The renovated Michaels store in Irving that includes a “Favor Bar.”
Brian Womack
Michaels is giving local customers an early look at its new take on shopping.
The company recently unveiled a revamped store in North Texas that features a more open, inviting approach that embraces experiences, among its many arts and crafts items. The store is in Irving on MacArthur Boulevard, a quick drive from Michaels’ headquarters.
“The feedback we were getting from our customers is that they wanted to be inspired, and that we were a little bit too functional in our store,” said David Boone, CEO, in an interview. “… We set out to really change the core value proposition of the company.”
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The store gives visitors various areas to interact with groups of items — such as a floral bar, balloon bar or candy bar. These “signature moments” help customers slow down and interact with products or touch and feel options that can be ordered online. So, for example, customers can stop by the marker bar and use paper that’s provided to see what they like best.
Boone, who has been CEO since last year, is rethinking how the large chain can attract new customers as Michaels competes for customers with shifting tastes and expanding digital options. The Irving site is just the second store to have these features after the first one in Columbus, Ohio.
“It’s to help the customer interact, design, be inspired, think about it,” Boone said, as he discussed the signature moments.
At the store, one of the first changes that folks may notice is a large display showcasing Pinterest trends, providing customers with inspiration for new ideas and projects.
Also near the front is a new floral bar that includes fresh flowers and other plants. Boone said there will be mums, Halloween decor and other items that are tied to different parts of the year. The store recently had fresh plants as well.
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“We’re not becoming a garden center,” Boone said. But “we’re a place that people come for seasonal moments.”
The Knit & Sew section of the Michaels store in Irving.
Brian Womack
Behind that is a large area devoted to knitting and sewing after the company acquired the intellectual property of Joann in a deal last year for the fabric retailer that shuttered. Colorful bolts of fabric sit near mannequins modeling what sewing could create (recently, it showed off potential ideas with the Dallas Cowboys). There’s also a “swatch bar” where fans of sewing can touch, see and feel small examples and order them online.
Other areas include a “charmed bar,” which offers personalized jewelry along with another section devoted to three-dimensional printing.
A larger balloon bar comes with lots of choices and more streamlined access to helium. A “candy bar” is in the section, letting customers pick out different treats, and another “bar” features favors.
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Customers will find new services including embroidery and engraving. So, for example, customers can get baseball hats with personalized lettering in a matter of days. There are updates to the framing section as well.
The renovated Michaels store in Irving.
Brian Womack
Michaels is making upgrades to the chain’s technology as well. Last week, it announced an AI-powered shopping assistant built with Google Cloud’s Gemini Enterprise for Customer Experience. The tool is designed to streamline shopping with “personalized creative guidance,” it said.
The company is doing several remodels across the country including places such as the Los Angeles area, Boone said, noting that at the Irving site customers will actually find more items to choose from even with the upgrades.
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Michaels has attracted millions of new customers in the past year. Sales and earnings are growing, he added.
“We are just seeing lots of people, lots of young people, want to get more involved in crafting and creativity, hands-on things, social community, and so we’re leaning into that as well — and certainly favors Michaels,” he said.