Hobby Lobby — Local services in Peoria

I used to love Hobby Lobby. Their prices have gotten so out of control, though. If we had more options, I would not go here unless absolutely necessary. I hardly ever went to Michael's or JoAnns because I thought they were too expensive. Now that Hobby Lobbys prices have increased, I find myself running to the other stores as well. They don't have a lot of the current/popular items you need. I still find myself ordering from Amazon for a lot of stuff. They also have the same ribbon over and over for each season. The price of ribbon is outrageous for the amount you get. You have to buy 3-4 rolls if you want enough to do one project. They have downsized or done away with some areas in the store. The mesh section is almost non-existent now. And a lot of us are still upset over taking away the coupon. Other stores have sales AND coupon discounts. Hobby Lobby used to be the go-to for crafts because their prices were so much better than the other craft stores, but now they are just another store. Now I go where the prices and coupon...

They have a little bit of everything you're going to be looking for. I went in to find some craft wood for engraving and the first time I went in they were having an awesome sale on what I needed. But even without the sale prices the cost wasn't to bad. Now even with a name like hobby in the title, there is not a lot of hobby materials. The floral section is phenomenal, the fabric department is massive, paint enough to drown in and even little bits of scrapbooking and minor cricket accessories. There is a very small amount of hobby/crafting items. What they do have is a ton of home decor. Don't get me wrong here, it's beautiful and if I ever need any of that I would definitely go there for it. But for the basic items that the general hobbyist might need, they don't have a huge selection. It's a great place to lose yourself in, and I did indeed lose myself in there. Only complaint I have and personally this is a big one... There was not one thing for Halloween...

A pricey, but amplely stocked craft store that emphasizes a homely interior design style.

Although I'm not a particular fan of stores that seem to overstate the value of their items, Hobby Lobby is a store that has consistently proven to have a welcoming ambiance with helpful staff and a fine selection of wares. Even if too rich for my blood, their atmosphere is one I love and always feel at ease with.

Some of the products they sell do seem to be of questionable quality. Many of their product may feel very plastic and fake, but my interest in their selection of decorations has mostly been in aesthetic interest than serious purchase consideration. Their selection of art supplies is what really warms me to the store and their supply is not only great, but it is diverse and rarely empty.

So all in all, 4 out of 5 for being better than average but still lacking in some areas that may make it more attractive than a good paint...