Michaels

This Michael’s is my first choice for crafting supplies, for several reasons. First, if I have to return something, theres not a problem. Second, they don’t play games with their coupons like Joann’s does — every time I tried to use a coupon at Joann’s, they always said it was already on (unadvertised) sale, 20% or something, so I just stopped going to Joann’s. Finally, they have a pretty good selection of craft supplies.
However, the last few months Ive been there it’s been irritating. For some reason they’ve hired young men, maybe high school or collage age, who don’t know a thing about crafting and don’t care to. Not that young women are always into crafts, or that some young men can’t be excellent crafters, but typically… So when you ask a question they are clueless about what it is, where it is, and what it’s for. Last visit I was looking for ink pad reinkers, used in scrapbooking and card making. The kid didn’t have any idea, then when I explained and took him to the ink pads, he basically said if its not here we must not carry it. Previous encounter with the guys when I had a question were handled pretty much the same.
When I asked if they could order it for me, he said go to website or just buy it off eBay. Obviously, I can probably buy all my needed craft items from eBay, but then our local craft stores shut down for lack of business? He further said they probably don’t carry the reinkers because they want customers to just buy new ink pads instead of reinking them, regardless of the inconvenience and waste of money. He was a bit snide and lacking in customer service or knowledge about crafts. It seems pointless to ask for help now, which is frustrating.
Would also be nice if they had the scanners so that when we were unsure of prices we could just scan them. My last attempt to check a price on an item I went to the floral dept and she spoke into her little in store communication system asking for someone with a price scanner to come to floral, 4 times she tried to get help with no response, and finally, with her apologizing, I just said never mind.
That said, for now, I still shop Michaels first, even tho Hobby Lobby and Joann’s are just blocks away, because of good customer service in the past. That may change in future, but for now it’s my go to craft store.

This is not the place for Homecoming mum materials. It was honestly a little depressing. There shelves were sparse and the selections were lacking. I think this is a better place for other art supplies. I didn’t find what I was looking for. (Regular ribbons that said Class of 2013) This is not the Michaels I remember from my childhood. :(