Over 200 distribution center workers lose jobs in Central California in Joann fallout
As Joann Fabric and Craft Stores face bankruptcy and nationwide store closures, the company is closing a Central Valley-based distribution center, which will result in the loss of hundreds of jobs.
The company notified the state on Jan. 24 of its plans to lay off 209 workers at the company’s Visalia-based distribution center, Joann Stores Support Center, Inc.
The California Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification, also known as the WARN Act, requires employers to give 60-days’ notice before a mass layoff, plant closure or relocation.
The layoffs will go into effect on Monday, March 31, state records show.
A spokesperson for Joann’s didn’t respond to a request for comment. According to state records, the layoffs are the result of a permanent closure of the facility.
The distribution center, which first opened in 2001, distributed fabrics and crafts to 226 stores in the western United States, according to the Visalia Chamber of Commerce.
When the center opened, the 630,000-square-foot building was the largest in Visalia, said Adam Peck, executive director of the Workforce Investment Board of Tulare County.
Joann’s announced on Jan. 15 that it filed Chapter 11 bankruptcy to facilitate a sale of the company.
The retail chain initially announced it would close around 500 stores nationwide, including its Fresno, Sacramento, Salinas, Bakersfield, Folsom, Citrus Heights and Stockon locations.
But as of late February, the company announced it would be closing all 800 locations nationwide per the terms of its sale, USA Today reported.
“We deeply appreciate our dedicated TeamMembers, our customers and communities across the nation for their unwavering support formore than 80 years,” a spokesperson for the company said in a statement.
Visalia job fair
The Tulare Workforce Investment Board and other state partners held rapid response sessions to help the distribution center workers learn about resources and other job opportunities.
Impacted workers and job seekers can look for new job opportunities at a job fair hosted by the Visalia Economic Development Corporation on Wednesday, April 9 from 8 a.m. to 11 a.m. at the Wyndham Visalia hotel.
“Tulare County has a strong job market in the warehousing and logistics industry, and JoAnn workers have long had a reputation as hard-working and dedicated employees,” Peck said. “We are excited about the upcoming job fair, which will allow those workers and employers to connect.”
This story was originally published March 26, 2025 at 7:00 AM.
