It always disappoints me that we don't have Michaels craft store in the city. This place just has EVERYTHING. OK, if you're an avid crafter, and you know about and have easy access to the flower market, fashion district, or Pearl Paint in the city, maybe you can pay a little less, but Michaels does a pretty great job of covering every craft area you can think of, and inspiring you to pick up another hobby!
Especially if you're looking to give people a gift you made yourself, you can find all the fixings you need here - jewelry, sewing, painting, paper crafts, fake flowers...if the person you are buying a gift for is at all into crafts, this is an excellent place to shop, and they don't seem to be too crowded right before the holiday!
I found a lovely sewing basket for my sister-in-law here, and it was exactly the same as one I saw in the city for $15 more! The layout of the store is pretty good - wide aisles, seems clean and organized. If you need findings for jewelry, tissue paper, all to the right of the door, followed by sewing fabric and needs, and it goes on and on and on.
On the left-hand side of the store is an enormous paper section. Everything to make it easy to cut out shapes from paper - if you know anyone who likes scrapbooking, this is a haven for them. They sell machines that cut, templates for the machines, you wouldn't believe all the different gadgets out there for paper nowadays.
Another excellent section is the rubber stamping section and even picture frames, they just have it all!
Only drawback is that the staff is not overly knowledgable about crafts, and they can't seem to print gift receipts, can be very disappointing at times!
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