Holiday hiring up at Jo-Ann Fabrics

Hudson, Ohio Jo-Ann Fabric and Craft Stores said Tuesday that it has increased in seasonal hires by 18.1% over last year, bucking the current trend to hire fewer holiday employees.

According to Travis Smith, COO for Jo-Ann, the company has hired 2,779 seasonal employees, which currently account for 13.4% of its total work force. Last year at this time, seasonal employees accounted for 11%.

“Obviously, we are very pleased to be able to offer employment to more people in these challenging economic times. This increase is a result of our recent sales trend and expectations for holiday traffic in our stores,” Smith explained. “By hiring these additional employees we hope to ensure excellent customer service during the holiday season.”

On Nov. 5, Jo-Ann announced same-store sales increased 4.3% in the third quarter, driven largely by a 4.9% increase in customer traffic. Smith cites the growing trend in handmade holiday gifts as a contributing factor. “Our customers tell us they enjoy making personalized gifts and that the recipients enjoy the uniqueness and meaning in these gifts,” he said.