Walk through the automatic sliding doors at 244 Worcester St. in Natick, and you're usually met with that specific "craft store smell"—a mix of fleece, spray adhesive, and plastic floral stems. For years, the JOANN Fabric Natick MA location has been a cornerstone for MetroWest makers. Whether you were panic-buying thread for a last-minute theater costume or hunting for that one specific shade of DMC embroidery floss, this was the spot.
But things have changed. Drastically.
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If you’ve driven past the Cloverleaf Mall lately, you might have noticed the vibe is a little off. The shelves aren't being restocked like they used to be. The staff looks stretched thin. This isn't just a local slump; it's part of a massive, nationwide structural collapse for one of the biggest names in the hobby industry.
What’s Actually Happening at JOANN Fabric Natick MA?
Honestly, it’s a bit of a mess.
In early 2025, Joann Inc. entered its second Chapter 11 bankruptcy in less than a year. That’s not a typo. They fell into bankruptcy in March 2024, managed to claw their way out as a private company by April, and then plummeted right back into court by January 2025. This time, the "right-sizing" of the company involves closing about 500 stores nationwide.
The JOANN Fabric Natick MA location at 244 Worcester Road is officially on the chopping block.
It’s one of 19 stores in Massachusetts designated for closure. For the local quilting community, this is a gut punch. You’ve got people who have been coming here since it was just a small-scale fabric shop, long before it became the massive big-box retailer we know today.
Why the Natick Store is Closing
- Massive Debt Loads: The company has been drowning in nearly $1 billion of debt. Even with a $132 million infusion of new funding last year, it wasn't enough to keep the lights on in high-rent areas like Natick.
- Changing Habits: Let's be real—a lot of us started buying our yardage from online boutiques or Etsy shops during the pandemic. JOANN struggled to bridge the gap between their brick-and-mortar roots and a modern digital experience.
- Shipping Costs: Because so much of their inventory is sourced from overseas, the spike in global shipping costs hit their margins hard.
The Reality of Shopping There Right Now
If you go in today, don't expect the usual experience.
Going-out-of-business sales officially kicked off in mid-February 2025. While you might find some "kinda okay" deals at 20% or 30% off, the deep discounts—the ones where you're basically getting fabric for pennies—usually don't happen until the very last weeks.
One thing most people get wrong about these closures: the gift cards. If you have a JOANN gift card burning a hole in your wallet, use it now. As of early 2026, the company has restricted gift card use to in-store purchases only. You can't use them on the website anymore. And once the Natick doors lock for good, that plastic is basically a coaster.
Custom Framing and Services
A lot of people used the Natick location for their custom framing department. If you currently have an order there, you need to call the store immediately. Historically, when big-box craft stores shutter, the framing departments are the first to stop taking new orders. There have been horror stories on Reddit about art being "lost" in the transition between a closing store and a regional hub. Don't let your grandmother’s needlepoint become a statistic.
Where to Go Instead: Life After JOANN
The loss of JOANN Fabric Natick MA leaves a pretty big hole in the local crafting scene. If you're standing in the parking lot wondering where to get your bias tape now, you have a few options.
Fabric Place Basement (Natick)
This is the "insider" choice. Located just down the road at 321 Speen Street in the Cloverleaf Center, it’s actually where many JOANN refugees have been heading for years. It’s less "big-box" and more "treasure hunt." They have a massive selection of high-end designer fabrics that you’d never find at a national chain.
Michaels (Framingham)
Just over the line at 1 Worcester Rd in Shoppers World, Michaels has been aggressively expanding its fabric-by-the-yard section to capitalize on JOANN's retreat. They do custom framing and have a much more robust "buy online, pick up in-store" (BOPIS) system.
Five Crows (Downtown Natick)
If you're more into the "craft" side than the "fabric" side, Five Crows on Main Street is a localized gem. It’s more of a gallery, but it’s a great place to see what local makers are actually doing with the supplies they buy.
Is This the End of Fabric Stores?
Not necessarily, but the "mega-store" model is dying.
Retail experts like Michael Prendergast, who stepped in as interim CEO during the restructuring, have noted that the future of the company depends on being "nimble." For a store that’s the size of a small aircraft hangar, like the one in Natick, "nimble" is a tough ask.
The Natick store suffered from what many call the "staffing ghost town" effect. You’d walk in and see two people trying to manage the cutting counter, the registers, and the stocking. It’s a frustrating experience for the customer and an exhausting one for the employees.
Moving Forward: Actionable Steps for Natick Crafters
If you’ve been a regular at the Natick JOANN, here is your transition plan:
- Audit Your Stash: Check your thread and notions. If you use a specific brand of Gutermann thread or a certain type of interfacing, stock up during the liquidation. Once these stores close, the remaining locations (like Milford) will likely see a surge in demand and frequent stockouts.
- Pick Up Your Framing: If you have any active orders, do not wait for a phone call. Go to the store with your receipt and get your items back, even if they aren't finished.
- Shift Your Rewards: If you use the JOANN app, be aware that your "Smile" points and rewards might vanish once your "home" store is gone. Try to redeem them on a final haul before the end of the month.
- Support Local: Take this opportunity to visit the independent shops in Wellesley, Framingham, and downtown Natick. They might be slightly more expensive, but they offer the expertise and community that the big-box stores have been lacking for years.
The closure of JOANN Fabric Natick MA marks the end of an era for the Worcester Road retail corridor. It’s a reminder that even the giants of the industry aren't immune to the shifting tides of the 2026 economy. Keep your scissors sharp and your fabric stash full, because the way we shop for our hobbies is never going back to the way it was.