What Recession?

As you probably know, I am the Wilton method cake decorating instructor at my local Hobby Lobby. Last week I started up the February round of classes. This month I have more students enrolled than I've ever had before.

After class, I always walk over to the Wilton aisle of the store to assist the students with any purchases they may need to make. Many times in previous months I have had no students at all go to the Wilton aisle to make purchases. They've just left the store immediately after class, often opting instead to go to other stores where they know they can purchase the products cheaper. I always feel badly when they do that, but I there's nothing I can do about it. I can't force them to buy Wilton products or to do it at Hobby Lobby.

Anyway, back to this month's class. Last week after class I walked with the students as usual over to the Wilton aisle. I was surprised to find that ALL of my students shopped for Wilton products that evening. And I was even more shocked at the amount of products they purchased. I did some quick mental math while helping one lady, and I figured she was purchasing about $200 worth of Wilton products. Other students were filling up their carts as well. I was really pleasantly surprised. And thought to myself "What recession?"

The other day I went back to the store to turn in my February paperwork to the store manager. (Mucho importante, as this is how I get paid.) I mentioned to him about how much the students purchased. He told me they are finding that sales are actually increasing now as the economy is taking a downturn. He told me people are making more things themselves instead of purchasing ready-made products. And he said they are finding a trend among women to do more "nesting", which is resulting in Hobby Lobby seeing an increase in sales.

I thought that was interesting. And encouraging. After all, we've lost Linens N Things and Goody's here in our town just in the last couple of months. Two perfectly good stores, gone forever. I sure don't want to lose Hobby Lobby. With all the doom and gloom we are bombarded with these days, it is nice to hear that somebody is doing ok.

We don't have a Micheal's here in my town. I would imagine the same would be true for them too, since they're so similar to Hobby Lobby. I sure hope so. I hope both craft stores are able to weather this storm...for the sake of all us nesting women folk. :-)