Hey there! Has anyone heard about what's going on at Michaels? And if so do you know of a petion to stop this.
I'll explain...
I've been taking a cake decorating class at Michaels. (Sorry, all, I can't send samples, but I think I have gained like 5 pounds- anyhow). Tonight was our last night of class, and our instructor apologized for the room being a mess. Michaels Crafts Stores are no longer holding any classes or workshops (with the exception of Wilton cake decorating...due to contracts between the two companies). All of the supplies and equipment for the other classes is to be destroyed and thrown away. The piles of equipment was amazing. Paper cutters, pasta machines, crayons, die cuts thingie, polymer clay, paints, oh it went on. We are all upset that all that wonderful stuff is to be destroyed.
All of us in our small class are not understanding why this stuff couldn't be donated to the schools that were damaged in the hurricanes a couple years back. Or used to raise money for kids in under funded schools. It's sad, it seems as if they are letting a wonderful opportunity pass by. I know if I'd heard they donated this stuff or the money it raised I would look to them for more crafty stuff.
Apparently, this is suppose to be all Michaels, not just the one local to me. Can you imagine the amount of stuff being destroyed? Just sad. But if anyone's heard of this before or a petition to stop this from happening, please let me know, I'd like to sign it.
Thanks.

LOL, I have to laugh, I might be an adult, but I always wanted to have a birthday party there :( even if I was the only one, I'd love to have crafting birthday party. Oh well. I'll still settle for gift cards to the craft stores.

Big business just makes no sense sometimes. I agree, donating the supplies would be a much better option, and about the same tax right off I would imagine. I think it comes down to the business version of the golden rule, "he who has the gold makes the rules". My thinking is the powers that be are afraid someone else would profit from the supplies, and they wouldn't get their share. Just my opinion. A petition may be a good idea, let us know how it progresses. We have no Michael's close by, but if you can get an internet version going, I'll be more than happy to add my name to it.

I have not heard about this happening at the Michael's here in Idaho Falls. I agree, it certainly is a waste.
~Tiffany

Okay. I just went to Michael's near me to pick up batting and pins. I asked about this situation and I got YELLED at by 2 people! The cashier was very unpleasant; told me they'd PUT USED STUFF BACK ON THE SHELF and insisted on calling over the manager. When I asked the manager she took one look at me and huffed 'Oh we don't give anyone our supplies like that'. I assured her I wasn't looking for any handouts but wanted to confirm what I'd heard--will they be destroying perfectly good supplies in lieu of donating them? She told me they toss everything after a class is over regardless of how much is left. They will keep the tool boxes and that is all. Then she walked away from me. Harruph!

Gee, makes you want to spend tons of your money at that store doesn't it? Our Michaels' store made me mad years ago as they wouldn't take my military photo ID card as a photo identification. The clerk insisted it wasn't a 'real' form of ID. She even said my Costco card would have been accepted. My husband was in the reserves at the time and it had everything she needed on it to honor my check. After 'threatening' to call the pentagon to confirm my ID, the manager allowed me to pay for my stuff and go. I honestly have no idea if the pentagon would have taken my call, but it worked. Since then I have made a point to either use the military ID.

As far as I am concerned, a military ID card is the second most secure ID in the world, after your passport. She 'Allowed' you to pay for your stuff? I would have told her where to put her... never mind... that's rude.

*L*

Go gettum.

tim in san jose

I could always send my boys in to Michaels... my oldest is an Army Ranger graduating from special forces as a Green Beret in July and my youngest is a Navy Seal. :):):):):)

I would be calling corporate office about that manager and cashier. and talking to them about the issue of donation of the items.

You would think that by donating these items they could use it as a tax writeoff or something. Plus they could use it in publicity for their store.

nope she was very defiant in that they don't have left over supplies and most certainly do not donate to anyone. I think the employees just want all the goodies for themselves!!

That's what I'm thinking because if I worked in a craft store, you can bet your bippy, if they are going to toss out perfectly good stuff, I'm going to go dumpster diving to save it!!
But, hard to do that here, I live on Guam. We have Ben Franklins and that is it. It's a VERY messy store, has some good fabric and other craft things, but that's about the extent for my shopping. I usually go online to Joann Fabric.

About 20 years ago, my husband was unemployed so I got a job at Wal mart in order to pay the bill and put food on the table. If packs of underwear or socks or t shirts had been ripped open, they were to be thrown out but before that was to happen, they paid us to cut them up with the scissors so no one could retrieve them from the dumpster. It made no sense to us--Back then we were in a recession and could have used this stuff and bought this stuff at marked down prices but they destroyed it rather than let that happen. Corporations can be big mean organizations that don't give a fig about people and this shows it. I guess Michaels is no better. :evil:

Years ago, I went into a Michaels for something that was supposedly on sale and couldn't find it. Nor would they give me a raincheck. This was shortly after they became Michaels after being a Lee Wards for years...

I swore then and there that it would be a cold day in h*ll before I shopped there again. I haven't been in one since. I would rather drive to JoAnn's, Hancocks, or any of the quilt shops in the Twin Cities for supplies than to go there. This just confirms my thoughts then. I guess it will be another 20 years before I go into another. At that rate, I will probably be dead!

Anita

Boy, I could go on about rude people at stores for hours alone, combined with the stories of waste many of you have shared really turns my tummy. I sure wish something could be done. You'd think they'd at least sell things like that to a place like Big Lots, they'd make some money and I could buy some crafty things for cheap. :(

I dont' go to Michael's anymore, ours is about 25 miles. We never get the coupons in our local paper. So I went in and asked, she gave me 20% off my purchase that day. She then said in the future I would have to have a coupon, I said put them in our newspaper, she told me to move. Move for a coupon, UGH.
Don't get me started about waste in schools, not just food, but supplies, it's criminal.

When I lived in NY, the same thing happened at Woolworth. I asked if they would donate the old patterns to our school, we had a sewing program. The manager said no. I asked him why not, the other local fabric shops did it. He said he wasn't allowed to. I told him that wasn't true, all he did was give the pattern covers to get credit! We argued for about 15 minutes, then I told him, "fine then I will wait outside by the dumpster and take the patterns". LOL

He was not amused, but didn't back down either. So, I told my friend who worked there, to call when he threw them out and I'd be right there to get them. So, instead of throwing them away, he stored them in the storage room. LOL

I can't help it. I think I'm going to have to make up some reason to go to Michael's and see if anyone working there acts like this. I admit I don't shop there too often and right now the only thing I need from them is the Pebeo paints. I can't wait to see what type of reaction I get when I ask them if they're throwing away perfectly good supplies.
~Tiffany

Vicky , At least they could donate these items to goodwill or homeless shelters ! We have a mission here for homeless people which could use donations such as this . What a waste !

Annie

PS : A for the snotty people at Michaels , I wouldn't be very nice right back at them ! The same for the snotty people at Walmart !

What's the deal with snotty clerks? Their job is customer service and their paychecks ultimately depend on their customers. We all have 'bad' days and aren't our best, but come on, it doesn't take a lot of effort to give a smile. Maybe we should have Henry buy Michaels along with Joanns :):):) We might have to start cosigning on all his future loans... get those piggy banks out....

LOL....Actually I am looking into all this loan business to see about maybe in a years time starting my own business like this.

I have worked for several retail stores. People sueing is the problem and reselling on e bay. If for instance a store donated a blanket and a kid got burned in bed, with the blanket, while playing with matches....the store has a certain responsibility. Thrift stores get sued....people have spoiled it :roll:

Most retail jobs are minimum wage, most of these are part time these jobs are dime a dozen and clerks know it. So if the boss is nasty or customers are, you can leave and have a new job in a few days. Just the way it is

I like this kind of job cause I like talking to so many different people, but it is what it is :D

I know one thrift store in my area gets display models from a big box office supply company. I guess printers and such aren't recalled that much. In terms of safety, child car seats and cribs are the ones you hear about turning up used long after recalls and causing problems.

Henry - this is great news- you can start with a 'small' business loan and then rapidly progress (as we will buy you out in no time) to a huge chain store operation. Then we can all say we knew you when.... Just think of all the people on this board that can sew samples for your awesome store. I personally make a great cup of coffee and am really really really good at putting people on hold, so I am calling dibs on being your secretary. Oh, and I have a Costco card so I can buy toilet paper for our potty.... This is such a win-win situation hahahahaa......

Henry
One of my students started a year ago selling fabrics and notions from her home.. She gets alot of her business through referrals from me to my students, and they then in turn pass the comments on to their friends and family that sew/quilt. She is bringing in some fantastic things, and she provides delivery services sometimes too especially when she has orders from her fellow students in classes she attends. Each Monday night I see her come with her own sewing/quilting things and then another bag of orders to deliver to students who call in orders and pay her at class.!!! I promote her every chance I get.. and in turn I get awesome deals!!!

Down the road when I get my house and sewing studio the way I want I too want to have an area to set up fabrics and notions to sell. But for now, I just dont' have the room, time or money to do that. Right now I'm trying to promote my teaching/designing business and work on getting an inventory set up for this summer!

Actually it's the lawyers who allow these suits by awarding big money. it all gets your dander up cuz they ruin it for us normal folks.

I had a bad experience at Michaels and never went back. It just doesn't exist in my mind when I am looking for any craft stuff etc.

I did not stop to read all the posts but I do have a question:

has anyone made a visit to the dumpster at the back of the store???

Many people get plants for their gardens from the dumpsters. And a TV program told of a new group of people who don't buy groceries but make a habit of checking dumpsters to see what they can salvage.

There is no shame in taking things that are thrown away. We have become a very wasteful society. It is common knowlege that many Flea Market sellers drive the street the day of trash pick up and if there is no ordinance to prevent it, they take what is set out for the trash and sell it. Times are a changing and people are getting to be creative.

About 20 years ago my daughter and i went to an estate sale. It was very crowded so we sat in the car a while. I noticed a row of garbage cans that had some items on top. One was an old portable radio and the other was an occilating fan. The homeowner was sitting on her porch, so I went over and asked if she meant to throw these items away. She said "Yes" and told me to take whatever I wanted. I took home an old Crosley radio (Crosley was made in Cincinnati) and an old table fan. Both worked and we gave the radio to the oldest member of our family who thought we had found a great treasure.

The old saying "one man's junk is another man's teasure has come to mean a whole lot these days."

Let's all go dumpster diving and see what we can find!!! Don't be hanging around too long and get picked up by the dump truck!

June in Cincinnati