Michaels — Local services in Rochester Hills

Michael's tends to be the higher priced of all the big box craft stores. However, Michael's has a lot of special package sizes of brand name products, and lots of store label goods. They also make deals to get certain products labeled just for them. So there are usually good prices on these particular items.

They also don't do mailers with coupons, only newspaper ads, email ads, and their app. I can't say they have really great coupons in any of those, especially as they tend to exclude everything. But if you can get them, they help bring the prices down.

They have regular sales, and occasionally you can get a great price on a few items at that time, but it's not every sale, or every item. I'd call the sales "stingy".

On a better note, they have a pretty good selection, and try to compete with other craft stores in this area. They try to carry different yarns, beads, storage boxes, kits, decor, toys, art supplies, etc etc or at least different colors and brands of these, that the other stores don't stock. So it's worthwhile to shop here if you are looking for something you can't find elsewhere.

The store doesn't always put out all of its stock. If you need more of a certain item or another color, look for the overstock, or ask an employee to assist you to check. Frankly, they'll try to say they are busy, or will do the minimum in looking, but if you insist, they will look, or at least show you where to look. Not every employee tries to avoid helping you in this manner, but there have been enough over the the years that it seems to be Michael's standard operating procedure. Now that I know where to look to find these overstock items, I find what I want more often, since other customers haven't gotten to it yet (since the staff hasn't put it out). Good for me, but not for other customers.

This particular store is fairly well organized, it's clean enough, well-stocked, has enough cashiers (except during Christmas season when it has EXTREMELY long lines and wait times), and it's easy to get in and out from the parking lot.

One very annoying thing for some disabled or elderly customers: Michael's only has carts and hand baskets. This means that patrons who use a rolling walker have to balance the hand basket on top of their purse etc on their walker. If it falls, no one will assist in picking up the spilled basket (at least no one has so far). Michael's might take a clue from Jo-Ann stores and get very large, sturdy shopping bags so customers can hang it on their walker handles.

All things considered, I rate Michael's 4 stars based on selection and appearance etc, and deducted 1 star for the prices, hiding the stock, and that one issue for users of...

I will never come into the Rochester Hills, MI store again. I went in to make a return. I saw 3 different employees walking around, purposely NOT making eye-contact with me, while I waited alone in their line for at least 10 minutes. When an employee finally approached me, she said "self checkout is down there" and pointed - no smile, just attitude. I said I had a return (I was obviously holding a bag). She said to go to that first register so I did. She never said a word and was making faces at her computer until it was up and running. While she did that, I emptied my bag and stacked the 5 return items in front of her and placed my receipt right on top. She looked over and said "do you have a receipt?" I said "yes, it's right there". She said nothing, scanned the 5 items and said "scan your credit card". I did that, she handed me the receipts and I left. She never even said thank you. Another customer who was getting balloons filled by a different employee (who was also not friendly), turned to me and whispered "they are so mean here"! It's true. We both felt that these employees were rude and unprofessional. These employees really need to change their attitude and provide better customer service. I felt like I was interrupting their day by being there. A simple smile and "How can I help you?" and "Thank you" would have been appropriate. Michael's Management should provide better training to their employees on Customer Service and set expectations for them to be friendly and helpful toward their customers. I'll ever enter this store again because of...

What I was looking for was actually in stock (for once), but checking out was a hassle. I used the self-checkout, since the only two employees in the store were both occupied with explaining to another customer why she couldn't use multiple coupons. I couldn't get the self-checkout to accept my rewards voucher, and both employees waved me off when I tried to ask for help. As I was leaving (probably looking quite frustrated), one finally asked if I had found what I wanted. I explained the voucher problem, and the employee immediately answered that I had tried to use it in the wrong part of the checkout sequence. So it appears that this is a known issue, but there is no signage explaining it anywhere at the self-checkout. The employee explained what I'd done wrong twice (in a manner I felt was condescending, but I was pretty upset at that point, so I might be reading too much into it) but didn't offer to help correct it, just offered a lackluster "thanks for coming in." As this is the latest in a string of substandard employee interactions, I'm done. I'll support the evil empire of Amazon; neither company cares about its customers, but at least Amazon offers free...