Hobby Lobby — Local services in Westminster

I normally love shopping at hobby lobby but this experience really tarnished the hobby lobby name for me. I shop at this location approximately once per week. I own my own business and I sell the artwork I create with the supplies I purchase at this Hobby Lobby. A few days ago I went with the intention of exchanging a basket I had bought the previous day for the same basket in a different color. I walked in, with my basket, went directly to the return/exchange line. The cashier whom was working instructed me to go find the basket I would like instead and do the exchange at the time I return the original. I proceed to the section I need and do not find the color basket I am looking for. I browse around a bit and ultimately decide that I don’t need anything so I’ll just keep the current basket. I depart from the store and get in my car and when I look to my left, I see a manager giving me a dirty look and making some sort of hand gesture. I rolled my window down and asked “can I help you with something?” He then proceeded to accuse me of stealing the basket I came into the store with. I informed him that I had brought the basket into the store with me and that I intended to exchange it but they didn’t have the proper color so I kept it. I was utterly confused and insulted. When I entered the store I walked right past this manager. , then left with the same basket walking past that same manager, only to be followed to my car and accused of theft, really put a bad taste in my mouth for this location. As he approached my vehicle he was on the phone with someone, I can only presume the police. For a $12.99 basket which I had the receipt for and I had followed what I thought was the appropriate steps for a customer doing an exchange. I hope they don’t accuse all of their regular customers of stealing. The shopping trip prior to this one, I spent well over $500. Unfortunate for them, I will no longer be spending this kind of money at this location. Looks like today I’ll be taking the trip to Michaels. Thanks for treating a regular patron like a thief....

Please note that hobby lobby observes earlier hours than most stores and close at eight. The emphasis is on crafty stuff like beads, scrapbook paper, woodcraft and you can find a great variety of downtime things to do or supplies for your favorite pursuits. I like their frequent paper goods sales and mobile app with weekly coupons. I will hold over buying certain things since the cashier explained to me their rotation. Essentially all things in the store go on sale like every other week. It was very interesting the way she explained it and was so helpful and candid. There are tons of cheaply made (not a compliment) home decor items from China. They often have a whole section dedicated to 90% off - which can yield some great finds if you’re thoughtful about your search. Every week the app has at least one coupon for 40% off one regular priced item so when I bought a big ticket item like a paper cutter last week it was better than the sale price coming up. Some of the fall stuff is already on sale and Christmas gear is in stores. I recently shared with a manager what a great cashier I had - in front of the cashier so she felt good - and the manager said “yes, I trained her and I’m very good at my job.” Ugh. Way to make the cashier feel small. The manager with the big hair is very nice and helpful. The other short squatty manager seems haughty and disrespectful to her employees. There’s an abundance of staff and they always seem willing to help and will walk you directly to a product. They have lots of things I haven’t mentioned - it’s a big, well-organized store — even if one of the managers seems smug and...

I am pretty sure I witnessed racial profiling today at this store. When I walked into the store, a youngAfrican-American man followed me in. The store 'security' woman announced in a very loud voice that he would not be allowed in the store with his backpack. I thought that she didn't need to shout at him, could have approached him quietly but she didn't do that...she felt the need to shout at him as he was entering the store. I felt uncomfortable but continued to the back of the store. This is when I felt outraged. Shopping in the back of the store was a Caucasian man with not one, but two, backpacks, one on his back and one in his cart. I put the items I was going to buy back on a shelf and went back to the front of the store. I asked to speak to a manager. When she and I spoke and I told her what I had observed, she never apologized, just stated that they didn't allow backpacks in the store. When I pointed out that the African-American had been stopped but not the Caucasian man, she appeared to become uncomfortable and went to talk with her 'security' woman. Here is the ironic piece of the story...the African-American man was waiting at the front of the store he hadn't been allowed to enter for the Caucasian man with the two backpacks. Go figure. Long and short of it, if it looks like a duck, swims like a duck and quacks like a duck, it's probably a duck. I will never shop at an Hobby...