Top Journalists in Hobby and Crafts Stores

Abby Glassenberg Craft Industry Alliance

President and co-founder of Craft Industry Alliance, Abby reports deeply on the business of crafts and hobby retail, from store strategy to industry consolidation (e.g., Michaels’ acquisition of Joann IP). Specialties: Craft retail, chain strategy (Michaels/Joann), M&A across crafts; indie-maker economy.

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Grace Dobush Craft Industry Alliance

Grace writes CIA’s corporate news for the craft sector, breaking and explaining the Joann liquidation timeline and supplier impacts for industry operators. Specialties: Corporate news in crafts, bankruptcies/restructurings, supplier dynamics.

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Paula Wilson Craft Industry Alliance

Paula contributes news and features on craft businesses and experiences, profiling brands and opportunities relevant to specialty craft retailers. Specialties: Travel/experiential craft commerce, maker-business features.

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Cathryn Jakicic Craft Industry Alliance

Cathryn covers product and merchandising stories for CIA, highlighting market-tested items and vendor stories that shape what craft stores stock. Specialties: Product trends and merchandising in crafts; supplier success stories.

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Daphne Howland Retail Dive

A senior reporter at Retail Dive, Daphne consistently covers crafts retail—tracking Joann’s filings, Michaels’ category pivots and market-share plays. Specialties: Specialty retail, store strategy, turnarounds, and bankruptcy.

Nate Delesline III Retail Dive

Nate reports breaking developments on store closures and sales, including Joann’s go‑forward liquidation and wind‑down steps. Specialties: Retail bankruptcies and store closures; real estate impacts.

Dani James Retail Dive

Dani tracks how non-craft retailers capitalize on craft-store closures (e.g., Burlington’s assumption of Joann leases), informing location and competitive dynamics. Specialties: Off‑price and lease takeovers; downstream effects of craft chain restructurings.

Kaarin Moore Retail Dive

Kaarin edits and reports craft retail news, including early signals on Joann location rationalizations across the U.S. Specialties: Retail news editing, store opening/closing trends in specialty categories.

Gabriela Barkho Modern Retail

Gabriela covers Michaels’ loyalty and MakerPlace moves—key for reaching heavy craft shoppers and seller ecosystems. Specialties: Loyalty, credit cards, and retail marketing in craft chains; marketplace strategy.

Mitchell Parton Modern Retail

Mitchell dissects Joann’s post‑COVID slide and its implications for suppliers and competitors like Michaels—useful context for craft-store positioning. Specialties: Retail operations analysis, post‑pandemic shifts in craft demand.

Melissa Repko CNBC

Melissa is CNBC’s retail reporter whose beat spans specialty chains; her coverage and analysis often contextualize craft retailers within broader consumer shifts. Specialties: Big‑box and specialty retail coverage, including crafts; consumer spending trends.

Jaclyn Peiser The Washington Post

Jaclyn has led WaPo’s coverage of Joann’s back‑to‑back bankruptcies, linking craft demand trends to macro retail pressures. Specialties: National retail news, bankruptcies, and consumer behavior.

Jordan Valinsky CNN Business

Jordan’s CNN Business coverage has chronicled Joann’s second Chapter 11 and sector fallout—core for stakeholders in hobby/crafts. Specialties: Breaking retail news and consumer companies; craft retail restructurings.

Dietrich Knauth Reuters

Dietrich covers restructuring at Reuters, including Joann’s 2024 exit—providing authoritative legal and creditor‑side details relevant to craft retailers. Specialties: Bankruptcy/legal proceedings impacting retail chains (crafts included).

Caroline Petrow‑Cohen Los Angeles Times

Caroline reports West‑coast business trends; her Joann coverage adds regional angles for markets where craft chains compete. Specialties: West‑coast business coverage, retail beat including crafts.

Dominick Reuter Business Insider

Dominick tracks closures and consumer shifts, including Joann’s wind‑down and where displaced craft spend may flow. Specialties: National retail closures and consumer-response reporting.

Maria Halkias The Dallas Morning News

A veteran retail reporter, Maria has long chronicled Michaels’ strategy (marketplaces, formats) from the chain’s Dallas-area HQ vantage. Specialties: North Texas retail scene; Michaels corporate and store strategy.

Anthony Thompson Akron Beacon Journal

Anthony provides on‑the‑ground timelines and closure logistics for Joann’s Ohio footprint—useful for regional outreach planning. Specialties: Local market impacts of craft chain closures; timelines and consumer guidance.

Patrick Williams Akron Beacon Journal

Patrick covers the Joann bankruptcy auction process and new ownership—key context for vendors and landlords tied to craft stores. Specialties: Deals/auctions tied to craft retail bankruptcies; local economic effects.

Gary Wollenhaupt Hobby Merchandiser

As Editor‑in‑Chief of Hobby Merchandiser, Gary leads coverage dedicated to the hobby‑shop trade—product pipelines, show reports, and retail best practices. Specialties: Hobby trade (RC, model, gaming) with direct focus on independent hobby retailers.

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