Joann is closing Cheyenne store (Frontier Mall)

Cheyenne Joann seen on the day of 500-newly-announced store closures - Optopolis

More than five hundred Joann stores were just announced to close amid their second bankruptcy within about one year, and Cheyenne's store (located at Frontier Mall) was just announced to close.

A glimpse at the history of Joann in Cheyenne

Joann Fabrics and Crafts' history in Cheyenne actually goes much farther back than some may realize. While Gen Z may primarily or only recognize the current Frontier Mall store, Joann used to have a much smaller location at the mall in the 1980s. At some point, the brand opened a location in Cole Shopping Center, and that location occupied the same space as So Fro Fabrics. This information is confirmed by archived photos and/or city directories, courtesy of Wyoming State Archives.

Jo-Ann Fabrics store seen at Frontier Mall in 1982. Src WTE Collection P2017-4, 1 to 236; c/o Wyoming State Archives; digitized by Optopolis

Joann disappeared from Cheyenne for a while... But then it came back, opening on September 15th, 2011. The new Joann was a bit bigger than the original mall store, taking over multiple smaller-tenant spaces at Frontier Mall including Sears' display room/Twills, Natural Lites, Asian Gift (still open) ([1] and [2]), Radio Shack, and Verizon Wireless.

Not all the history of these individual spaces is currently known at Optopolis, but in 1981, these spaces originally included Coach House Cards & Gifts, People's Sporting Goods, Waldenbooks, Radio Shack, and part of a fifth then-vacant space (at least part of which is now occupied by the newer-added set of restrooms).

The checkout scene, seen during the pandemic in 2020 - Optopolis

By the start of February 2025, rumor was once again circulating within Cheyenne that the Frontier Mall Joann may close, and unfortunately, this rumor came true.

Five hundred stores announced to close, including Cheyenne

On February 12th, it was widely reported that five hundred stores including Cheyenne's were scheduled to close; The Hill is where Optopolis first learned of this information. Wyoming's only other Joann in Rock Springs at White Mountain Mall is set to close as well, leaving Wyoming with no Joann locations once the two stores close. Colorado locations in Boulder, Aurora, Centennial, Aurora, Loveland, and Pueblo are all also scheduled to close. The nearest non-closing location to Cheyenne is in Fort Collins along South College Avenue.

The Loveland Joann store, seen in 2021. This store is one of five-hundred stores that has been announced to close. - Optopolis

Although there are still about 300 remaining stores (including Fort Collins) which have not been announced to close, The Hill's Addy Bink reported that Joann Inc. has warned, "even more stores could close as the bankruptcy process continues."

The status of the Cheyenne store as of Feb. 12

As of the late afternoon of Wednesday, February 12th, the store had not posted any store closing signs yet, and the store was mostly stocked. Typically, it takes a few days for stores (in general) to shift into closing mode when a list of locations is announced in this fashion, so it's likely that this store will begin the closing process very soon and in the coming days.

A view of the left half of Cheyenne's Joann, seen from the main Frontier Mall concourse - Optopolis

Right now, it's not absolutely clear to Optopolis what the last day will be for any of the five hundred locations scheduled to close, and it's not currently certain what will happen to the remaining locations. As mentioned above, the nearest non-closing location is in Fort Collins, Colorado.

Update 02-15: Closing sales commence, ALL SALES FINAL

Closing sales have officially begun at the Cheyenne Jo-Ann store, and most items are starting at 20% off. A few items, however, were as much as 70% off the original price. A sign could be seen at the front entry stating that ALL SALES ARE FINAL, a common sign to be seen at the closing sale of any big-name-brand store. It is note worthy that large banner signs indicating the store is closing have not been posted...yet, as of Feb 15th.

Update 02-18: An important point to clarify is that, now, the closing stores are under the control of liquidators. As such, closing stores aren't honoring coupons and other sales. Upon visiting the now-closing-Loveland store amid their closing sale, a worker on the overhead speaker clarified that closing sale prices won't match Joann's online pricing; she also clarified that they are not price matching with any other stores.

Around lunch time on February 15th, a line of people wrapped partway around the store, starting from the cash registers next to the mall entry. At this time, Optopolis does not yet know when the final day of the Cheyenne store will be.

What do you think could be done with the Frontier Mall Joann space? Should it be used for a new potential entertainment center such as mini-golf or a skate park? Let us know your thoughts of this closure and your ideas for potential reuse in the comments.

Originally published: 02/12/2025 at 6:45 PM

Updated 02/15/2025 at 8:13 PM to adjust former store fronts and add sourcing. Also, now includes an update stating that the closing sales have officially begun, and a video showcasing the store is now embedded (releases on Feb 16th).

Updated 02/18/2025 at 11:28 AM to add additional clarification about the closing sale process.