DG
Daisy Garcia
Jun 22, 2026
I had one of the worst retail experiences I’ve ever had at Hobby Lobby.
After working a 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. shift, my husband and I stopped by to pick up a sensory toy for our son, who has autism. We had heard about the viral squishies that help with regulation and wanted to surprise him before heading home. As a working parent, the little free time I have is precious, so I made the trip instead of going straight home.
We spent several minutes looking around while multiple employees saw us searching, yet no one approached to ask if we needed help. Eventually, my husband asked an employee where the squishies were and was told, “They’re in the front,” which was so vague that it sent us looking in the wrong area. After still not finding them, we had to ask another employee ourselves, who finally told us they were actually behind the registers.
When we got there, the box was placed practically next to the cashier, making it difficult to even see that it was there. If we hadn’t specifically asked again, we never would have found it.
By this point, it was only a few minutes before closing. We grabbed the squishies and went to pay, only to find out the store doesn’t accept Apple Pay. Our physical card was in our car, parked directly in front of the entrance, and it would have taken less than two minutes to retrieve.
I politely asked the cashier if I could quickly grab my card. Instead of showing any willingness to help or even speaking kindly, she bluntly said, “Only if they keep the door open for you.” When I asked if she could check with someone, she replied, “You can ask the lady,” without telling me who she was or making any effort to help.
Feeling awkward and unwelcome, we decided to leave. As we were walking out, she sarcastically said, “You can try getting here earlier—we open at 9 a.m.”
That comment was completely unnecessary. I work 7 a.m. to 7 p.m., and I came straight to the store with the little time I had before going home. We weren’t asking the store to stay open late or make a special exception—we were trying to buy one sensory toy for our child and needed less than two minutes to grab a card from a car parked directly outside.
I completely understand that employees want to go home and that stores have policies. What I don’t understand is the complete lack of customer service, initiative, and basic kindness. From employees watching us struggle without offering help, to vague directions, to a dismissive cashier who chose sarcasm over assistance, every interaction made us feel like an inconvenience.
It’s incredibly disappointing because this trip was for our son, and what should have been a quick stop after a long day turned into an unnecessarily frustrating experience. We left without being able to purchase and will not be returning.