Neither store covered every base — or, from the glass-half-full perspective, each store had specialties.
Since selections varied so widely, I couldn’t exactly compare prices, but I did notice a decent amount of 40%-off sales at both retailers.
Many Michaels’ deals I saw were tied to its in-house brands, like Ashland, and many, not all, seasonal items were marked down. At times, I wasn’t sure what was or wasn’t on sale, especially in the Halloween section.
Prices felt much more straightforward to me at Hobby Lobby. The store advertised “40% Off Fall Decor, Party, Floral, and Crafts” on the front door, which felt comprehensive and gave me less guesswork.
All in all, I’d have to shop at both retailers to cover fall, Halloween, and Thanksgiving; however, since the stores are in the same building, I have no issue making a Saturday of it.
Just not a Sunday, when Hobby Lobby locations are closed, and I learned that the hard way on my first attempt to shop.
Business Insider reached out to Michaels and Hobby Lobby for comment.