Fans of fabric will have one fewer shopping option when Calico Corners closes its only Tucson location next month.
The Pennsylvania-based chain offers throw pillows, window treatments, bedding and more.
Store manager Michele Cox said the downturn in the housing market hurt sales.
"If there aren't new homes being built and people aren't moving into new homes, then we lose customers," she said.
Calico Corners, 1980 E. River Road, will close on Oct. 23.
In the meantime, the store, which has been at the same location for nine years, is holding a clearance sale.
In addition to its store in Tucson's St. Philip's Plaza, Calico Corners has a shop in Scottsdale.
moving online
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Several independently owned fabric shops have closed in recent years.
A few moved to an online-only business model.
In 2008, Joyce Dunn closed Buttons 'N Bolts after more than three decades in the business. She started selling her fabrics through a website, Buttons nboltsfabrics.com.
Now she's ready to shut down her website.
"We're phasing it out," Dunn says. "We put everything on sale last fall, and we're almost down to nothing."
Dunn says sales were slow online. Retirement awaits.
"We're long overdue," she says.
One of the few other independent fabric shops in Tucson, Leandro Fabrics & Custom Clothing, also made the move to the Internet in the last two years.
Adding an accent
Another local fabrics store, Home Decorator Fabrics, is staying open despite an earlier announcement that it would close at the end of August.
Marianna Leonardi bought the store last month when it was on the verge of going out of business.
"I bought it at the 11th hour," Leonardi said.
Leonardi kept the store's staff, but she's tweaking its concept.
She's converting it to a boutique that, in addition to fabrics, will sell items like duvets, comforters and shower curtains.
"Everything but clothing," said Leonardi, who previously worked in finance.
The boutique items will be made of the same fabrics that are sold in the store.
To reflect the store's new business model, Leonardi is also changing the business's name to Home Decorator Fabrics and Accents.
The store will debut its new name and new items on Oct. 7.
In the meantime, older fabrics are on sale.
Contact reporter Coley Ward at cward@azstarnet.com or 807-8429.