This is a review of the framing department, not the store as a whole. Over the past 8 years we've lived in Cedar Rapids we've done 4 or 5 framing projects through Michaels, ranging from one or two pictures framed all the way to larger more custom projects, and always been happy with the results. However, our recent experience is enough that I won't be using Michaels for framing anymore. Two women were working at the framing department and we had assistance from both of them. We asked if they were able to look up our order history (we wanted to see if we could get the same mat colors for a picture of our new baby that we used when our first child was born three years ago.) They said yes, but were unable to locate either my husband or me in their computer system, despite the many projects we've done through them. Finally, after 15 minutes of both women staring at the computer, they were suddenly able to locate us and our order history... Then they told us one of the mat colors was discontinued but the other was available. So we decided we would wait on framing that picture until we decided what we wanted to do. Crisis averted, no big deal. However, we still had one other picture of the baby we wanted to get framed. We picked a frame off of the shelf, so nothing complicated or too custom. We picked out a mat color, gave them the off-the-shelf frame, and the picture. For whatever reason, it took about 20 mins for the women working with us to put this order into the computer (mind you we have a baby and a toddler that we are trying to keep entertained.) Then they tell us the total is somewhere in the $150 range! What? It's a $20 frame... Well apparently in the computer she had it plugged in as a custom frame, so we were getting charged for a frame and glass. So my husband reminds her we are using this frame, all we want is the matting. She makes the changes and the price gets better but it's still like $70 or $80 dollars. She no longer was charging us for the frame, but was still charging us for glass... Again, my husband points to the off the shelf frame and explains that it already has glass in it... Ok, we think we finally have it figured out. Then she turns the computer to show us the final product before she submits and she has the picture of our baby sleeping on his stomach in a vertical position when it is very clearly meant to be horizontal. There's even a baseball in the photo that looks like it is floating in the air, so it makes no logical sense in a vertical position. We explain that the photo needs to be horizontal so the girl says she'll make a note of it. We ask if she should make the change on the computer and she says no it will be ok because she wrote top on the back of the picture. Fine, whatever we have two very fussy kids and we've already been here 45 minutes. Flash forward to pick up, it's still the same two ladies there when my husband goes to pickup. I'm waiting in the car with my two little ones since I'm expecting this to be a quick trip, should have known better. Sure enough, they have the picture hung vertically. After my husband says it's wrong the girl acknowledges that she remembers talking about it with us and says she can fix it real quick. Real quick really means 15 minutes, and when she comes back the frame is scratched and she says she did it while making it horizontal. She goes to grab a marker to color in the scratch but we don't want to pay for a damaged frame obviously. The girl complains that she'll have to do everything all over again... REALLY?! So my husband says, "Well next time do it right the first time." Again, this was another 20 minutes wasted at Michaels framing department. It's now been over 2 and a half weeks and we have yet to receive a call that it is finished. I'm going to just stop by this week and see what's going on, but I am absolutely dreading it with my two kids since I'm not hopeful it will be a quick trip. To top it all off, both women were very unapologetic about the whole thing. Done with Michaels framing. read more
