Good news for hobbyists and DIYers in Northeast Georgia: The largest arts and crafts retailer in North America is opening a store in Cornelia.
Michaels will be located in the Habersham Village shopping center on Business Highway 441. The store will sell arts and crafts supplies. The new 18,000-square-foot store will be located between Planet Fitness and Bealls.
“Michaels chose to come to Cornelia after seeing the market data from the regional trade area,” says Cornelia Community Development Director Jessie Owensby.
The store will be the first of its kind in the immediate area and is expected to fill a large supply gap in the region. Area residents will no longer need to travel to urban areas to get the supplies they need for their projects.
The retailer has not released an opening date yet. However, they have submitted remodeling plans to the city, says Owensby. Construction on the space will begin as soon as the plans are reviewed and permitted.
The Habersham Village shopping center – still referred to by many as the old Kmart shopping center – is owned by Vanguard Associates, Inc. of Atlanta. The commercial real estate development firm bought the 147,182-square-foot property in 2019, two years after Kmart went out of business and the property was foreclosed on.
Vanguard has worked to bring the once-vibrant shopping center back to life. In recent years, Habersham Village has welcomed several new tenants, including Planet Fitness, Bealls outlet, and T.J. Maxx.
Owensby says the city is looking forward to working with the property owner on another project and “appreciates their efforts to bring needed retailers to the community and fill vacant spaces.”
