So, yeah...
I start this way because a lot of my friends are very ideological, a good portion quite black-and-white liberal, and, a few, members of the GLBTAQ cadre, who believe Hobby Lobby is one of the companies one can label Evil Incarnate and on indefinite boycott. Yes, they have a "colorful" legal history, and some of their decisions may make one question things...
Me, still, I've looked at this Oklahoma City-headquartered company with sometimes passing admiration, partly because of the tenet that they close on Sundays to "allow employees time for family and worship." Then, the side of me that's missed this art supply store Pearl (back in Broward County, FL) that I would go to with my sister whenever she needed stuff would smile the couple of times I've actually gone into a Hobby Lobby. Those two times when I went with my mother, one in Stone Mountain and one in Snellville, gave me some beckoning to want to come to this new store in the Tucker Meridian shopping plaza (that now has its four anchor stores of Hobby Lobby, DSW, Sprouts Farmers Market, and Dick's Sporting Goods all now open), down/around the street from Northlake Mall. I'd felt like I do when I'm in a library, bookstore, or browsing a bin full of DVDs: it gets my imagination going.
Another beckoning was because I've been hearing some talk of egregious customer service in this location (which, unfortunately, seems to be the same in all of the Tucker Meridian shops) and I wanted to see/witness/experience (in a masochistic way, I suppose) this for myself. And I needed some cork stoppers; where else would I get them apart from a fairly-distant Michael's?
This Hobby Lobby, while new, doesn't seem to diverge too far from the corporate design. The layout is a little haphazard, with one seeming to find the same thing in multiple places (which, I think, may be on purpose). If one needs frames, they're there (and they seem to customize them, too). There's glue, glitter, fabric, string, yarn, patterns, craft paper, paintable objects of all sorts... One thing that made me smile was the little section of colorable Christian crafts (like bookmarks that say "Christ Loves Me" and such; just in time for VBS?). The general customers walking around that I'd seen did seem to fit the stereotypical model of mostly middle-aged women (sometimes with husbands in tow), though I did notice a couple unaccompanied dudes there too. I did overhear, even, a woman with "country wisdom" wondering out loud how a brand-new store can have clearance items already. I chuckled internally, and then thought, "Yeah! Hmm..."
They seem to not have a lack of staff for the moment, and I think it's partly because it's a new store and they're still working out customer levels. Saying that, I did see a bit of service staff walking around and a lot of stocking/carrying about of store items.
I didn't find the size corks I was looking for, but I did end up getting a couple of thoughtful gifts for my niece and nephew (and, shockingly, at 50% off for both!).
And the customer service didn't suck. Actually, a spirited, young guy assisted me with finding the general cork section (telling me there were three more people that week asking for corks too; interesting!).
FYI: they're waaaaaaay in the back to the left of the restrooms. This was one thing for what they didn't seem to have multiple placements.
He came with me, showed me them, and actually didn't leave until I'd determined I was looking at what I might need and thanked him. Then he'd said if I needed anything else to please let him know. Pretty good service, actually! The checkout was pretty seamless, though I blinked twice because I ended up paying a lot less than I thought I was going to pay.
Should I actually need anything further, I think I wouldn't put this place out of my mind. read more