Michaels

I have shopped at this location for a while now and today had to have been the best experience. I needed a picture frames yesterday for my grandmothers funeral but it would have taken 2 weeks to get her painting back. Then the associate let me know about express framing, basically you get a frame from the store floor and they put it together. She assisted me with picking out a great matting for the painting and it was ready next day. It came out beautiful with wire and sealing to keep dust out. I would refer anyone here for framing needs! Also instead of spending 400 $ I only spent 70 huge price difference doing the express framing.

You should see how employees are treated. Minimum wage and minimum hours. Which both local stores claim is so all employees are treated fairly or some gobbledegook. Yet there’s never anyone to help customers on the floor, never enough cashiers.
They even used to have a negative only point system (in other words you could not GAIN points for doing well, only lose – recently abolished) that included sick days even WITH doctor excuse! Managers typically have no management training, and their «open door policy» in theory is great as long as you deal with corporate in Texas, but once it’s kicked back to the unfortunate employee’s DM, forget it.
The employees only suck because they are not trained. Most mean well, but don’t dare cross their manager.
I’ve complained so often, I’ve been told I’m not welcome (through the employee I know, mind you) any more.
Shame, too. I know a lot of craft– y people.
Oh, and most of their products are junk.
Except custom framing, and some classes, if employee actually is experienced with what they’re trying to teach. and IF the store bothers to tell customers they even HAVE classes. it’s that «big book» someone else mentioned.
Michael’s Lancaster and Palmdale stores.
This is my opinion and should not reflect on any of the poor young people just trying to keep a job in today’s job climate.
added a couple of days later:
this was posted in the «michaels (arts and craft store) in lancaster, CA. i only speak from my knowledge of the lancaster and palmdale stores, approximately 10 miles apart.
am curious who checked it «funny», lol, not what i was going for, but, hey, you read it, thank you!
also, since original post, i’ve been told hours have been cut further (if you opt in for company offered insurance, X amount comes out of every check, no matter HOW many hours worked. i kid you not, the person i know was given NINE hours (3 hours over 3 days) and had they opted in for health insurance, they would have OWED money. there’s something really hinky about michaels. if you want to know any more about it„ i’m sure there’s a way you can PM me.
hell, i’m still trying to get my NAME right! lol!

The WORST. The customer service and brain power of employees is at a record low. They blame corporate for not being able to check out more than 1 customer at a time when there are 15 people in line and 4 cash registers.
Clearly there is a misfire in the synapse. Perhaps it IS «corporate» but regardless I believe customers should be serviced not disregarded.
NEVER EVER GOING there again.

Download their apps for ALWAYS a coupon.
This place often runs out of cake boxes, leaving me to drive all over the AV in a pinch. However, everyone is pretty nice.
Don’t go on a Friday night… the line will be long, and the managers will be no where in sight to help out the cashiers.

Actually, it’s more like 2 ½ stars. Only because the manager made everything almost ok.
I booked a children’s birthday party in February about two weeks before the party on the 26^th. I paid a party deposit, filled out paperwork, picked an activity. I figured it would be drama free and only $ 7 per kid additional.
I was not real impressed with the planning on their part. They admit it was only their second party at this store. This made me a little nervous.
I asked when I needed to have the head count to them because I assumed they had to so SOME preparation. They said I could call about five days out.
We sent out invites with RSVP by the 21^st.
I called on the Tuesday (22^nd) before the party, first thing in the morning. The associate had no idea what to do with me. She told me I’d have to come in to pay for the supplies or something (?) and give them my head count. I showed up that evening.
After they hunted around for the party book, the manager found the book, and tried to do whatever the nitwit from the morning had told me I needed to do. Nothing. Everything she scanned off the little piece of paper in the book came up as $ 0.00. (@.@).
I drove 25 miles into town to do this on a work night. I was not happy.
She said we’d just take care of it on Saturday. She said she was working that day and we’d take care of it then.
My husband and I show up on Saturday at 11:30 to hang a few decorations and make sure everything was kosher. Not!
1) Everyone thought the party was on Sunday the 27^th.
2) They couldn’t find the book.
3) The associate who was doing the party was on break.
Husband and I do our minor decorating. The party associate (with a ridiculous, non-​adult name on her name tag) shows up and says something about the party being on Sunday. I said I have 9 kids showing up at 2 p.m. and I can’t change it.
I ask if they’ve done the prep — gotten the shirts ready or whatever. She thought we were doing some other craft where you make a shirt into a purse. (The two little boys would’ve loved that!). No, we’re doing the ice cream and rocket shirts here on your poster. I asked, is it an iron-​on or what. She didn’t know.
Did they have an iron to transfer the iron on onto the shirts? No. We walked over to the iron on department and there is nothing remotely close to the project. By that time, hubby was in WalMart looking at irons and texting my sister about finding our iron and ironing board in MOJAVE (!)
Not wanting to completely wreck the day for my kid, I grabbed the t-​shirts, a bunch of iron on stuff, a party pack of tubes of fabric paint, sparkly stuff. I had to pay for everything in advance — fine, but get your act together.
4) I ask about cardboard or something to keep the paint from bleeding through to the back side of the shirts. She shows me a $ 3.99 piece of cardboard shaped like a t-​shirt. The shirts were on sale for $ 2.50. You’ve got to be kidding. Then I realize I have a box in their back room I can cut up.
Give me a shopping list!
I was ready to growl at the party associate. I asked her to get the manager. She said she had to go on her LUNCH BREAK. GRRRR.
Wait, wait, wait. I just go pay for the stuff. The manager from Tuesday arrives, doesn’t question me about the $ 55 worth of iron on crap I’m buying.
5) The «iron-​on» is actually a photocopied sheet of paper.
6) She does give me a 20% off coupon.
We sort of get things straightened out. Go back to the room. I cut up the cardboard.
7) Manager sends «Wiffle» or whatever her name was to get me another cardboard box to cut up.
8) Another employee helps set up the room and table for the cake. They give us balloons and some party favors free.
9) The manager offered up several bottles of fabric paint that I didn’t have to pay for because the store would keep them.
Hubby shows up with cake and ice cream. They nicely offer to stow the ice cream in their freezer.
10) Wiffle expects four-​year-​olds to outline something in black fabric paint by themselves. Nine kids — three tubes of black fabric paint.
11) One kid spills her drink. They give me a free t-​shirt.
Kids load on the colored paint. They need brushes.
12) Wiffle suggests foam brushes that I have to buy.
I go out to get them and run into the manager. She says they have brushes in the art room, goes in and pulls them out. (This is great because I would’ve had to wait in line for 10 minutes at the register, easily.)
13) When the kids are done, I, the MOM, find space for them to put their shirts to dry while they have cake.
I offer Wiffle cake and ice cream.
14) They provided crayons and Hello Kitty coloring pages for the end of the party.
I don’t know if Wiffle helped clean up because I was back at register 2 returning $ 55 worth of iron on junk. And because of the 20% off coupon, it took forever. I’m not sure I’d do it again.