HUDSON, Ohio--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Since opening its first Cleveland storefront in 1943, JOANN has served as a trusted destination for people who make things with their hands, hearts and minds. From budding hobbyists to seasoned professionals, customers of all interests and backgrounds have counted on JOANN to help them create. Today, the nation’s leading fabric and craft business has reinvigorated its look and is celebrating its founding purpose, as it simultaneously embraces the next generation of retail.
“We are incredibly proud to be a creative retail mainstay for more than seven decades,” said Jill Soltau, president and CEO of JOANN. “As we approach our 75th year in business, we are revitalizing the brand while celebrating our history and telling the story behind our core purpose. Because it isn’t only our story – it’s the story of each of our customers, and how they are finding their passions, inspiring others and creating lasting memories. It’s a unique honor to be a part of something that’s special to so many, and we are thrilled to celebrate the handmade legacies of past, present and future generations.”
While modernizing its look, JOANN is staying true to the core mission of its founders, as showcased in its recently released brand manifesto and a new customer feature series. From a master seamstress whose favorite music is her sewing machine, to a social knitter whose stitches mend hearts, to an apparel entrepreneur who employs refugee women, the new JOANN brand highlights the wide range of customers who find contentment and fulfillment by creating.
“We are compelled toward creation,” said Anna Kiss, a young woman who tells how she and her friends join to knit gifts for others facing hard times. “Sharing, giving, receiving. The wonderful thing about the crafts that I do and the art I’m interested in is that it combines all of those.” Whether knitting for a newborn heading into surgery or a friend battling cancer, Kiss shares the powerful impact of anything handmade -- for both the givers and recipients.
As it highlights creative courage and passion throughout its legacy, JOANN is embracing technology to encourage collaboration and enhance the shopping experience, today and in the future.
With its new mobile app, JOANN offers an industry-first tool that enables users to publish their own projects with photos, videos and even music. Users can also shop for supplies, find project ideas and redeem mobile coupons as they find and share their project How-To’s. This open interaction and sense of community is something the brand hopes users continue to embrace.
“As shoppers’ behaviors and preferences evolve, we need to adapt the way we connect with them,” said Chris DiTullio, senior vice president, marketing and omni-channel at JOANN. “We’re committed to the longtime loyalists coming in to our stores, as well as the next generation of creators who want to shop, learn and share wherever they are. This app is so exciting because it offers something no other craft retailer does – the ability for customers to confidently share their finished projects with us, and with friends, family and one another as well.”
New technologies are helping JOANN build a seamless, personalized experience across the business. The company recently acquired Creativebug, a subscription-based online video provider that offers a wide range of how-to crafting classes, and JOANN is seeing its digital and mobile segments continue to grow. Across the forefront of these new tools and channels, the brand’s core mission is constant and customer-focused.
“While we’re looking forward to tomorrow, we want to celebrate the ‘Handmade Happiness’ we’ve loved being a part of for decades,” said Soltau. “These are passionate, giving people who have amazing stories to share, and we want to help do that. Our story is our customers’ stories. It always has been.”
About JOANN
For nearly 75 years, JOANN has inspired creativity in the hearts, hands and minds of its customers. From a single storefront in Cleveland, Ohio, the nation’s leading fabric and craft retailer has grown to include more than 865 stores across 49 states and an industry-leading e-commerce business. With the goal of helping every customer find their creative Happy Place, JOANN serves as a convenient single stop for all of the supplies, guidance and inspiration needed to achieve any project or passion. For store locations, project ideas and a full product offering, visit joann.com.
