If you’ve lived in the Mahoning Valley for a while, you probably know that big, green sign at 441 Boardman Poland Road by heart. It was a local landmark. For years, the Joann Fabrics in Boardman Ohio was the spot where everyone from grandmas to frantic high school theater students went to find that one specific shade of teal thread. Honestly, walking through those automatic doors was like entering a weirdly specific ecosystem of glitter and fleece.
But lately? Things have felt... off.
If you’ve driven past the Shops at Boardman Park recently, you might have noticed the vibe has shifted. It’s not just your imagination. The retail world got hit by a ton of bricks, and our local craft hub wasn't immune.
The Reality of Joann Fabrics in Boardman Ohio
The truth is pretty blunt: the Joann Fabrics location in Boardman is gone. It’s closed. After the company hit a massive financial wall and filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy (for the second time in a very short window), the Boardman store was placed on the chopping block alongside hundreds of other locations nationwide.
By May 2025, the shelves were basically stripped bare. People were buying rolls of clearance batting for pennies on the dollar. It was a bit heartbreaking to see the "Everything Must Go" signs plastered over the windows where seasonal wreaths used to hang. For those of us who spent way too much time wandering the aisles looking for the perfect quilting cotton, it felt like the end of an era.
What took over the space?
You might be wondering what's happening with that massive 28,880-square-foot building now. Well, Burlington (formerly Burlington Coat Factory) stepped in. They assumed the lease for the building at 441 Boardman Poland Road around June 2024. It makes sense from a business standpoint, I guess. It's a prime piece of real estate in one of the busiest shopping corridors in Ohio. But Burlington doesn't exactly sell custom-cut flannel or embroidery stabilizers.
Why did it close down?
It wasn't just a Boardman problem. Joann Fabrics as a whole struggled with some major stuff. Think about it—shipping costs skyrocketed, people started buying their yarn on Amazon, and the company was carrying a massive debt load.
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They tried to pivot. They really did. They pushed the "buy online, pick up in-store" thing, and for a while, the Boardman crew was hustling like crazy to keep up. But when you’re paying for a huge footprint in a high-traffic area like Boardman, you’ve got to sell a lot of buttons to make rent.
The local staff was always a mix of super-knowledgeable crafters and overwhelmed teens, but they were our people. Many of those employees had been there for years, helping folks figure out how much yardage they needed for a king-sized quilt. When the store shut down, that local expertise just evaporated.
Where do we go now?
So, where do you go if you need a zipper at 7:00 PM on a Tuesday? Your options in the Boardman area have definitely thinned out, but you aren't totally stuck.
- Hobby Lobby: Just down the road at 1136 Boardman Poland Road. They’ve got a massive selection, though their "closed on Sundays" rule is a killer if you're a weekend warrior.
- Michaels: Located nearby in the same general shopping area. Good for frames and beads, but their fabric selection is... let's be real, it’s basically non-existent compared to what Joann had.
- Local Quilt Shops: If you’re a quilter, you might have better luck looking for smaller, independent shops in the Mahoning Valley or even driving out toward Niles.
- Online: Wawak is a lifesaver for notions. For fabric, sites like Spoonflower or https://www.google.com/search?q=Fabric.com (though that’s mostly integrated into Amazon now) are the new reality.
It’s definitely not the same as being able to touch the fabric before you buy it. There’s a certain "tactile" loss when a store like this closes. You can't feel the weight of a denim or see how a silk drapes through a computer screen.
Was it just the bankruptcy?
Actually, the Boardman location faced some specific local competition. That stretch of Route 224 is a retail battlefield. Between the massive influx of online shopping and the general shift in how people spend their hobby money, the "big box" craft model just started to buckle.
People in Boardman are loyal, but loyalty doesn't always pay the bills when the corporate headquarters in Hudson, Ohio, is underwater. It’s ironic, really. The company was founded in Ohio, and yet some of its most iconic Ohio locations were the first to go during the restructuring.
Making the best of the "New Normal"
If you still have Joann gift cards or rewards points, you’re likely out of luck at a physical counter in Boardman. Most of the restructuring focused on closing "underperforming" or high-rent locations to save the remaining 300 or so stores across the country.
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For those who still have the "crafting itch," the best move is to look toward the smaller, specialized shops that are popping up or sticking it out. They might be more expensive, but the service is usually top-notch.
Actionable Steps for Local Crafters
Don't let the closure stop your projects. Here is how to navigate the post-Joann landscape in Boardman:
- Inventory your stash: Before you panic-buy online, check what you actually have. We all have that drawer of "I might use this one day" fabric.
- Support local boutiques: Check out the small yarn or quilt shops in Youngstown or Canfield. They need the business more than ever.
- Check the Niles location: If you absolutely need a Joann fix, always check the status of the Niles store (Great East Plaza) before driving out. The landscape is changing fast, and store statuses can flip overnight.
- Join local groups: Facebook groups for Mahoning County crafters are great for "destashing" events. You can often find high-quality materials from neighbors who are cleaning out their craft rooms.
The loss of the Boardman Joann is a bummer, no doubt about it. It was more than a store; it was a place where you could wander the aisles and actually feel inspired. But the community is still here, and the creativity hasn't left the valley—it’s just moving to different spaces.