Myrtle Beach store slashing prices as national chain preps to bow out of retail business
Those doing Christmas shopping can find some bargains if they’re in the market for crafts.
A.C. Moore, located at 1120 Seaboard Street in Myrtle Beach, has begun liquidating assets as part of the chain’s plans to cease operations. Signs stating “storewide sale,” “entire store 25%-50% off” and “nothing held back!” are visible from the store’s windows outside, while others are hanging all over inside the store.
Store managers declined to comment on the future of the store, deferring questions to corporate, which announced Nov. 25 it will close all operations aside from up to 40 locations that will be taken over by Michaels, one of its craft retail rivals.
“For over 30 years, our stores have been servicing the creative community with a vast selection of art and craft materials, with one common focus, the customer. Unfortunately, given the headwinds facing many retailers in today’s environment, it made it very difficult for us to operate and compete on a National level,” a prepared statement from Anthony Piperno, Chief Executive Officer of A.C. Moore, reads in the news release. “During this process, we will continue to provide great customer experience, while still delivering quality and value on your favorite products. Plans for closing specific A.C. Moore locations will be shared in the upcoming weeks on our website.”
Since A.C. Moore has not yet announced which of its 140-plus stores will become Michaels locations, it’s unclear what will happen with the Seaboard Street shop. Myrtle Beach already has a Michaels store on Seaboard Street — on the opposite side of U.S. 501 from A.C. Moore, a mile and a half away.
“This transaction enables us to further expand our presence in strategic markets and serve even more customers both online and in store. We are looking forward to re-opening these stores under the Michaels name in 2020 and welcoming new team members,” Michaels CEO, Mark Cosby said in a prepared statement.
A.C. Moore announced it is no longer accepting online orders, though it will ship orders placed before Nov. 25 as usual.
A.C. Moore, which opened its first store in 1985, describes itself as “a specialty retailer offering a vast selection of arts, crafts and floral merchandise to a broad demographic of customers.”
This story was originally published December 8, 2019 at 3:33 PM.
