Submitted Photo The Chautauqua Mall will lose the Joann store as part of Joann Inc’s. shuttering of 533 of its 800 stores, during its Chapter 11 proceedings which the American fabric and crafts retail giant filed Wednesday, less than one year from its previous Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection filing in 2024.

LAKEWOOD – Joann Inc. will shutter its Chautauqua Mall location and 533 other store locations nationwide.

The fabric store is closing the stores as part of the corporation’s voluntary Chapter 11 proceedings. Seeking to liquidate assets, corporation officials announced in a news release late Wednesday that it will close 533 of its 800 store locations, including locations in Lakewood and Olean.

The American fabric and crafts retail titan, joins a growing list of struggling brick-and-mortar stores, particularly mall-based retailers, that are struggling to remain profitable. When the Lakewood store manager was contacted for comment regarding the pending closure of the store, the manager said, “We are not allowed to give comments or talk to the media. Please contact our corporate office.”

It is unknown at the time of this writing how many employees at the Lakewood location will be affected by the store closure.

The bankruptcy filing is the second time the company has filed for protection in a year. Previously, the company had filed for Chapter 11 protection in March 2024. However, a month later, the corporation emerged from bankruptcy protection as a private entity and kept all its stores in operation.

Additionally, while almost all 50 states will lose stores (except for Hawaii), the following states will hit the hardest: California, Florida, Indiana, Michigan, New York, Pennsylvania and Washington.

A spokesperson for Joann Fabrics said in a prepared statement, “As part of the ongoing Chapter 11 process and our efforts to maximize the value of the business, Joann Inc. has filed a motion seeking court authority to begin closing approximately 500 stores across the nation. 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 the communities we serve. 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.”

An email was sent to Joann’s corporate headquarters located in Hudson, Ohio, requesting comment regarding the upcoming store closures, but has not been returned.