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

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

TABLE OF CONTENTS

	ITEM 9. REGULATION FD DISCLOSURE
SIGNATURE
PRESS RELEASE

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 July 8, 2004, Jo-Ann Stores, Inc. announced its net sales for the five weeks, nine weeks and year-to-date periods as of July 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: July 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 July 8, 2004.

  EX-99.1 2 l08497aexv99w1.htm PRESS RELEASE

Exhibit 99.1

NEWS RELEASE

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

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

JO-ANN STORES ANNOUNCES

6.8% SAME-STORE SALES INCREASE IN JUNE

HUDSON, OH — July 8, 2004 — Jo-Ann Stores, Inc. (NYSE: JAS), the leading national fabric and craft retailer, reported today that June net sales increased 7.0% to $146.0 million from $136.4 million in the same period last year. June same-store sales increased 6.8% versus a same-store sales decrease of 2.5% in June last year

Through the first nine weeks of the second quarter, net sales increased 4.9% to $256.9 million from $244.8 million for the same period last year. Same-store sales increased 4.7% for the nine weeks quarter-to-date versus a same-store sales decrease of 0.4% for the same period last year.

Year-to-date net sales increased 6.8% to $661.8 million from $619.7 million in the prior year. Same-store sales increased 5.8% year-to-date versus a 1.4% 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 770 Jo-Ann Fabrics and Crafts traditional stores and 97 Jo-Ann superstores.

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EX-99.1

PRESS RELEASE