What happened to AC Moore? New craft store, art studio opens in Myrtle Beach shopping center

A craft store, art studio and self-described “community space” is opening in Myrtle Beach on Friday.

The store? JOANN fabrics and crafts — having moved far beyond your mom’s scrapbooking habits with this reimagined shopping experience.

Along with selling, well, fabrics and crafts, there are two elements that set this store apart from the usual mega-retail experience, the company says.

The first is the “Creators’ Studio,” which the company says will be a “large open community space where customers can take classes, host events and work on projects inspired by the latest trends.”

The second big change is a modernized version of the store’s “cut bar.” Rather than having to wait around to have fabric cut, customers can check in and keep shopping until they are notified by text that a store employee is ready to help them.

This is the first JOANN store to come to Myrtle Beach. The building was previously occupied by A.C. Moore Arts and Crafts. It is located at 1120 Seaboard St., between a Dollar Tree and T.J. Maxx.

A.C. Moore closed this location in 2019 as part of the company-wide liquidation as the chain prepared to cease operations altogether.

The chain was bought by Michaels, a competitor in the arts and crafts retail space. Many of those stores were rebranded and kept open. The Myrtle Beach location was not among them.

“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,” A.C. Moore’s then-CEO Anthony Piperno said in a statement in 2019.

For years, the only sign an arts and crafts store ever existed in this location was the street sign near Highway 17, where the “A.C. Moore” could still be read, even with the sign having been turned inside out so as to not mislead passersby.