Now that this craft chain is gone, students need alternate locations to obtain materials for Halloween costumes.
By: Bruce Thurlow
As Halloween approaches, many Albany High School students are considering what to wear; oftentimes, that includes creating handmade pieces. In February of 2025, JoAnn Fabrics across the country permanently closed down due to bankruptcy, including the JoAnn’s at El Cerrito Plaza. Now that this local and convenient craft store is gone, AHS students have lost their most convenient place to get Halloween costume-making materials. Some alternate locations to obtain materials for costumes are StoneMountain & Daughter Fabrics, Discount Fabrics, and Reuse Arts and Crafts.
When junior Lucca Heidebrecht was asked about the materials she has gotten from JoAnn’s in the past, she says, “Mostly just fabric, but also foam to sculpt things and all my hot glue sticks, paint. It’s very useful to have everything in one store.”
JoAnn’s offered a wide selection of materials like fabric, foam, yarn, and beads, all of which help students work on school art projects or make their Halloween costumes. Finding items of the same quality and variety in other stores is difficult.
After senior Karena Che was asked if she would have a difficult time making her Halloween costume without JoAnn’s, she says, “now that I can drive, it’s a bit better, but for some time when JoAnn was gone it was hard to find somewhere with that many materials in one place.”
Convenience is a high priority since many high school students can’t get around without relying on parents. JoAnn was perfect for students because of its convenience and proximity to the school, allowing students to walk just a few blocks to go and grab some craft supplies.
When senior Noa Callen was asked if, now that JoAnn is closed, she will have any issues while making her costume, she says, “It takes more time for the materials to come; you can’t just go to the store.”
Without JoAnn, there are no more quick last-minute trips to pick up materials the night before Halloween, so for many students, like Callen, options are limited. Not having the convenience of finding things nearby can mean students might decide to give up on making their costume this year, especially if they procrastinate.
When Heidebrecht was asked where she gets her materials from, now that JoAnn has closed, she says, “Mostly just StoneMountain & Daughter Fabrics, and Discount Fabrics down the street.”
StoneMountain & Daughter Fabrics is a great option for any students looking for another fabric store. It’s a family-run business and has been a landmark in downtown Berkeley on Shattuck Ave. since 1981. It also has an article on its blog giving recommendations on fabrics to get for Halloween.
Another store Heidebrecht mentioned is Discount Fabrics, located on Eastshore Highway in Berkeley, with a second location in San Francisco. They have budget-friendly, high-quality fabric with a wide selection.
Callen says, “Berkeley has a reuse art store that you can go to and get good fabric and materials if you need paints and stuff. There’s also a fabric store on Shattuck that has good dye that I use.”
The store Callen is talking about is called Reuse Arts & Crafts, where people can donate paper, fabric, yarn, glassware, and much more. It is also a family business that provides reused materials for crafts and other projects; plus, their items are generally budget-friendly.
Che says, “If you go thrifting, there’s a lot of clothing that maybe you may not wear, but you can repurpose or use the fabric to make something else.”
Thrifting is a great way to repurpose things while keeping things affordable. Going to your local Salvation Army or Goodwill is a great option to find a shirt that you may not wear but might look good as a skirt. While thrifting lacks predictability, it can make up for that with its large selection of opportunity-filled stores.
However, even with alternative locations, Joann is still missed. With the store carrying many memories of past Halloweens and DIY adventures it will hold a place in many student’s hearts. After being asked if she’s gotten materials from JoAnn’s in the past, Che says, “Yeah, I really liked JoAnn’s. I’m really sad they are gone.”
