House Of Fabrics To Close Tacoma Store

LOS ANGELES - House of Fabrics Inc. will close 200 stores, most of them on the West Coast, due to a substantial loss in the quarter ended July 31.

A House of Fabrics store in Tacoma has been slated to close, said Tim Hartwig, executive vice president of stores.

The company is considering closing two more stores in Washington state. Hartwig wouldn't reveal the location of these stores but said they aren't in the Puget Sound area. None of the more than 20 House of Fabrics or Fabricland stores in the Puget Sound area will close, he said.

House of Fabrics' financial difficulties come as a result of the sluggish economy in California and on the West Coast, said Gary Larkins, House of Fabrics president and chief operating officer. Also, fabric sales have decreased due to the availability of bargain-priced, ready-to-wear clothing.