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Is Hobby Lobby Closing in 2024? – about your nearest locations

Is Hobby Lobby Closing its stores across the united states? For Craft lovers, Hobby Lobby is one of the most popular locations as it offers materials of all types for those craft lovers to collect. When it comes to the total locations of the company throughout the United States, it is estimated that the retail company has more than 900 stores there. 

Several controversies were there that were under threat of closing its stores. Customers began to avoid the brand and raised questions about its further operations. Is it true? Is Hobby Lobby Closing Stores in 2023?

The straight answer to this question, “Is Hobby Lobby Closing Stores in 2023?” is No!! Hobby Lobby has no plans to close any of its stores in 2023 or in the future so far… 

The company’s CEO stated that these all are rumors and nothing else. These rumors began when the company needed to cover birth control for workers and challenged the Affordable Care Act.

When the company’s executives realize the new mandate violates everything and is now fully covered under the Religious Freedom Restoration Act. This Freedom Restoration Act represented that the U.S. government cannot unnecessarily or unreasonably restrict religious freedom. 

Later, the case went into the hands of the United States Supreme Court. Besides, the U.S. Tenth Circuit Court of Appeals favors the owners of Hobby Lobby.

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Who Owns Hobby Lobby Now?

Hobby Lobby Stores, Inc. was known as Hobby Lobby Creative Centers. It is an America-based retail organization founded by The Green Family. As of 2018, the company is believed to own a chain of arts and crafts stores for 5 billion U.S. dollars. The company was founded to represent the Green family’s Christian beliefs. It incorporated the Christian median and American conservative values.

Initially, Hobby Lobby Stores Inc. was started as an extension of Greco Products. It specializes in a variety of products, such as miniature picture frames. It was known as the miniature picture frames company in 1970, founded by David Green. Later, it emerged and was considered a leader in the arts and crafts industry. Now widely known as Hobby Lobby Stores Inc.

David Green founded the first Hobby Lobby store in 1972 in Northwest Oklahoma City. Initially, David Green was a supervisor at the variety store TG&Y, but he left his position in 1975 to establish another Hobby Lobby store in the same city. Later, he also opened one more store in Tulsa, Oklahoma; in this way, the Green Family set up their empire by mid-1982.

In 1984, it opened its first Hobby Lobby store outside Oklahoma City. Then, the company expanded its business outside Oklahoma City to include high-end cookware and furniture in the early 1980s. At that time, the economy slowed, and the company was facing financial issues. By late 1992, the owner returned to an arts and crafts emphasis and opened more than 50 locations in seven states throughout the United States.

It is a Christian-owned company, as the Green Family is the owner. David Green, a preacher’s son, explained on the official site of Hobby Lobby, “We operate the company in a way consistent with Biblical principles. Moreover, we closed all the stores on Sundays to offer some quality time to our employees to be spent with family and for worship.”

Since 2014, Hobby Lobby’s full-time wages have been 15 U.S. dollars. Later, an announcement was made on September 14, 2020, the wages would be increased to 17 U.S. dollars by October 1, 2020. The minimum full-time wages trend increased to 18.50 US dollars by January 1, 2022. When it came to increasing the part-time minimum wage, the company said it had raised its minimum wage many times during the 13 years since its establishment through 2021.

What Is Hobby Lobby Known For?

Hobby Lobby owned more than 900 stores as of 2023 in 49 states across the country. It employs more than 43,000 employees. It is one of the largest privately owned arts and crafts retail stores that was initially an arts and crafts retailer. 

Later, it also included: 

  • Hobbies 
  • Fabrics 
  • Jewelry Making
  • Floral Supplies
  • Framing and Wedding Supplies
  • Wearable Art
  • Baskets
  • Home Decor 
  • Holiday Merchandise
  • Cards and Partyware.

It was well known for its core values, as the retail strategies of the company altered, but the core values remained the same. It has formed a foundation to determine how business is operating, how to make decisions and establish the corporate culture. The core values of the company involve the following: 

  • It provides the customers with exceptional selectional and value.
  • We launch a work environment and company policies to serve our employees and their communities, including nourishing families, strengthening individuals, and building character.
  • In honor of the Lord in all, we do this by operating business in a way following the Biblical principles in a consistent order.
  • It offers a return on investment for the family and shares the Lord’s blessings with its employees. Besides, investing in its community.

All these values forced the company to decide to close all its stores on Sundays. So, the employees spend quality time with their families and worship. Moreover, the company decided to offer more wages to the store employees.

When does Hobby Lobby close?

In 2020, Hobby Lobby announced plans to temporarily close all its locations. After carefully considering everything and the economic impacts of the Coronavirus pandemic, it decided to close all of its stores. Later, it reopened all of its stores.

The store regularly opens from Monday to Saturday from 9 AM to 8 PM. All the stores throughout the United States closed on Sunday.

Hobby Lobby Closing For Good?

No, Hobby Lobby is not closing its doors. The company’s CEO clearly revealed that we have no plans to close any of its locations in the future. 

In 2020, the company announced closing all of its stores’ doors temporarily due to the Coronavirus pandemic. At that time, it also furloughed most of its employees. 

When the company planned to close its locations simultaneously, it released reads in 2020, “We know customers trust us and depend on us to offer necessary items from materials to personal protective equipment. It offers educational supplies, face masks for the unlimited parents in the country who want to educate their children from home. Moreover, thousands of small arts and crafts companies depend on us to deliver essential products and make their products.”

Later, Hobby Lobby decided to reopen its stores and add more locations when the current situation improved. Now, there are hundreds of locations of Hobby Lobby across the United States. 

Will Hobby Lobby Close Its Stores Permanently In The Future?

The clear-cut answer to this question is No!! The closure was short-lasting, as the COVID-19 issues led the company to shut down its stores temporarily but not permanently.

Later, in April 2020, the company reopened its first branch in Waterville and Bangor. At that time, the business hired a few employees and customers after being reoperated. It indicated that Hobby Lobby made its comeback and gradually lifted up by reopening more and more stores one by one from May to July 2020.

Although the social distancing criterias were followed during the COVID-19 pandemic, it did not affect the service to its customers.

Again it resumed its operations and opened from 9 AM to 8 PM across the country with non-working Sundays according to prior company policies. When the wave of the coronavirus pandemic reduced, the company reopened and tried to put a strong foothold in the art and crafts industry. It agreed to follow all the safety measures against the spread of the deadly virus and also followed the government protocols, including:

  • Social distancing 
  • Proper Sanitation
  • Mask Wearing
  • All safety measures to avoid the potential risk of the life-threatening virus.

There was neither a complete shutdown during the Coronavirus pandemic nor in the future. Moreover, the reoperation of the business faced no critical issues at that time.

What Is The Alternative To Hobby Lobby?

Several of the best stores, like Hobby Lobby, make great alternatives to it. We’ve rounded up a list of stores that can be the best Hobby Lobby alternatives for arts and crafts and may flatter every hobby, budget, interest, and niche.

Let’s explore a few of them through the list given below:

  • Michaels with more than 1,200 locations across the United States.
  • Jo-Ann Fabric 
  • A.C. Moore Arts and Crafts
  • Blick Arts Material
  • Pop Shop America Crafts And Supplies
  • Factory Direct Craft (FDC)
  • Big Lots
  • Dollar Tree
  • Ross – Dress For Less
  • Burlington
  • T.J. Maxx
  • Marshalls (sister store to T.J. Maxx)
  • Home Goods (sister store to T.J. Maxx)
  • Nordstrom Rack

If we talk about online stores like Hobby Lobby, then it involves:

  • Amazon
  • Cratejoy
  • Etsy
  • Pottery Barn

The Bottom Line On Hobby Lobby Closing Locations

We have concluded that arts and crafts enthusiasts are seeking other stores similar to Hobby Lobby. The possibility of the complete closing of the Hobby Lobby is low, or you can consider there is zero sign of its further closing. 

The business is not closing in the future. Additionally, it raises full-time and part-time wages, indicating there are no worries that it’ll go out of business further. These points are unnecessary.

Although the company provides its customers a wide range of art supplies and tools, including total newbies and experienced crafters. 

On the contrary, it competes with brick-and-mortar craft stores and online outlets. All of the alternatives mentioned above to Hobby Lobby stores provide a wide variety of budget-friendly options. 

But, still, a Hobby Lobby could be an excellent option for those who are budget-minded customers.