sorry, crafters

Joann Fabrics to close South Austin store after bankruptcy filing

Only one Joann Fabrics and Craft Store will remain in Houston. Getty Images

It's a sad day for crafters everywhere – Joann Fabrics & Craft Store is planning on shuttering over 500 locations nationwide, including 18 in Texas and one in Austin.

Joann's South Austin store at 9500 S. IH 35 Frontage Rd. was included an initial closing list, according to court documents filed on Wednesday, February 12. It is unknown when the store will officially close, or when clearance sales will take place. The filings also indicate more stores could be added to the list at a later time.

The closure follows after the company filed for chapter 11 bankruptcy for the second time in January 2025. Joann Inc. initially filed for bankruptcy in March 2024.

"This was a very difficult decision to make, given the major impact we know it will have on our Team Members, our customers and all of the communities we serve," the company said in a statement. "A careful analysis of store performance and future strategic fit for the Company determined which stores should remain operating as usual at this time. Right-sizing our store footprint is a critical part of our efforts to ensure the best path forward for JOANN.”

The company was founded in 1943 in Cleveland, Ohio, and has been a beloved destination for quilters, sewists, knitters, crocheters, and other hobbyists. It currently operates about 800 locations and four distribution centers across 49 states.

While Texas will lose 18 locations, California will see the most Joann Fabric store closures, at 61 stores.

Austin crafters will now have to make a longer drive to Joann's North Austin location at 10515 N. Mopac Expressway to get their sewing and crafting supplies. The Round Rock location was also excluded from the initial closure list.

Dallas-Fort Worth will lose the most Joann Fabrics stores in Texas, at 8 locations, while Houston will lose four stores.

The DFW stores that will close are:

137 Merchants Row, Suite 165, Arlington
6330 E. Mockingbird Lane, Dallas
2640 West University Drive, Denton
1439 W. Pipeline Road, Hurst
715 Hebron Parkway, Lewisville
2000 FM 663, Suite 500, Midlothian
1049 E. IH 30, Rockwall
19105 Lyndon B Johnson Freeway, Mesquite

The Houston-area stores that will close are located at:

15520 FM 529 Road, Houston
9960 Old Katy Road, Houston
290 Meyerland Plaza, Houston
1219 North Fry Road, Katy

The remaining Texas Joann locations that are listed in the initial closure are:

3206 South Clack Drive, Abilene
6351 E. Highway 191, Odessa
500 N. Jackson Road, Pharr
3142 Southeast Military Drive, Suite 126, San Antonio
4127 N. Highway 75, Sherman

closings stores retail texas austin

Mini Meatballs

IKEA to debut new smaller-format store in Central Texas city

undefined IKEA

People in San Marcos will be getting their own "new format" IKEA store designed for a smaller city, according to a press release. It'll be 35,000 square feet — that may sound big, but IKEAs are often around 300,000 square feet.

The store will open this spring at the San Mar Plaza shopping center (917 SH-80 N.), and it'll be the ninth IKEA unit in Texas. It should be easy to find, since the release says it's "accessible off SH-80, and visible from IH-35."

Ikea's loyal following is generally thanks to its relative budget-friendliness and practical design. In San Marcos, more local sensibilities will be introduced, although it isn't clear exactly what that will mean for how the store is curated. The release promises "local living solutions, tailored to local preferences that reflect the unique everyday needs of the San Marcos community."

That'll be reflected in the store's 2,500 products on the sales floor, 2,000 of which will be immediately available. Everything will be available to order for home delivery or pickup. There will also be a chance to enjoy some of the store's Swedish Food Market finds, presumably including the famous meatballs.

This isn't the first small store in the Austin area, but the one at The Domain (3306 Esperanza Crossing) is really tiny at only 5,010 square feet. It's designed for placing and picking up orders, rather than browsing and then taking something home. The San Marcos store sounds more like a regular IKEA, but smaller.

"The opening of IKEA San Marcos exemplifies our strategy of developing smaller, more accessible urban store formats in this journey towards a more connected and accessible IKEA experience for the many," said IKEA U.S. CEO and chief sustainability officer Javier Quiñones.

The release discusses a commitment to adding "customer meeting points and locations that complement each other," plus e-commerce and service improvements. Overall, IKEA seems to be presenting a goal of greater diversity and accessibility in its shopping experience.

san marcos ikea shopping home design