Arts & craft chain Michaels closing North Babylon store

Arts and crafts retailer Michaels is closing its North Babylon store at the end of this month, about 5½ years after opening the location.

"We know this decision will disappoint our customers who shop at the … location, but they will be able to continue purchasing their favorite arts and crafts supplies at other area Michaels stores or online at www.Michaels.com," the retailer said in a statement.

The 25,147-square-foot North Babylon store, at 20 Deer Shore Square, is the largest tenant in Deer Park Plaza, a 61,437-square-foot shopping center, according to the website of the landlord, Lerner Properties in Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey.

The Michaels store employed more than 60 people when it opened in July 2015, according to Newsday archives.

Before the store opened, that space had been empty since a Sears Hardware store vacated in 2012.

The Michaels Companies Inc., which is based in Irving, Texas, did not respond to an inquiry Monday about how many employees would be affected by the closing of the North Babylon store or why the store was closing.

But some other Michaels stores outside Long Island will be closing, too.

Three stores — in Manhattan; New Bern, North Carolina; and Vancouver, Canada — will close in January, store employees told Newsday on Monday.

Also, a Michaels in Hermitage, Pennsylvania, will close at the end of this month, newspaper The Herald reported in December.

No one answered the phone at the Hermitage store Monday.

The Michaels Companies operates more than 1,272 Michaels stores in 49 states and Canada. The 16 stores on Long Island include locations in Massapequa, Medford, Stony Brook, Commack and Riverhead.

Michaels' sales overall are up, since consumers are spending more money buying arts and crafts supplies to keep themselves — and their children — busy while stuck at home during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The retailer's net sales increased by 15.1% to $1.4 billion in the fiscal third quarter, which ended Oct. 31, Michaels said in its earnings report Dec. 3. There has been a big surge in online sales.

"Third quarter e-commerce growth of more than 128% year over year was driven by enhanced and expanded omnichannel capabilities including curbside pick-up, same day delivery, ship from store, buy online, pick-up in store, or BOPIS, in-app purchases and more," the retailer said in the report.

By Tory N. Parrish

tory.parrish@newsday.comToryParrish1

Tory N. Parrish covers retail and small business for Newsday. She has worked at the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review and Observer-Dispatch in Utica, N.Y.