Fond du Lac’s JoAnn Fabrics one of almost 500 stores closing

Joann Fabrics is closing 70% of their stores after filing for bankruptcy in January.

16 of those stores are in Wisconsin with the Fond du Lac store being one of them. The company released a statement Wednesday, February 12, 2025, saying “As part of the ongoing Chapter 11 process and our efforts to maximize the value of the business, JOANN has filed a motion seeking court authority to begin closing approximately 500 stores across the nation.”

Joann has 23 locations in Wisconsin. Other locations closing include Oshkosh, Sheboygan Falls and Beaver Dam stores. The closest one staying open will be Appleton, located next to the Fox River Mall.

The statement went on to say “A careful analysis of store performance and future strategic fit for the Company determined which stores should remain operating. Right-sizing our store footprint is a critical part of our efforts to ensure the best path forward for JOANN.”

At the time of the bankruptcy filing, the store was $600 million in debt and facing lagging sales and inventory issues.