Trip to the Craft Store

There used to me a number of good craft stores in my area in years past. Who remembers Lewiscraft and White Rose?

Lewiscraft was a Canadian craft supply store chain that operated from 1913 until it closed in 2007. The store sold a variety of supplies for crafting. Lewiscraft Inc. was founded in Toronto to sell supplies needed to make leather accessories. An expansion in the 1970's pushed the retailer into a variety of other craft goods. Lewiscraft Corp. filed for bankruptcy protection at the beginning of 2006, and closed a number of stores before their fiscal year ended in April. Unfortunately, it wasn't enough to stem the mounting losses and by 2007 the last stores were closed.

White Rose Crafts and Nursery Sales Ltd. was a chain of garden and craft stores in Ontario. Alexandre Raab, a French immigrant, founded White Rose in 1956 and opened his first White Rose location in 1957 on Hwy. 7 in Unionville. At its peak, the business had 42 stores across the province. Raab sold White Rose in 1991 when he retired. In 2002, White Rose Crafts and Nursery Sales Ltd. filed for bankruptcy. The business ceased operations in 2005.

Michael’s opened its first Canadian stores in Toronto in 1993. Michael's is an American based chain store that sells arts and crafts, framing, floral arrangements, and wall decor. In addition to a wide selection of arts & crafts and home decor products, Michael’s carries a range of seasonal products. The breadth of selection, price, quality of merchandise, availability of product, and customer service was above and beyond either Lewiscraft or White Rose.

I believe this is what ultimately led to the downfall of these Canadian retailers. In recent years, however, things have changed dramatically. More times than I can count, I've gone to Michael’s looking for something specific (that I know they used to carry) and left empty handed. And prices have skyrocketed on the products they do carry. It's very unfortunate and disappointing. I basically will only buy something there now with a coupon, and even then I know I'm paying too much. The after season clearance sale prices are not bad, but selection at the point is very minimal.

And today, once again, I could not find the ONE thing I was looking for and came home and ordered it from Amazon. I wonder why I even wasted my time going there.