AC Moore New London Location Will Close, But When Is Not Clear

NEW LONDON, CT — On Frontage Road, A.C. Moore employees and the store manager say they "just don't know," about the imminent closure of the store. But the arts and crafts chain's parent company knows.

Nicole Crafts, announced Monday that all four Connecticut locations will be shuttered as part of a "nationwide liquidation in tightening market."

And the craft giant is no longer taking new orders online.

Mackinac Partners, a company that specializes in "supporting companies with operational and financial crises, capital structure issues and under-performing business units," has taken over the restructure, which apparently will include competitor Michael's taking over a quarter of the locations nationwide with re-openings set for 2020.

A.C. Moore has been in business for 34 years and has 145 of its stores, most along the eastern seaboard.

There are four Connecticut A. C. Moore locations: Manchester; Plainville; Orange; and New London. Employees that answered phones at the Manchester and Plainville locations said stores would be closed by Jan. 19.

Staff at the Orange store were not given closing dates and in New London, a manager there said she did not even know if the store was closing.