Michaels a is great place if you're into any sorts of baking, arts, and crafts. I used to go all…read morethe time back in high school and college to buy supplies for my art classes; painting, sketching, ceramics, photography, etc. I even used to buy their shirts which were pretty cheap to tie-dye. Now all the rage is around cricut; they have an aisle with all the supplies you need. I even bought fake flowers and various of other items for my wedding (super budget/DIY wedding and I'm proud of it). I also buy yarn for knitting and supplies for embroidering. They have kids craft too which my toddler loves. They offer custom framing and helium balloons; their website allows for customization options. When I went, I saw a room for where they offer classes; summer camp are offered and birthday parties can be hosted at the stores. There are 1,252 Michaels in the US and Canada. I think it's a great store for the artsy and crafty people; even if you're not artsy/crafty it's fun to look at. Don't forget to check their website for coupons!

Good store overall. The sales associates I dealt with were great, but I have to note the…read moreextraordinarily poor customer service from the manager working on Sunday morning 12/7/2025. Condescending tone and dismissive attitude in front of other customers on an attempted return of one $10 item out of a much larger order. Missed an opportunity to shine and build a relationship.

This place was nice! We went for a group outing of seven people. When I called earlier in the week,…read morethe guy said we didn't need a reservation and could just walk in for Saturday. We all planned to meet there at 5 PM, but when we arrived, they told us we actually needed a reservation and had to come back at 6:45. Thankfully, West Hartford has plenty to do, so we walked around, grabbed some food, and returned for our reservation. One thing to know is that you pick the pottery you want to paint it's not a place where you make the pottery yourself. That has pros and cons, depending on your preferences. I'm honestly not that artistic when it comes to freehand painting, so I picked a simple snowflake design (probably the cheapest option at around $14). My friends picked reindeer, cookie trays, and other fun items. Painting was fun, but you have to leave your piece for 2-3 weeks to be glazed, so don't expect to take it home the same day. The space is small, but I liked the intimate setting. The staff was also very nice, and overall, I had a good experience. I would definitely go back.

I have not had a hand in pottery since high school so this was a nice activity to do and spend…read morequality time with friends and family. Claypen is located on Farmington Avenue in West Hartford Center between Walden and Dale streets. Lookout for the sessions posted outside if looking for something specific. I was attracted to the Studio Ghibli theme they were having and immediately made a reservation. I honestly didn't know what to expect until I arrived there. Upon check in, we were shown where we'd be seated and were told that we select any ceramic on the shelf and will be provided the paints and can even replenish it ourselves from the shelf. As well as take as much time as we needed to complete our design. My daughter did her own thing and drew Sanrio on different sides while I wanted to paint Haku and my friend, Totoro. I think it all came out really well!! I looked up an image tried to copy it onto the jar. Originally using a pencil and lightly tracing it onto the surface to not affect the image, although I was told that the pencil burns off during the baking process. We were also instructed to paint more than 1 coat so that the paint will show. The whole process was easy enough. When finished, everything can be brought to the counter for payment. Essentially the painting is free, it's the ceramic that needs to be paid for. I would think that the piece is averagely priced. If wanting to be sure, definitely ask before picking a piece. I'd certainly do this again.

I am in love with this store. I can do some basic crochet, but am a near expert level shopper. This…read moreshop is gorgeous, beautiful yarn is everywhere and it feels very relaxed. There are a lot of samples of work decorating the store. There's even a large table on one side with "Open Table Time" to work on projects. The yarn is higher quality, with all different colors, textures, fibers... It is perfect for so many projects, time allowing! There are also a lot of kits (crochet your own dog, anyone?) for knitting, crochet, and wool. I wish I could describe it more, but seeing is involved so much in truly appreciating how beautiful everything is. This shop is for anyone who loves their fiber arts.

Knit & Pearls is a great yarn shop in Central CT and definitely worth visiting! The yarn selection…read moreis very good with frequent sales and lower prices than you will find anywhere else for top quality wool and other fibers. The owner Susanne is truly an enthusiastic knitter and this shop cannot be beat for samples of knitting! If you love to see a finished garment in the yarn you are considering, this is the place! I've never seen a shop that produces a full size sample per month! Amazing! Also this shop is extremely well organized! I am somewhat biased as I did teach crochet there and loved every minute of teaching at Knit & Pearls. Ample parking and it's next to Luke's Donut OMG super hot coffee and delish donut holes so beware. Watch for lively yarn events and trunk shows- you are sure to make wonderful fiber friends here.

Need a gift for any occasion? Well check out this very cool store in the back left corner of the…read moreShoppes at Farmington Valley. Anything you can possibly need for your gift or visit is here. Greeting cards, toys, clothing, knick knacks and all sorts of stuff, jewelry, home décor, candy, plus ribbons and bows and wrapping paper. The store is big and bright and gorgeous.

This is an amazing pseudo-Hallmark! It has everything a Hallmark needs - cards, jewelry, bags, and…read morethe holiday decorations you never knew you needed. Considered Hallmarks in this area are dropping like flies, this is a pleasant find for someone who still sends out cards for every major holiday. As already posted, they do have a gift for every occasion, and surely a gift for anyone you may need to shop for. You are able to use your Hallmark card and coupons on Hallmark merchandise.

This is a small quilt shop in Simsbury with a beautiful selection of fabrics and patterns. They…read morehave a lot of quilts on display and I loved one of them enough that I bought the pattern immediately.

Great variety of fabric, friendly staff. Caters mostly to quilters, but they had lots of bags on…read moredisplay, which inspired me! My first visit, eager to go back.

Very nice people and easy to work with. Very experienced at what they do. They have top of the line…read morespecialized machines for all of your needs.

From the owner: Custom Gifts: happiestinc.com Business Services :…read morehappiestinc.net 860-321-7048 Store 860-9975009 Store Cell hello@happiestinc.com Before or after hours by appointment only! Please connect with us if you want to visit us before 9 am or after 3 pm on weekdays or before 10 am or after 1 pm on Saturdays.

Shop owner Patricia was extremely rude. I do not understand, as someone who also works in retail,…read morehow someone can be so unpleasant to another human being. Steer clear of this shoppe unless you want to be have an awful shopping experience.

I recently had a horrible experience in this shop.(9/28/2013) I purchased a necklace which included…read morea chain and 2 penadants. One of the pendants had to be ordered because they didn't have it in stock. I was charged for the full amount of the necklace at the time of the purchase/order.($125.49) After 3 weeks and I had not heard from the store about my ordered item I went back in to inquire. I was then told by the owner, " I have a minumum order I have to place with this vendor and I do not have any other items to order at this time so I dont know when I will be placing your order." I thought, Really? I was not told about the minimum order policy at the time of my purchase therefore I had no idea my order was open-ended. This was not okay with me and I expressed my disappointment. Had I known this I would not have purchased the necklace. The owner followed up with the vendor to see if they would make an exception to this policy and then about a week later I received a voicemail stating that although they would make an exception the item I ordered had since been discontinued and therefore was unavailabe. I went back into the store to return the necklace and the owner refused to give me a refund. The store policy is store credit only. Again I thought, Really? I never received the complete necklace to begin with and she had no interest in taking care of me, the customer. Her justification was, "my sales associates couldn't possibly know the policies of all the vendors they carry so this is why you weren't informed about the minimum order policy." She also tried to encourage me to choose something else from the catalog and because I didn't want anything else she felt she was "offering me options". To date I still have not received a the refund I requested and I do not have the necklace. There are many wonderful, well run retail businesses in the center of Simsbury, Vincents Sporting Goods, Horans, Fitzgeralds Market, Bill Selig Jewelers just to name a few. I have supported my local businesses and I will continue to so with the exception of The Work Shoppe. I caution shoppers from doing business with this shop, it is my strong opinion that the owner does not value the customer. It became clear that earning a buck is far more important to her than respecting and taking care of the customer. Shame on her!

What a great addition to Avon!! Lesa and her staff are just incredibly talented. Lesa helped me…read morechoose the perfect material to cover my living room wing chairs! I wasn't sure how they would turn out since it would be such a dramatic change ....from dark, tufted, upholstered chairs to bright patterned, fitted, smooth slipcover! She encouraged me to go with it!! Well I did!!! It has changed our living room and brought our room into the 21st century!! I lLOVE IT!! AND SO DOES EVERYONE ELSE THAT COMES IN! I am so impressed with her work and work room!! And Lesa is just an easy, delightful, warm ,friendly ,talented decorator to work with!! Of course I highly recommend Whit Interiors and Lesa!!!

From the owner: With more than 20 years of experience in the fashion and design fields, Lesa Lewis-Whittingham…read morefounded Whit Interiors to share her talents with her Avon neighbors. We create custom window treatments, home décor, and upholstery from a thoughtfully curated selection of fabric and accessories. Our diverse styles, exceptional execution, and focus on our clients' needs and wants is what will keep you coming back every time you want to update your interior style. Everyone should have a home they love, and we're here to help.

Their Knife Sharpening is worse than terrible. My knives…read morewere duller after the 'sharpening' and close to ruined. They are Wüsthof knives and Wüsthof- Trident of North America store in Norwalk is the place to go for professional sharpening.

This gourmet cooking store has the added bonus of a coffee bar inside the store. You can grab a…read morelatte and browse away. The selection here is incredible. Anything you could need or want for your kitchen and cooking adventures. Minus one star for a rude, unpleasant staff interaction.