A.C. Moore Closing All Virginia Stores

VIRGINIA — A.C. Moore will close all its stores, the company said Monday, which includes over a dozen in the Commonwealth. The chain, owned by Nicole Crafts, said it has decided to "exit its retail operations" by closing all A.C. Moore stores "as part of a broader strategic plan."

The arts and crafts supplier operates at least 15 stores in Virginia. Under the transition, as many as 40 A.C. Moore stores will become Michaels. The locations to become Michaels have not yet been named.

Online orders ceased as of Monday. Previously placed orders will ship, the company said.

Here are Virginia store locations the company operates:

• The Crossroads Center, 5800 Crossroads Center Way, Falls Church
• Ashbrook Commons Plaza, 20020 Ashbrook Commons Plaza, Ashburn
• Fair City Mall, 9650 Main St, Fairfax
• Central Park, 1833 Carl D Silver Parkway, Fredericksburg
• A.C. Moore Center, 7026 Mechanicsville Tpke., Mechanicsville
• Village Square, 5007 Victory Blvd, Yorktown
• Willow Lawn, 1601 Willow Lawn Drive, Richmond
• West Broad Marketplace, 12296 West Broad St, Short Pump
• Beverly Hills Shopping Center, 8524 Patterson Avenue, Henrico
• Stein Mart Festival, 9744 Midlothian Tpke, Richmond
• Birchwood Shopping Center, 3750 Virginia Beach Blvd, Virginia Beach
• Landstown Commons Shopping Center, 3312 Princess Anne Road, Virginia Beach
• 5th Street Station, 325 Merchant Walk Sqaure, Charlottesville
• Wards Crossing West, 475 Simons Run, Lynchburg
• Tanglewood Mall, 4250 Electric Road, Roanoke

The closures are due to "headwinds facing many retailers," said Anthony Piperno, A.C. Moore CEO.

"For over 30 years, our stores have been servicing the creative community with a vast selection of art and craft materials, with one common focus, the customer. Unfortunately, given the headwinds facing many retailers in today's environment, it made it very difficult for us to operate and compete on a national level."

Closing plans for specific A.C. Moore locations will be released in the upcoming weeks.

"We are looking forward to re-opening these stores under the Michaels name in 2020 and welcoming new team members," said Michaels CEO Mark Cosby.

Related:

• Athletic Apparel Chain Closing 2 NoVa Locations
• These 6 Clothing Stores In DC, VA Are Closing, Retailer Says
• Forever 21, Pier 1: Can DC And VA's 28 Stores Survive Shake-Ups?

• The Chain Stores Revamping Or Closing In NoVA, DC In 2019
• Bed Bath & Beyond Changes, Closures: Can VA's 26 Stores Survive?
• Another National Retailer Closing 8 Virginia Stores

A.C. Moore is part of a growing list of brick-and-mortar establishments that have seen a nosedive in revenue and popularity with the emergence of e-commerce companies such as Amazon and Walmart. In what analysts have dubbed the retail apocalypse, the beloved chain Toys R Us was likely the most high-profile retail closure in the past year.

The number of brick-and-mortar businesses in Virginia and the District of Columbia continues to fluctuate as iconic chains dwindle and newer companies retrench in a bid to survive. Several national retailers announced store closings this summer, with plans to carry out those closings by the end of the year.

By the time the holiday shopping season arrives, DC and northern Virginians can expect fewer chain stores to choose from. Here's a look at the national retailers that announced store closings in recent months:

Bed Bath & Beyond
Bed Bath & Beyond, the popular home accessories store with 26 locations in Virginia and two in the District of Columbia, has a refreshed look coming to some of its stores before Christmas, while underperforming locations might close or be relocated in the near future. READ MORE.

Dressbarn
All Dressbarn stores will be closed by the end of the year, including 28 Virginia locations, the company announced in May. Some locations have already closed. "Customers can continue to shop at Dressbarn in-store and online and use Dressbarn-branded credit cards for purchases," the company said in a statement. READ MORE.

Avenue
The women's clothing store is closing more than 200 locations across the country, including all three stores in Virginia. READ MORE.

Charming Charlie
Women's fashion accessory retailer Charming Charlie filed for bankruptcy and will close its roughly 260 stores across the country, including eight in Virginia. READ MORE.

— Reporting by Patch Editor Kara Seymour.