Joann plans to close 16 Wisconsin stores, a change from what the retailer said in January

Almost 70% of the Joann fabrics and craft stores in Wisconsin are now set to close, a stark change to a month ago, when the company, which recently filed for bankruptcy, made no mention of store closings in the state.

After filing for bankruptcy in January, the national retail chain has asked the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the District of Delaware to authorize the closure of about 500 stores across the U.S., including 16 in Wisconsin, according to a statement from Joann on Wednesday.

The company first filed for bankruptcy in March 2024 but was able to keep its stores open by going private, despite owing $1 billion in debt at the time. However, the 82-year-old company still owes more than $600 million in debt and has faced lagging sales and inventory issues, according to CNN.

The January announcement from the company had initially excluded any mention of closing Joann stores in Wisconsin, but Wednesday’s announcement changes that.

Which Joann stores in Wisconsin are closing?

A total of 16 Joann stores are closing in Wisconsin, including four in the Milwaukee area, according to the announcement.

• Fond du Lac: 806 W. Johnson St.
• Janesville: 2700 N. Pontiac Drive
• Madison: 2021 Zeier Road
• Pewaukee: 2020 Silvernail Road
• Cudahy: 5656 S. Packard Ave.
• Brookfield: 16800 W. Bluemound Road
• Menomonee Falls: N78 W14531 Appleton Ave.
• Watertown: 401 Bernard St.
• Plover: 1150 Meridian Drive
• Lake Geneva: 600 N. Edwards Blvd.
• Beaver Dam: 1645 N. Spring St.
• Marshfield: 1919 N. Central Ave.
• Marinette: 2400 Roosevelt Road
• Oshkosh: 1226 S. Koeller St.
• Racine: 2629 S. Green Bay Road
• Sheboygan Falls: 4079 Highway 28

Which Joann stores in Wisconsin will remain open?

The company has a total of 23 locations in Wisconsin. The following will remain open:

• Greenfield: 4950 S. 74th St.
• Appleton: 720 N. Casaloma Drive
• Green Bay: 2777 S. Oneida St.
• Onalaska: 1220 Crossing Meadows Drive
• Wausau: 226830 Rib Mountain Drive
• Eau Claire: 4045 Commonwealth Ave.
• Wisconsin Dells: 121 Commerce St.

A full list of Wisconsin locations can be found on the company’s website.

How many Joann stores are closing? How many are staying open?

The closure of 500 stores will represent an almost 60% reduction in the craft retailer’s brick and mortar spaces, of which there are currently 850, according to its website.

In its Feb. 12 statement, the chain wrote that the closures would contribute to “right-sizing our store footprint” and ensuring the best path forward for the company.

“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,” Joann said in the 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.”

When will my Joann store close?

Information on when the Joann stores will close was not included in the announcement.

Maia Pandey contributed to this report.

Contact Claudia Levens at clevens@gannett.com. Follow her on X at @levensc13.