The arts and crafts store Hobby Lobby is a popular destination for household decorations, crafting supplies, and art materials. It sells flowers as well. But it’s not open on Sunday because of its management’s religious beliefs, so if you want to go shopping on Sunday you’ll have to visit another arts and crafts store. You might also be wondering if there are similar stores that have lower prices or merchandise that’s not available at this arts and crafts store. So here are several Hobby Lobby alternatives.
Michaels
Michaels is another major arts and crafts store that sells art supplies like paint, colored pencils, and paper. You can also buy holiday decorations and household decorations there and if you go there late in the year you can even buy Christmas trees there. And of course, Michaels also offers picture framing services.
Since both Michaels and Hobby Lobby are arts and crafts stores it’s very likely that you’ll find many similar products at both stores. Neither store is a discount store and brand-name arts and crafts supplies often have similar prices everywhere.
Blick Art Materials
With art supplies for both individual hobbyists and professional artists, Blick Art Materials is a destination store that carries merchandise like paint, canvas, and frames. It’s also another place where you can get your artwork put in a frame. Blick Art Materials carries high-quality merchandise and you can find brand-name products designed for professional artists there.
You can also buy specialty products at Blick Art Materials such as calligraphy pens and bookbinding supplies. Some of these specialty art supplies might not be available at other arts and crafts stores, including Hobby Lobby, either. Art supplies that are designed for professional artists are often more expensive than art supplies that are marketed to hobbyists, though.
Joann
If you’re buying fabric, cloth, yarn, or other textiles, you might want to visit this store. It was originally called Jo-Ann Fabrics and while it also sells other crafting supplies now it still sells lots of fabric. If you’re planning to weave a dress or a hat as a gift, or if you’re planning to make a quilt or other woven household decoration, you can buy supplies for that project at Joann.
This store may have a larger selection of fabrics in stock than other arts and crafts stores, including Hobby Lobby. Additionally, Joann is an affordable store in comparison with other specialized arts and crafts stores, although it isn’t a deep discounter like some of the stores that sell crafting supplies.
Big Lots
If you’re more interested in buying household decorations and textiles for low prices than you are in creating your own arts and crafts, you might want to visit the big-box warehouse store Big Lots. You can also buy many products in bulk at Big Lots, which is useful if you’re making a large purchase for an institution such as a school.
It’s likely that Big Lots will have significantly lower prices than specialized arts and crafts stores and this includes its prices on seasonal merchandise such as wrapping paper, Christmas stockings, and Halloween costumes. But while Big Lots carries some arts and crafts supplies such as picture frames, it may not have some specialty products that are available at Hobby Lobby and other crafting stores.
Ben Franklin
Ben Franklin is a classic arts and crafts store that still has some stores operating in rural areas. You can buy fabric, yarn, colored pencils, picture frames, and many other arts and crafts supplies there, and its stores also have floral departments that sell decorative plants. Additionally, you can also buy holiday decorations there.
Ben Franklin and Hobby Lobby carry similar merchandise but the store that’s available in your area may depend on local laws. Some California cities, such as Ojai, have anti-chain store laws that prevent Hobby Lobby and other stores from opening new locations. Ben Franklin stores are independently operated so they’re not affected by these laws.
Five Below
The discount variety store Five Below also sells art supplies such as colored pencils, paper, and markers. These products could be an affordable option for a parent or a teacher who’s buying supplies for children’s art projects because of Five Below’s $5 price point. While these art supplies aren’t as good as the professional-quality art supplies that are available at specialized arts and crafts stores, they’re also much less expensive.
Hobby Lobby is likely to have higher prices and stock higher-quality crafting supplies than Five Below. Since it’s a specialized arts and crafts store it’s also likely to have a larger selection of crafting supplies available.
Walmart
Walmart sells arts and crafts supplies such as paper, pencils, glue, and many other products. Unlike most specialized arts and crafts stores, it also sells clothing. So if you’re planning to customize your clothing for a unique look, you can buy low-cost clothing in Walmart’s clothing department and then modify it with the other crafting products that the store sells.
It’s difficult for any store to beat Walmart’s product selection or pricing but specialized stores such as Hobby Lobby often carry some merchandise that isn’t available in-store at Walmart.