We visited Hobby Lobby and Michaels to see which was a better arts-and-crafts store, and there was an obvious winner (MIK)

• Hobby Lobby& Michaels sell arts-and-crafts products like canvases and paint, sketchbooks, scrapbooking supplies, and home decor. The two stores also offer craft classes for kids and adults, as well as DIY project ideas and tips.
• Hobby Lobby is a privately owned company, but earlier this year, it announced it would be continuing to grow, opening an additional 60 stores and hiring around 2,500 new employees in 2018. 
• In August, Michaels reported comparable sales increased 3.8% in the third quarter. The company opened nine new stores, closed one store, and relocated seven stores in the quarter.
• We visited neighboring locations of the two retailers in Commack, New York, and found that we preferred the shopping experience at Michaels. 

Hobby Lobby & Michaels are two of the biggest arts-and-crafts giants in the United States.

Both stores sell products like canvases and paint, sketchbooks, scrapbooking supplies, and home decor. The two stores also offer craft classes for kids and adults, as well as DIY project ideas and tips.

Hobby Lobby, which is privately owned, currently operates 800 stores across 47 states. In 2017, it opened 63 new stores, including 12 relocated stores. Earlier this year, Hobby Lobby announced it would be continuing to grow, opening an additional 60 stores and hiring around 2,500 new employees in 2018. 

Michaels, which is a public company, currently has 1,251 of its namesake stores in 49 states. In August, Michaels reported comparable comparable sales increased 3.8% in the third quarter. The company opened nine new stores, closed one store, and relocated seven stores in the quarter.

We visited the two stores at neighboring locations in Commack, New York, and found that there was a clear winner between the two. Here's the verdict: 

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The first stop was Hobby Lobby.

The inside was fully decorated for fall. There were deals on all sorts of fall decor ...

... and Halloween decor was slowly being added to the shelves.