AC Moore vs Squarespace
Side-by-side comparison of AI visibility scores, market position, and capabilities
Former arts and crafts retail chain that closed all 135+ stores in 2019-2020 after bankruptcy; 40 locations converted to Michaels, leaving Michaels and Hobby Lobby as dominant craft retailers.
About
AC Moore was an arts and crafts specialty retail chain that operated 135+ stores primarily in the eastern United States — offering art supplies, framing, fabric, seasonal crafts, and home décor materials to DIY enthusiasts and crafters. Founded in 1985 in Moorestown, New Jersey by Jack Parker, AC Moore competed in the specialty craft retail market alongside Michaels and Hobby Lobby until closing all of its stores in 2019-2020 after filing for bankruptcy protection. The chain's entire store portfolio was closed and approximately 40 locations were converted to Michaels stores.\n\nAC Moore's business model was similar to Michaels — big-box format stores with extensive craft supplies, regular weekly promotional sales (often percentage-off coupon events similar to Michaels' famous blue coupons), and custom framing services. The company had geographic concentration in the Mid-Atlantic and Northeast, with a loyal regional customer base that valued the store's assortment for needlecrafts, scrapbooking, and seasonal decorating. AC Moore's closure left its Mid-Atlantic customer base to shift to Michaels and, in some locations, Hobby Lobby.\n\nIn 2025, AC Moore exists as a historical brand reference — the company completed its store closures in 2020 and is no longer operating as a retail business. The craft retail market consolidation continued with AC Moore's closure and Jo-Ann Fabric's 2024 bankruptcy, leaving Michaels and Hobby Lobby as the two dominant specialty craft retailers in the United States. The former AC Moore customer base was partially captured by the 40 Michaels conversions from AC Moore locations, providing geographic coverage continuity for craft enthusiasts in the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic markets where AC Moore had operated.
Squarespace was taken private by Permira in a $7.2B deal in October 2024 and is scaling AI-powered site building tools targeting creative entrepreneurs and SMBs.
About
Squarespace was founded in 2003 by Anthony Casalena as a college dorm-room project and grew into one of the leading all-in-one website building and commerce platforms, going public on the NYSE in 2021. In October 2024, European private equity firm Permira completed an acquisition valuing the company at approximately $7.2 billion, taking it private with Casalena retaining a substantial equity stake and continuing as CEO and Board Chairman. The platform powers websites for millions of users in over 200 countries and territories, with annual recurring revenue reaching approximately $1.4 billion by end of 2025, primarily from subscription plans for its Presence (website hosting) and Commerce segments.
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