Michael's - what's your opinion?

[mikemodeler]

Hadn't been in a Michael's for months but had the 50% off coupon and was running errands today and thought, what the heck, let's see what they have. Well, I do realize that we are 5 days removed from Christmas and the selection might not be that great but was I disappointed! Not only was it condensed into a small area, it was way out of date! They had few newer kits but most of them were dated. What really surprised me was that they still had the Revell motorcycle kits on the shelf!

It seemed like not too long ago they had a better selection and more current kits but the store I was in today seemed like no one has paid attention to the model kits in quite some time! I remember going to this store for their Saturday Build it class with my kids and buying bagged Revell snap kits for $5.

With a couple of Hobby Lobby stores and a Hobbytown USA in my area, it's looking more and more like online shopping is becoming my source for my fix. I probably have enough paint, glue and kits to last me forever, but it is sad to see the hobby disappearing so to speak.

Interested to hear if others have found the same thing at their local Michael's stores.

[Joe Handley]

Honestly, I haven't been in a Michael's in years, although I have a better selection at home than the last one I was in had.

[Guest]

I have bought 2 recent releases there, Lindberg's Little Red Wagon, and AMT's 69 Chevelle convertible.

[High octane]

I have a Hobby Lobby 'bout 1/2 mile from the house and they have a decent selection of kits, paints, and tools. I did stop at Michael's a couple of weeks ago, and not only is there hobby department a wreck, the store itself seemed crammed with stuff. I definitely like Hobby Lobby better, however I do try to support my local hobby shops often.

Back in the 50's & 60's there was an abundance of hobby shops, but the world is changin' and the "electronic age" and online shopping has killed most of the hobby shops in this country. Once they're gone, they'll NEVER be back, so think 'bout supporting your local hobby shop.

[Belugawrx]

Yep

Stock was way down, but,...like you said and I thought, we are just fresh out of Christmas, so..

They did have a ton of paints, exacto (testors) accessories, and Jewellery wire etc.

It has always been the smallest section in my store,..

but at least they are not trying to sell old Monogram kits for $42.00 like my LHS

[Snake45]

I go there sometimes when I have a 40% or more off coupon. I can usually find something to buy. If not, sometimes I'll grab yet another Revell Yenko Camaro or Z/28 just for parts.

[southpier]

michaels is on my way to hobby lobby so I stop. I usually can get something with a coupon, but it's usually raw materials (plywood/ tools/ beads) rather than kits.

local HL is better stocked with car models than the LHS 5 miles further up the road which caters to HO trains & military stuff.

[jefropas]

I grabbed the AMT 65' Ford Custom, that's it lately...

Jeff

[Mister 4x4]

We have a Michael's and a Hobby Lobby within about a mile of each other - but no other hobby shops in town (that seem to support scale modeling, anyway). I hadn't really given Michael's much consideration until I went in there for an Ott Light for my wife earlier this year. Hobby Lobby quit carrying them, and Michael's (albeit, half the size of Hobby Lobby) seemed to have more "good" stuff. As for their model section - I think they're not far apart. Both have about the same inventory of tools, paints, equipment, etc. Hobby Lobby seems to have more kits, or at least a bigger selection. But Michael's seems cheaper - as in a couple bucks on each item cheaper, depending on the overall cost.

Hard to beat a 50% off coupon for a $100 Ott Lamp, though.

I don't know. I'll give each a look, as well as keep finding deals online.

[Tom Geiger]

Michaels has a weekly 40% off coupon, and it's just up the road so I go look occasionally. I have only bought one kit there ever. For the most part their stock is maybe a quarter behind the hobby shops, which is probably how the manufacturers want it. At my local store kit space was reduced with a rack area of carded toys in the middle. Revell / Monogram kits to the left, Round 2 kits to the right.

The interesting part is that the model section seems to be raided regularly. Interesting since I don't know any other modelers in my area. So it shows that the general public is buying kits.

I will use my coupon to get another can of Testors flat black or dullcote, just because I'm there. And if I have a paper coupon and I see a cute soccer mom with a large item in her cart, I'll give it away.

Edited December 30, 2014 by Tom Geiger

[Fabrux]

I find my local Michael's store pretty hit or miss. I went in with a 50% off coupon to buy a kit for my dad for Christmas and ended up getting him an MPC 1967 GTO, which has probably been there for five years! They rarely if ever have recent releases and the kit section is probably about 15 feet on an outside wall.

[Longbox55]

I don't have a Micheal's locally, but there is one in Champaign, about 40 miles from me. While I don't generally buy any kits there (poor selection), I do like to go there for non-model products that I can use. They do have a good assortment of metallic powders that I've been experimenting with, and they're the only place locally that still carries the "Make It Rust" line of patina paints. They also carry some items for making "Steampunk" themed art, mostly gears, which come in handy for making truck loads. Other than that, I prefer Hobby Lobby (for me, also located in Champaign), but really prefer hitting the hobby shop for getting kits.

[Belugawrx]

What section are the soccer moms kept in?

[martinfan5]

I buy Testors Wet Look clear there using their coupons, but thats it for my modeling needs

[Mike_G]

What really surprised me was that they still had the Revell motorcycle kits on the shelf!

Which Revell motorcycle kits did they have?

[Mark]

I've picked up kits there from time to time (especially with the 50% off deal), the selection is not the greatest but they do carry a lot of "basic" stuff that is worth getting. There's lots of other stuff to pick over: X-Acto knives and blades, paint brushes, paint, flocking and embossing powder, adhesives, airbrush paint bottles, display cases, wire, small tools...most times, you can find something there that you didn't know that you needed...

[southpier]

What section are the soccer moms kept in?

pretty much spread over the entire store. all shapes & sizes; there's bound to be one just for you.

[Roadrunner]

Michael's is my "go to" store for spotter and liner brushes. Browsing through all of the craft areas often yields some interesting stuff too, items not likely to be had in the LHS's.

[Danny Lectro]

There are two Michael's stores within a 30 minute drive from me, and I like shopping there. The model kit section IS pretty lame, but the usual 40%-off and occasional 50%-off coupons make it a good place to look for tools and supplies. I often find some really handy stuff throughout the store.

[DrGlueblob]

I recently bought a nice set of five golden taklon brushes for 2.50 with the 50% coupon.

[iBorg]

I've been to three Michael's in the past month. The closest one has a fair selection of AMT and Revell kits. Typically a quarter behind the LHS as a previous post mentioned. The other two had fairly reduced selections of rather boring kits that were a couple of years old. While I'd like to support my local hobby shops, one is all but closed, the other is RC only and the nearest full line shop is half an hour away.

Not a great choice, but the most practical choice.

[iangilly]

My local Michael s actually has a good selection of new kits, I stop in at least once a month to grab a kit at 50% off.

[Watertown]

I seem to recall AMT doing an exclusive-to-Michael's re-release of a handful of kits—the 5-window 34 Ford kit being among them. Beyond that, however, the local independent hobby shop and Hobby Lobby are my go-tos.

[Danno]

The Michaels nearest me down-sized the model section by about 50% a couple of months before Christmas. I've gone in there several times the past year with a 50% off coupon and some mad money burning a hole in my pocket . . . but couldn't find (1) a kit I didn't already have or (2) a kit of which I wanted another.

I recently remembered that they had a good stock of Estes Rockets and supplies, so I scooped up another 50% off coupon and went in to buy some motor packs for my grandson's rockets. Gone. The entire stock of rockets, kits, motors, and igniters, etc. Asked four clerks in the store (all of whom had worked there for a year or more) and NONE of them knew what I was talking about or even recognized the product line or brand name!!!! I couldn't believe it. They had a large, well-stocked display one day and a month later it was entirely gone and NONE OF THE CLERKS remembered it!

There wasn't a store manager available, so I just walked away . . . shaking my head. Amazing.

As a sidebar; a month before Christmas they suddenly had a display of 4-5 rocketing sets. No individual supplies or rockets, just starter sets. I wanted to ask the same clerks again . . . but oh, well. Not worth it.

I grab some general supplies and useable crafting goodies at Michaels, but otherwise it just doesn't seem to be worth the effort any more.

Edited December 31, 2014 by Danno

[1930fordpickup]

The Michaels around here does not have a good selection mostly older stuff that I already have plenty of. They are never in the right place, sideways and upside down on the shelf. As a customer I get tired of straightening them out. LOL Someone is going through them but they must not be buying them, because they do not have newer kits . I get the deal, if the inventory moves to slow they will stop carrying them.