Michaels Logo PNG
Romantic and highly creative, the Michaels logo showcases users’ inspiration as they engage in their favorite hobbies. The store sells things that kindle this fire and help it burn constantly.
Michaels began on October 10, 1973, in Dallas, Texas, when Michael Dupey converted one of his father, Jim Dupey’s, struggling Ben Franklin stores into a dedicated arts-and-crafts shop. Instead of a general variety store, it focused on crafts, drawing supplies, floral supplies, and handmade projects, with a broad selection and fixed prices.
Through Dupey Enterprises, the family built 11 stores, mostly in Texas, with annual sales of about $10 million. In 1983, the chain was sold to Peoples Restaurant, Inc. Dupey kept two Dallas stores and secured the right to open Michaels locations in Dallas and nearby counties. In 1984, Michaels became a public company, with shares trading on NASDAQ at $2.50 per share from May 6. Sam and Charles Wyly became the largest shareholders, and Sam Wyly became chairman.
Under the Wyly brothers, Michaels expanded across the United States. By the end of 1990, it had 140 stores and $362 million in sales. In 1993, the first Canadian stores opened in Toronto. In 1994, Michaels acquired several regional chains, including Leewards Creative Crafts, and approached $1 billion in sales. In 1995, it added Aaron Brothers, a chain of framing and art supply stores. Its main rivals were Hobby Lobby and Joann Stores.
In 2006, Bain Capital and Blackstone Group bought Michaels Stores for $6 billion and took it private. In 2007, the Martha Stewart Crafts line appeared in stores and online. Michaels returned to NASDAQ in 2014 under the ticker MIK, raising about $560 million. In April 2021, Apollo Global Management acquired the company for about $5 billion, after which Michaels put more focus on e-commerce, pickup services, and a marketplace for independent makers.
Meaning and History
When Michael Dupy started selling art supplies, he named the store after himself, Michaels. The shop was a success, and over the next nine years, ten more outlets were opened. Dupy sold the business in 1982 for a good price and started another business. The new owner, millionaire and experienced businessman Sam Wylie, helped the company reach great heights by taking it public on the stock exchange. He organized the acquisition of competitors, which constantly increased the number of stores. In 2006, private investors took notice of the “tidbit” who had bought the company and continued to develop the brand.
The company logo was updated three times. Each rebranding was associated with the next stage of growth. At the same time, black and red motifs alternated.
What is Michaels?
Shops and online platforms for handmade goods in North America, founded in 1973, and owned by Apollo Global Management. Offers products for sewing, knitting, embroidery, felting, ikebana, origami, decorating, painting, and sculpture, among others.
1973 – 1993
The appeal of the first logo was built on the contrast of white and black. The rectangular black background resembled a sign with the title and author next to the artworks in the exhibition. On the emblem, the inscription read “Michaels”. The store’s merchandise will form the basis of many products, and Michaels is, to some extent, their author. Creative curls distinguished the first and last letters of the word. The leg of the capital M continued under the word as if embracing the inscription. The name was self-supporting and cohesive, alluding to the store’s DIY ethos.
1993 – 2009
After selling shares on the stock exchange (1984), Michaels used the capital to buy competitors. This gradually increased the number of stores from 16 to 450. To ensure customers in the new states immediately understand what the brand offers, the logo was updated to improve clarity. The name was given a romantic, bright, attractive, and creative red color. The arcuate underlining has been removed. Instead, an inscription appeared at the bottom between M and S, indicating the direction of activity: arts and crafts stores (arts and crafts stores).
2009 – 2014
The opening of the 1000th store in 2008 was celebrated with a rebranding. The original font was used for the updated logo. It seems that the letters are made of threads. This feeling is especially enhanced by the capital letter M and the loop of the letter L. The composition is complemented by the inscription Where Creativity Happens (Where creativity happens). In general, the created image accurately reflects the direction of the stores. The overall impression is enhanced by the black inscription, which evokes the motif of blanks, drafts, and details requiring design, cutting, and coloring.
2014 – today
Starting in 2014, all the brands owned by the company (Artistree, Aaron Brothers Custom Framing, Recollections, Studio Décor, and others) have been merged under the new entity, The Michaels Companies. This entailed updating the visual identity.
The new logo reflected Michaels’ central leadership position among other holding brands. This is indicated by changing the name’s color to red. The change in hue gave the logo a pop of color, reflecting the creative fire that Michaels’s products ignited in shoppers. At the same time, the handmade font’s uniqueness, a hallmark of the stores, has been preserved. Although a few adjustments have been made. The capital letter M has already been done, and the tails of the letters that are too protruding down have been removed. This gave the inscription a neater, more compact look, added softness and roundness, and conveyed a sense of completeness and harmony.
Font and Colors
Michaels’ “color” story is a combination of red, black, and white. The combination of opposites and contrast makes the logo bright and emphasizes the brand’s artistry, originality, and creativity.
- White – novelty, fresh ideas, blanks, production from scratch.
- Black – the company’s power (the brand absorbed most of the competitors).
- Red – creative impulse, emotions, inspiration, bright details.
The font has no exact analog. But close to Rose Colored Regular.