Fabric Store Spotlight: Fabrics R Us of San Jose
- Jan 30
- 3 min read
Are there any fabric stores in San Jose? Have no fear, sewists new and experienced. Joann may have fallen but she was never the only show in town. We've got Golden State Quilting, Michael's, Wild Hare Haberdashery, GTex, and a few other smaller spots. One of my favorite places is Fabrics R Us on Berryessa and Lundy.
There’s actually two stores in this corner strip mall, one in the inner corner called Fabrics R Us and another (called Fabrics Yard) nearer the street corner. They are both large and fun to explore. This is more of a discount warehouse-style fabric store, but what it may lack in fanciness it totally makes up for in customer service. Compared to Joann’s, there’s multiple people walking through and cutting things directly off the bolt. The prices are great, haggling is allowed and you’ll find yourself in the company of a great variety of sewists. One reviewer on PatternReview.com described it as an “LA Garment District style fabric” store. Absolutely. You’re gonna be playing Marco Polo if you lose your shopping companion.
What kind of fabrics do they have? They’ve got everything from quilting “cotton” (most of the stock is polyester, I’m afraid) to felts, tulles, canvas, upholstery, fleece, sequined, velvet and vinyl! It’s a whole lot. People shop here to get their materials for tablecloths to television props to prom dresses.
One time I needed a LOT of 5” foam to make props, and one of the ladies had me follow her in my car to their warehouse nearby. She helped me secure it to the top of my Camry with a length of that fancy rope rich people decorate their curtains with. They are helpful. They are somewhat mysterious (because I’ve lived in San Jose for 15 years and still barely know any Vietnamese). They are the keepers of the largest amount of fabric in the South Bay.
They aren’t a one-stop shop— you may not find all the notions you need, and not that many tools. There is tons of thread, mostly in the large cone-style with 6,000 yards— for about $4! I get all my thread there. You may not be able to find the exact color, but you’ll find something close. They also carry interfacing, though not the variety you’d find at a big box store. What I particularly love about it is that it’s JUST about sewing— no knicknacks, no distractions.I’ve had some fun conversations with people while waiting for fabric to get cut.
The women that run it are powerful fabric hunters armed with giant sharp scissors. Make eye contact when you go in to let them know you will need help later. I’ve found it helps to be proactive so they know you aren’t just browsing. Yelp user Liz L. write, “I love viet aunties. They always scream and ask if you're ready for cutting. Just wave them down and they will cut the length you want, write it down on a paper and you can keep looking or get it all cut at once. Ps. Bring an ikea bag with you. lol it's hard to not go crazy.”
When I first started my business back in 2012, this store was absolutely instrumental in getting started. I’d been buying my fleece for giant carrots and blueberries at Joann, and that was not a good profit margin! I could go to this space, even closer to my house, and get my fleece for $2.75 (it has of course gone up since that long-ago time.) It makes a real difference to have brick and mortar stores in your town, to be able to feel a fabric and also be around other people who sew. Check this place out— make it a field trip just to observe, or go in with a list. I pity the fool who goes into this wonderland unprepared.
Open 9am-6pm EVERY DANG DAY OF THE WEEK
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