Wal-Mart -- Save the Full-Service Fabric Department!

To:  Wal-Mart

Wal-Mart seems to be undergoing a process of downsizing/eliminating its full-service fabric/notions/crafts departments. Many Wal-Marts (including newly-built Super Wal-Marts) have already changed to pre-packaged, pre-cut lengths of fabric as a way to eliminate the cutting table and the employee time required to support it.

As a member of many different sewing e-mail lists, it is obvious to me that not one sewist I have come across is happy with this. For many people, Wal-Mart is the ONLY source of affordable yardage within reasonable driving distance. Wal-Mart also is important to us sewists who have other stores nearby, but need to shop at irregular hours and those of us who find it invaluable to enter Wal-Mart for other items and be able to pick up fabric and notions while there. How many times have I rushed to Wal-Mart at midnight to grab a spool of thread or piece of interfacing? I cannot even count!

If you are here reading this, you are probably one of the hundreds (or even thousands!) of sewists who have e-mailed, written or called Wal-Mart to voice great concern over this issue. In that case, you are familiar with the fact that Wal-Mart has called this a “test” that they are conducting in certain stores and in certain markets. It hasn’t exactly been said what will happen if and when this “test” fails…..will they eliminate the fabric department altogether at all of their stores?

If you are like me, you may spend hundreds of dollars or more monthly at Wal-Mart. I personally prefer to shop at Target or K-Mart since I find them to be cleaner, faster and better staffed with employees who are helpful and polite. The only reason I DO shop Wal-Mart is usually that I can pick up items for my sewing needs while I am there. Were they to eliminate this department or even change to flat-folds at either of the stores I visit, I would completely stop shopping there. I am sure many of you feel that way as well.

Is it possible that Wal-Mart is discriminating against women? Perhaps. I haven’t heard of any plans to close the sporting goods department or the exercise equipment department….I cannot say whether or not those departments are more or less profitable than the full-service fabric department, but I have been paying attention and I very rarely see people flocking to those areas to buy things! =)

We need to stand up and let Wal-Mart know just how much business us sewists give them – whether in the fabric department or just in general. If they believe they are about to lose the business of thousands, perhaps they would reconsider this strategy. Even if you aren’t a sewist yourself, please sign this petition so that those of us who rely on Wal-Mart can continue to do so. After over ten years of spending my money at Wal-Mart, I want to see them continue the full-service fabric department in every store they operate.

Sincerely,

The Undersigned

The Wal-Mart -- Save the Full-Service Fabric Department! Petition to Wal-Mart was created by Sewists and crafters across the US and written by Michele Heitner-Brabender (michele@sacvalley.com).  This petition is hosted here at www.PetitionOnline.com as a public service. There is no endorsement of this petition, express or implied, by Artifice, Inc. or our sponsors. For technical support please use our simple Petition Help form.