Michaels — Local services in Ventura

They carry all the Golden and Liquitex paint and mediums I use and a sampling of all the things necessary for oil, acrylic, and water color painting. Especially for those new to painting.

Get the app for great coupons. Friendly staff at check out. Not much staff presence on floor so if you are a first time buyer of art supplies, and you want knowledgeable advice and broad product range, I suggest starting elsewhere at a dedicated art supply...out of town. But once you know what you like you can probably find it at Michaels - in store or online w/in-store pick-up.

I do have one issue with Michaels. ThE way they push their store brand, Artist Loft. I feel like if Michaels cared about being our community creative source they would take responsibility for the power they have. Here's an example. Colored Pencils. There are a lot of brands of pencils, each has its use. For example - Crayola pencils are great. Great pigmentation, stay sharp, super price. Good for kids and adults. Coloring, art, as blender for softer pencils. Prismacolor pencils are professional grade - intensly pigmented, softer, blendable, dreamy, expensive. Ideal for art, mixed media, coloring, kids and adults. Soft so lots of resharpening. Then there's Artist Loft - pigment level is extremely low and inconsistent, waxy, hard, bargain price, lovely packaging.

Walk in to Michael's and the Artist Loft pencils are on display right in your face in multiple places. Wherever pencils are a potential add-on - typically see Artist Loft only. Any other brands - like Crayola and Prismacolor - are in one place only - their one spot on an aisle nowhere near the other pencils.

Having different quality levels is ideal but:

1. Your lowest quality option should at least be functional. (Otherwise msg feels like you're fine with profiting at your customers expense.)

2. Customers should have option to test different qualities before they buy. (Worst case scenario they choose better pencils, fall in love, buy for all their friends?)

3. Beginners learn more effectively with better tools. By pushing inferior art supplies onto an unsuspecting beginner you set them up for possible disappointment and failure (and cause Michaels to lose a future customer?)

4. Sourcing, making, pushing inferior products that end up going unused, thrown away, sends message that you’re ok with supporting subpar manufacturing practices, and waste as long as you're making money.

I'm saying all these things with love. I really want to shop local, Michaels is the closest art supply store, so I am there all the time. Everytime I see those darn pencils - arg. All of the above runs...

I should not have bought this on the principal of not rewarding horrible customer service by buying the thing I'm complaining about but I wanted the color and it was the only one on the shelf. Surely, I had thought, they'll give me 50% off, I mean look at it. But no, the manager would not budge under 10%. That alone is just typical American shoddy customer service and not worth the time it's taking me to write this poor review.

I didn't look inside the jar until I got home but Laura, the floor manager did. She opened it up, looked inside, and saw that @ an inch of the paint was missing and that there was a film coating built up where the foil protective barrier should have been. That dongle of paint film hanging in the paint is how I saw it when I opened it so it must have also been how Laura saw it when she insisted there was nothing wrong with the actual product. Laura's horrible customer service and lack of integrity aside is still not cause enough for the effort in this review.

The reason I'm writing this review is because I want everyone to know that Laura's response was that she would keep putting it back on the shelf because someone would eventually buy it. If Laura, the floor manager can sell you a product she knows is off spec, she will. I thought you all should know that.

While in buying the paint, I might be just the type of sucker that Laura expects Michael's customers to be, I can at least write this...

I was having a hard time with my 3 year old while in Michael’s and at self checkout. So I was already stressed when one of the items I had purchased rescanned itself. I tried canceling the item, but the screen on self checkout said wait for a team member. That team member Janell was taking her sweet time getting to me. I decided to leave and if they asked questions I would show the receipt that I had paid for all the items. Well Janell… finally started making her way over as I was leaving and said I didn’t pay for the item. I told her I did and she started arguing with me. Told her I would show her the receipt. I wasn’t calm or nice, but it was obvious that I was already stressed out with my toddler. She waved me off and added a snide comment, but I ignored it. Then my three year old, decided to act up again and as I was scolding him, she added the comment, “wow, how nice of you to take it out on your kid.” I turned around and told her to shut her mouth and I asked for her name. She wouldn’t give me her name when asked. Ended up asking for the manager and Janell started apologizing at this point. I told her to stop and the only reason she is apologizing is because I’m asking for the manager. She said that it didn’t scare her…. but attacking a mother when she is already stressed and at her threshold is so uncalled for and wasn’t needed. I won’t be going back to a store that has no empathy for a mother...