8-K

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549

FORM 8-K

CURRENT REPORT

Pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934

Date of Report: April 8, 2004
(Date of earliest event reported)

Commission File No. 1-6695

JO-ANN STORES, INC.

(Exact name of Registrant as specified in its charter)

Ohio (State or other jurisdiction of incorporation or organization)	34-0720629 (I.R.S. Employer Identification No.)
5555 Darrow Road, Hudson, Ohio (Address of principal executive offices)	44236 (Zip Code)

Registrant’s telephone number, including area code: (330) 656-2600

ITEM 9. REGULATION FD DISCLOSURE

     The information contained in this Current Report on Form 8-K, including the exhibit attached hereto, is being furnished to the Securities and Exchange Commission and shall not be deemed to be “filed” for the purposes of Section 18 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, or otherwise subject to the liabilities of that Section. Furthermore, the information contained in this Current Report on Form 8-K shall not be deemed to be incorporated by reference into any registration statement or other document filed pursuant to the Securities Act of 1933, as amended.

     On April 8, 2004, Jo-Ann Stores, Inc. announced its net sales for the five weeks and nine weeks of the fiscal year as of April 3, 2004. A copy of the press release is attached as Exhibit 99.1 to this Current Report on Form 8-K.

SIGNATURE

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned thereunto duly authorized.

	JO-ANN STORES, INC.
	(Registrant)
Date: April 8, 2004	By:	/s/ Brian P. Carney
		Name: Brian P. Carney
		Title: Executive Vice President
		and Chief Financial Officer

EXHIBIT INDEX

Exhibit Number	Description
99.1	Press Release of Jo-Ann Stores, Inc., dated April 8, 2004.

  EX-99.1 3 l06797aexv99w1.htm EXHIBIT 99.1

Exhibit 99.1

NEWS RELEASE

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

CONTACT:	Brian Carney	Investor Relations:
	Executive Vice President, CFO Jo-Ann Stores, Inc. 330/656-2600 http://www.joann.com	Don Tomoff Vice President, Finance Jo-Ann Stores, Inc. 330/463-6815

JO-ANN STORES ANNOUNCES

6.8% SAME-STORE SALES INCREASE IN MARCH

HUDSON, OH — April 8, 2004 — Jo-Ann Stores, Inc. (NYSE: JAS), the leading national fabric and craft retailer, reported today that March net sales increased 8.3% to $159.4 million from $147.2 million in the same period last year. March same-store sales increased 6.8% versus a 3.1% same-store sales increase in March last year.

Sales for the nine weeks year-to-date increased 10.7% to $283.0 million from $255.6 million in the prior year. Same-store sales increased 9.0% year-to-date versus a 2.2% same-store sales increase for the same period last year.

Jo-Ann Stores, Inc. (http://www.joann.com), the leading national fabric and craft retailer with locations in 47 states, operates 784 Jo-Ann Fabrics and Crafts traditional stores and 94 Jo-Ann superstores.

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EX-99.1

EXHIBIT 99.1