walmart.


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