Artists, teachers, and craft-makers across Ohio all share the same utter disappointment and sadness when hearing that Pat Catans will soon be closing.

Nearly three years after Michael’s bought the chain of stores, they announced all thirty-six store-fonts will be closing. While some will be converted into Michael’s, not all will be and the locations will instead be vacant.

Employees, such as the ones from Bedford, do not know what will happen to their jobs; Will they be sent to a Michael’s location? Or instead will they be left unemployed? This poses a problem to the people who have dedicated their time to that company, when it only benefits the CEO’s of the companies involved.

People within the states of Ohio, West Virginia, Michigan, and Pennsylvania are upset about the closings of those beloved stores. With many people asking the question “Why would someone purchase a chain just to close them all?”

The answer to that question though is simple: money is the motivation. It is supposed to add more value to the shareholders and “customers”, while increasing the marketing of Michael’s.

When asking art teacher, Amy Sedlak, what she thought about the closing of the supply store she said, “All I can say is it is devastating…to all the art teachers at LHS. I do not know where I’m going to go to get my “cheaper” art supplies quickly and conveniently.”

To students and teachers alike, the closing of Pat Catans is upsetting and causes an inconvenience on time and utter disappointment.