Jo-Ann Fabric and Craft Store

Best customer service & have almost anything sewing related available and so much more. With great prices & coupons

Being the crafty 24 year old that I am, I tend to want to go in here constantly. Last year I signed up for 7 sewing classes and out of the seven classes two were canceled at last minute and when I say last minute, I mean finding out after you have driven from DC to Columbia in an hour+ of traffic to only enter the store to find out that the teacher forgot she had a class. Maybe if they had better incentives for the teachers at Joann’s then they would take the classes seriously and more customers would come to enjoy them. I have learned a lot however, certain teachers here are complete B****es. They think that you are supposed to remember and learn everything from the previous class and mock you in front of everyone or say out loud that you aren’t ready for this course. I have never complained to the store, but since I have a larger audience and louder voice on Unilocal for all to «see,» this will do much better. Do NOT COME here if you are highly interested in learning how to sew. They will either do it for you or tell you that you are not capable of learning. I laughed out loud at a specific teacher and told her that I have only worked on vintage singers and have NEVER worked on a new sewing machine made out of plastic. At the fashion school I went to (The Fashion Institute of Technology in NYC) they only had singers from the 1900’s as well. Therefore, B****, please. I have made my point. I am here to learn and recap old memory loss so I can make cute little things for myself, not go into a wholesale Etsy shop.

This Jo-​Ann moved from their Garners Ferry Road location to a new larger space. The old location had a much smaller staff but very good service. There was always a coupon in the basket at the e trance that you could use on checkout so I never minded paying full price for the rest of my items.
This new store rarely has any coupons and the ones that are there are for future use so you must save them and co e back two weeks or so later to use them (if you remember). The staff at the fabric cutting table are incompetent. They have a number system so you must pull a number and wait your turn. The problem is they don’t call the numbers. They just wait on whoever is standing closer. Then when you ask them about it they have an attitude.
One lady was having problems cutting the fabric… I needed several yards and it was already taking her over 10 minutes. So I kindly placed my hand on the fabric to hold it down so she could manage it better. She rolled her eyes at me and told me to move my hand because she couldn’t continue to cut the fabric with my hand on it. She said that is what she was told in training! However another lady asked me to hold it during another visit.
If you are looking for any of the sewing machines found in the sale paper then forget it. The only machines they have are expensive Viking machines priced over $ 1000. It seems as if Viking has set up shop in the middle of the store. There is one Viking employee there most of the time who is not affiliated with Jo-​Ann and sits there and makes embroidery all day.
The checkout is ridiculous. One person (sometimes two) while the rest of the staff wander around and talk. A checkout lady even complained to me about a customer who complained about the wait time. She said that if she wanted to buy her items then shed just have to wait like everyone else!
Save your money and go to Hobby Lobby on Forest Drive, to the other Joann or to House of Fabrics. This whole store seems like a poorly run Jo-​Ann training facility for remedial staff hired by the company owners 5 year old kid or something.