Hobby Lobby vs Michaels

[slusher]

I was in Nashville today and visited a Michaels and really amazed at the poor selection of models. Not even a half isle of models and some was very old like the Revell 32 Ford 3 window. Hobby Lobby had a larger selection then the HL in my area. Did I just hit a bad Michaels or are most this way?

 

[Mr. Metallic]

All the Michaels I've been to have had a similar small selection, and almost never new releases. Stuff that's been around elsewhere for at least 6 months

[shoopdog]

Michaels in my area always has a terrible selection, just now starting to carry the Starsky and Hutch Torino.

Sometimes I wonder if any kits ever move off the shelf.

[Dave Van]

I've never found anything at Michael's......HL...always!!!! Got another Revell 29 Ford roadster for $16 last week!! 

[espo]

The Michaels that I have visited in this area also have much older stock, could be because they're $4 to  $6 higher than Hobby Lobby. Hobby Lobby is starting to get some new or reissue kits but they're also higher than the regular hobby store by at least $3 to $6. So just how much are you really saving with a 40% off coupon ?? Not very much plus a limited offering on anything new.

[RAT-T]

YEAH, THE ONE NEAR ME WAS A DUMP NOT LONG AFTER THEY OPENED

[Daddyfink]

The same holds true for all the Michael's in San Diego, CA 

The only new kits are the Starsky and Hutch Torino and the F&F Charger. Everything else is a few years old. 

[FordRodnKustom]

Same here. I don't think models are big on Micheal's  list. Mostly art & crafts, picture framing and fake plants and flowers. Next time I need beading supplies I'll go there(never)LOL. To be fair though they do have clear casting resin kits which is good to cast head and tail lights, which I have bought and done. I only bought that stuff on their 40% coupon but now they hold you hostage for your email address to get a coupon. I refuse.

[Snake45]

Michael's is same here. Not too much. Sometimes I go in there with a 50% off coupon and still can't find anything worth buying.

[Mike999]

The Michaels I normally visit is only about a mile from a Hobby Lobby, but I've been to several other Michaels in this area (Upstate SC).  They all have the same poor selection of kits that are almost never updated. 

A few months ago I wanted to replace my 10-yr-old Aztek/Testors airbrush, which finally died.  Michaels had the right one in stock, and I used one of their rare 50% off coupons for it.  Usually it's 40% off. I get their coupons in my email every couple of days.  Sometimes they have One-Day-Only specials or Online Specials.  But to be honest, on many trips I don't even bother stopping in to Michaels any more.  Just hit Hobby Lobby, Ollie's and Books-A-Million for the monthly magazine load.

[slusher]

Well I don't plan on visiting any Michaels, anymore it wasn't worth the walk in and the newest one kit was Starsky and Hutch Torino. Some models had yellowed shrink wrap.

 

[mikemodeler]

 I only bought that stuff on their 40% coupon but now they hold you hostage for your email address to get a coupon. I refuse.

There's no rule that says you have to give them a valid email account.......

[426 pack]

My local Michaels which is 2&1/2 hours away has never had a good selection and they even have kits that are curently discontinued.  

[Mark]

Michael's used to be relatively strong in plastic kits, maybe they figured out that they could make more money plugging something else into the shelf space.  I haven't made a purchase there in a while, but did notice their stores here probably stock the full selection of Testors bottle enamels, certainly more than anyone else around here.  The newer (now biggest in the area) local hobby shop is now doing coupons, so I've cut back on the chain stores except for craft items that I wouldn't expect a hobby shop to stock.    

[TarheelRick]

When I am in town I will usually make the rounds of A.C. Moore their app is usually at least 50% and occasionally 55% plus they also offer a 10% military discount, however their inventory is as limited as Michael's which usually has a 40% coupon on their app.  I have scored a few "opened/pilfered" kits for half-price" from Michael's - they make good parts kits, although many were complete.  The HL is usually pretty well stocked, of course my first run is to the Clearance section, then the end-caps to see what they have discounted.  I will usually make a quick swing through Ollies, but more often than not it is a futile effort.

[mikemodeler]

Back in the day when they did the Make and Take classes on Saturdays, they would put the left over bagged kits in their clearance aisle for $5, and it was easy to score a couple of them no problem. I had a couple of the Revell Impala police cars and Camaro concept cars that were great for when the nephews stopped by.

The only thing I have bought at a Michaels in recent years have been paint brushes- haven't found a kit there that I didn't already have or could elsewhere cheaper. I do get their weekly coupon email and one of these days I might buy a new airbrush with it but unless they revamp their kit offering, I don't see me buying any kits there.

[crazyjim]

MIchaels in Ocala, FL is garbage for models and supplies also.  About the only good thing in the store is the roll of aluminum rod in the floral department.  I use it for headers and exhaust systems.  They also carry Beadalon crimp tubes that I use for fuel line fittings.

[Darren B]

All the Michaels I've been to have had a similar small selection, and almost never new releases. Stuff that's been around elsewhere for at least 6 months

I am with you ours here where I live thou its more like for 6 years, the only thing I get at michaels is jewelry bits and things you can use in the scrap booking section for model building.,

[ChrisBcritter]

Michael's also has a full rack selection of Testor's Aztek paints; HL just has the six-packs.

Edited August 17, 2017 by ChrisBcritter

[Bad dog]

We don't have hobby lobby in Ontario Canada but the  michaels here sucks big time maybe 20 different kits but they have 3 - 7 of each never anything new

[Jim N]

There's no rule that says you have to give them a valid email account.......

Really you may have to.  There are more and more places that hit the email account as soon as you give it to them to make sure it is valid.

I keep a separate email address just for this stuff.

[Mike999]

The Michael's e-mail for the weekend sale just came in.  If you need brushes or oil paints for weathering, all that stuff is 40% off thru tomorrow, Sat. 8/19/17.  For diorama builders, picture frames and shadow-boxes are also on sale.  Fortunately I live near a bunch of big thrift stores, which takes care of my diorama-base needs.  I especially like to find finished decoupage plaques, since they are already stained and sealed.  In the thrift stores, those usually go for about $1.00 or less.

[peter31a]

I have to agree with Ron. I drive down to Newmarket to meet with a model building group. I've been going for a year and never have I seen a reset in the models there. Although I think maybe the Starsky and Hutch Torino just hit the shelf but I'm not sure. They could clear some space but they never seem to do clearances like your Hobby Lobby's seem to do.

[Mike999]

...but they never seem to do clearances like your Hobby Lobby's seem to do.

I've seen a few model clearance sales in Michael's, but not very many.  Usually the sale only applies to a few kits, and you have to watch closely for them - the discounted kits have a special colored price tag or a "Clearance" sticker on them. I've also seen "(x)% off on all model kits" sales, very rarely.  When Michael's does that, there are signs announcing it in the model aisle.

[ZTony8]

Michael's seems to have come to a point of stagnation with their model kit stock. No recent  releases and stock on hand is dwindling. It's almost like they've lost interest in carrying model kits.