[7] In 1969, Jo-Ann Fabrics became a publicly held corporation traded on the American Stock Exchange under the name of Fabri-Centers of America, Inc.

[12] In March 2014, Travis Smith announced his resignation and the company's CFO, Jim Kerr, agreed to become CEO until a replacement was found.

[13] In March 2015, Joann stores named Jill Soltau as president, chief executive officer and a member of the company board of directors.

[14] Under Soltau's leadership, the retailer opposed President Trump's tariffs citing American manufacturers not being able to meet Jo-Ann's quality or volume needs.

[15] She joined seven other retail CEOs at a meeting with the administration where they discussed how the tariff would raise consumer prices and hurt businesses.

[citation needed] In March 2021, Joann made plans to create an e-commerce facility in West Jefferson, Ohio to better serve its online sales.

[22] During the COVID-19 pandemic, Jo-Ann received public criticism for keeping many of their stores open amidst health concerns for elderly customers and refusing paid sick leave for employees affected by COVID-19.

[26] Michigan's governor, Gretchen Whitmer, forced stores to close down in the state after Jo-Ann sent a letter requesting to not be included in stay-at-home orders.

[27] Most of the materials used in the free mask kits were later revealed to be remnants, which are often sold by Jo-Ann at a discount, leading some media outlets to disparage the program as "just scraps from the clearance bin".

[37][38] On February 12, 2025, Joann announced the closure of 500 of its remaining 800 locations, claiming that "right-sizing our store footprint is a critical part of our efforts to ensure the best path forward.