Hobby Lobby

[Bdubs]

How does anything in Manchester survive? A.C. Moore, Michael's, JoAnn Fabric, and now Hobby Lobby. They all sell pretty much h the same merchandise.

[ynkeesfn82]

How does anything in Manchester survive? A.C. Moore, Michael's, JoAnn Fabric, and now Hobby Lobby. They all sell pretty much h the same merchandise.

The lady that was in charge of the hiring event for the Bristol store at the Hampton Inn in Farmington (She was also in charge of the hiring event for Manchester) said Michael's, Joann's, and Hobby Lobby are right near one another where she lives in Massachusetts and all 3 do really well.

[BillyGr]

Probably that they draw people from a wider area - as if someone is looking for craft related items it would be the best place to go. 

It gives the option to compare prices and if one store doesn't have what you want, maybe another one will, rather than going to one and then having to travel to a different area if that store doesn't have the item(s) you are looking for.

[TheFugitive]

Just noticed one open here in Pittsburgh yesterday, in the old
Hills Store #60 location in Robinson Township.

[ynkeesfn82]

Hobby Lobby also has a large home-decor section, something the others don't have. At orientation they said the ones in Connecticut are smaller stores than other locations. If that is the case I wonder why in Bristol they didn't take the old Marshall's too. That would've given them an additional 23,000 square feet. Since they didn't take the old Garden Center from Sears Appliance and Hardware I think the Bristol store is 45,000 Square feet.

[MikeRa]

Has the former Acme in Morrisville (near Yardley) become anything yet? Since Morrisville is poor compared to Yardley, I would think Big Lots/Hobby Lobby would be good for the spot. Anyway what's your point about the politics of Hobby Lobby? I don't necessarily agree with them but the chain has already come north, but so far is in only rural areas of PA and NJ.

There is plans to demolish the Morrisville Acme Sav-on and replace it with a Wawa and a stand alone drugstore.

[ynkeesfn82]

Bristol, CT was supposed to have their opening tomorrow Oct 1st, but the building inspector probably won't be coming until Thursday.  :(

[Bdubs]

You guys weren't kidding. The Manchester store is massive. A ton of home decor on top of every kind of hobby you can think of with at least on aisle for everything! I couldn't get my girlfriend out of there.

[ynkeesfn82]

You guys weren't kidding. The Manchester store is massive. A ton of home decor on top of every kind of hobby you can think of with at least on aisle for everything! I couldn't get my girlfriend out of there.

Did you see all the stuff for Men they have? Metal signs with car logos on them, gas station signs, a section of merchandise for people who like westerns, metal signs with movie stuff on them, a section if you have a beach theme to your home or man-cave.

[Bdubs]

The man cave area was by far my favorite spot. That and the aisle with all of the models in it. Wish that store was around when I was younger.

[ynkeesfn82]

After another successful week I asked my manager on Saturday if Hobby Lobby was planning on opening any more stores in Connecticut next year and beyond and he said it's possible. He said maybe the greater Danbury area, perhaps the Torrington area, and maybe the Newington area.

I told him Newington is probably out because there is no space big enough on The Berlin Turnpilke for a store. I did however mention the Webster Square Plaza in Berlin which is just off The Berlin Turnpike. I also told him about feedback I heard from customers and they would like Waterbury area and/or Meriden area.

My co-workers on the other hand say all the locations except for Danbury are really too close to our store in Bristol. I'm not sure what Hobby Lobby's radius requirements are.  Of the 4 stores in Connecticut the 2 stores closest to one another are East Haven and Milford. 

I suggested to my manager for Meriden the old JC Penney at the Westfield Meriden Square Mall and he said for the most part Hobby Lobby doesn't do malls. He said rents at malls are typically much higher than at a regular shopping center. The only Hobby Lobby in a mall around my area would be the one at the Holyoke Mall in Holyoke, Mass. I don't know if there are any in any other malls around the country. If they were to do Meriden (which I doubt the will) I see 2 options - take part of the old 68,000 Sqaure Foot  Railroad Salvage in Centennial Plaza on West Main Street (the plaza with the small Stop & Shop in it) or take part of the former Lowe's on East Main Street.

[AmesNewington]

After another successful week I asked my manager on Saturday if Hobby Lobby was planning on opening any more stores in Connecticut next year and beyond and he said it's possible. He said maybe the greater Danbury area, perhaps the Torrington area, and maybe the Newington area.

I told him Newington is probably out because there is no space big enough on The Berlin Turnpilke for a store. I did however mention the Webster Square Plaza in Berlin which is just off The Berlin Turnpike. I also told him about feedback I heard from customers and they would like Waterbury area and/or Meriden area.

My co-workers on the other hand say all the locations except for Danbury are really too close to our store in Bristol. I'm not sure what Hobby Lobby's radius requirements are.  Of the 4 stores in Connecticut the 2 stores closest to one another are East Haven and Milford. 

I suggested to my manager for Meriden the old JC Penney at the Westfield Meriden Square Mall and he said for the most part Hobby Lobby doesn't do malls. He said rents at malls are typically much higher than at a regular shopping center. The only Hobby Lobby in a mall around my area would be the one at the Holyoke Mall in Holyoke, Mass. I don't know if there are any in any other malls around the country. If they were to do Meriden (which I doubt the will) I see 2 options - take part of the old 68,000 Sqaure Foot  Railroad Salvage in Centennial Plaza on West Main Street (the plaza with the small Stop & Shop in it) or take part of the former Lowe's on East Main Street.

My mom would love if Hobby Lobby came to Newington. She always sees the Bristol store when we go to ShopRite across the street. Sure, there may be no big enough spaces on the Berlin Turnpike, however, what if Stop and Shop in the old Shaw's decides to close? Who knows what will become of that store in the future. I believe they might have picked up Shaw's lease until 2016 if I got my facts correct. Since Michael's will be moving at the beginning of next year to Berlin, there would be no overlap of a craft store in the same plaza, and Newington would gain back a store of this kind. JoAnn, Etc. is the other one. They could take 1/2 of the supermarket and lease the remaining half to someone else. It's a huge store. Webster Square in Berlin is another good idea. I'm still hoping a family like the Bristol/Waterbury ShopRite family would open a ShopRite there. The strip of vacancies from the old Ocean State Job Lot/Waldbaums, the movie theater and other small stores which are boarded up, and the long demolished Woolworth's space would be perfect spots for both stores, and they would defiantly draw people to that area. What a winning line of retailers (ShopRite, Hobby Lobby, Ocean State Job Lot, Harbor Freight Tools) including Family Dollar, the Chinese restaurant, and two upcoming smaller tenants.

[TRU7536]

After another successful week I asked my manager on Saturday if Hobby Lobby was planning on opening any more stores in Connecticut next year and beyond and he said it's possible. He said maybe the greater Danbury area, perhaps the Torrington area, and maybe the Newington area.

I told him Newington is probably out because there is no space big enough on The Berlin Turnpilke for a store. I did however mention the Webster Square Plaza in Berlin which is just off The Berlin Turnpike. I also told him about feedback I heard from customers and they would like Waterbury area and/or Meriden area.

My co-workers on the other hand say all the locations except for Danbury are really too close to our store in Bristol. I'm not sure what Hobby Lobby's radius requirements are.  Of the 4 stores in Connecticut the 2 stores closest to one another are East Haven and Milford. 

I suggested to my manager for Meriden the old JC Penney at the Westfield Meriden Square Mall and he said for the most part Hobby Lobby doesn't do malls. He said rents at malls are typically much higher than at a regular shopping center. The only Hobby Lobby in a mall around my area would be the one at the Holyoke Mall in Holyoke, Mass. I don't know if there are any in any other malls around the country. If they were to do Meriden (which I doubt the will) I see 2 options - take part of the old 68,000 Sqaure Foot  Railroad Salvage in Centennial Plaza on West Main Street (the plaza with the small Stop & Shop in it) or take part of the former Lowe's on East Main Street.

My mom would love if Hobby Lobby came to Newington. She always sees the Bristol store when we go to ShopRite across the street. Sure, there may be no big enough spaces on the Berlin Turnpike, however, what if Stop and Shop in the old Shaw's decides to close? Who knows what will become of that store in the future. I believe they might have picked up Shaw's lease until 2016 if I got my facts correct. Since Michael's will be moving at the beginning of next year to Berlin, there would be no overlap of a craft store in the same plaza, and Newington would gain back a store of this kind. JoAnn, Etc. is the other one. They could take 1/2 of the supermarket and lease the remaining half to someone else. It's a huge store. Webster Square in Berlin is another good idea. I'm still hoping a family like the Bristol/Waterbury ShopRite family would open a ShopRite there. The strip of vacancies from the old Ocean State Job Lot/Waldbaums, the movie theater and other small stores which are boarded up, and the long demolished Woolworth's space would be perfect spots for both stores, and they would defiantly draw people to that area. What a winning line of retailers (ShopRite, Hobby Lobby, Ocean State Job Lot, Harbor Freight Tools) including Family Dollar, the Chinese restaurant, and two upcoming smaller tenants.

There is no room on the Berlin Turnpike for Hobby Lobby and it sucks. Whatever is available is to small for a store that is about 40,000 square feet.

Why not open stores in North Haven, Norwalk, and Waterford.

[ynkeesfn82]

There is no room on the Berlin Turnpike for Hobby Lobby and it sucks. Whatever is available is to small for a store that is about 40,000 square feet.

3 Questions:

1. Is there any vacant land available on The Turnpike where they can build a brand new building?

2. What's wrong with Chris's suggestion above that they build a store in Webster Plaza in Berlin?

3. What if the Stop & Shop on Kitts Lane closes in 2016? Couldn't they take part of that space?

[TRU7536]

There is no room on the Berlin Turnpike for Hobby Lobby and it sucks. Whatever is available is to small for a store that is about 40,000 square feet.

3 Questions:

1. Is there any vacant land available on The Turnpike where they can build a brand new building?

No on the newington side there isn't any vacant lots that would fit a hobby lobby. HB stores are about 40,000 sf and I seen some lots that would fit stores up to 30,000 sf like where best buy is located. I don't know if HB would consider a smaller store, you would probably know more than I would with that answer.

2. What's wrong with Chris's suggestion above that they build a store in Webster Plaza in Berlin?

I think it would be a great idea, but I don't know how they choose their locations, since the plaza isn't seen on the busy turnpike. You should ask them and see what they say.

3. What if the Stop & Shop on Kitts Lane closes in 2016? Couldn't they take part of that space?

Do we know if stop and shop will close this location in 2016? I have gone on a few Sunday's and the place is always packed. I still never understood why they opened one there, would still love to see a shoprite or Burlington coat factory at that site if they did decide to close it.

[AmesNewington]

If Hobby Lobby wanted to open on Webster Square Road, but didn't feel the old Webster Square Shopping Center had a big enough space for their store (still hoping for a ShopRite some day), there is a huge lot across the street in between Schaller Subaru and CT Tire that is for sale. Not sure if it would be big enough, but it was supposed to be a small shopping center years ago, but was scrapped.

I can't believe S&S in the old Shaw's gets so much business. Maybe the weekends, but it's always dead during the week. It doesn't bother me, because I like going in to the old Shaw's every now and then, but wish it was a different store.

[Jstar1994]

Another option to be considered is the soon to be vacant Michaels next to Stop and Shop in Newington or the last large vacant space in Brickyard Plaza next to the new Michaels in Berlin.

[TRU7536]

Another option to be considered is the soon to be vacant Michaels next to Stop and Shop in Newington or the last large vacant space in Brickyard Plaza next to the new Michaels in Berlin.

The michaels in Newington is only 18,000  way to small for it and the new vacant space in brickyard is 30,000 and that be weird having michaels and HL next door to each other.

[jamesway_95]

I got a Gulf Oil magnet at the one in the former Pathmark in Millville, NJ a while ago.

Nice place.

[HannafordHearts]

I agree that Hobby Lobby is a decent store. I also just like how they seem to open up in a lot of former retail chain spaces. Mine is in a former Bon-Ton.

[retailisking]

Hobby Lobby opened recently in a new building adjacent to the largest Walmart Supercenter in New England located in Auburn, Maine.

[ynkeesfn82]

I agree that Hobby Lobby is a decent store. I also just like how they seem to open up in a lot of former retail chain spaces. Mine is in a former Bon-Ton.

Yes I like that about them too. As mentioned on Page 1 the ones in Manchester and Milford, Connecticut are former Sports Authority stores and the one in Bristol, Connecticut is a former Sears Appliance & Hardware Store and former Salvation Army Thrift Store. They did not take the garden center part of the old Sears and the landlord (foolishly in my opinion) is trying to lease it out to separate tenants. I forget what the one in East Haven, Connecticut used to be.

The 3 1/2 months I worked there (in Bristol, Connecticut) were great. 99% of my co-workers were great to work with. The 3 managers were great to work with. There were only 3 things I disagreed with. See below:

1. They had this stupid rule "Men can not wear earrings."

2. They don't have scanners. All prices had to me manually entered into the computer. The cashiers had to look at the sales flyer to determine whether an item was on sale or not and for what percentage. The other confusing part of this was determining what an item was made out of. Sometimes the Home Accent Items made of Wood were 50% off. Sometimes Polyresin items were 50% off. The Paper Crafting items and the Jewlery Making items too could be confusing as well.

3. The third and final thing I disagree with was their decision to lay me off after Christmas. - At the end of my shift on December 29th the manager called me into the office and told me he had to lay off another 10-15 workers by January 1st and unfortunately I was one of the 10-15. He said if things ever improved and he was able to start hiring again, he'd keep me in mind.

[ynkeesfn82]

I wonder how those other three Hobby Lobby stores in Connecticut are doing. I stopped by my old store in Bristol, Connecticut last week and I heard from a couple of my former co-workers that things at that store aren't good. Sales haven't been as good as what corporate had hoped. And that's all I'm allowed to say on that subject.

[TheFugitive]

That all depends on how "as good as what corporate hoped" is defined.
I recall seeing sales plans from corporate where I swore that everybody in that
board room had to have been smoking crack.

[ynkeesfn82]

Fugitive sent you a private message.

[TheFugitive]

Read and received.  I once knew a store manager who was fired for failing to meet his sales plan target.
The plan was for a double-digit increase.  He achieved 9.5% growth in a store that was already #1 in
sales in the chain, and where sales were straining at the physical limits of the building.

Some of these people who sit around home offices and come up with sales plans are whacked.

[retailisking]

Hobby Lobby joins Petco and Marshalls on the list of confirmed stores for the Granite Ridge Marketplace in Rochester, NH
http://www.fosters.com/article/20150602/NEWS/150609850/-1/breaking_ajax

[giantsfan2016]

Hobby Lobby has to pay a $3 million fine for smuggled Iraqi artifacts.

http://www.cnn.com/2017/07/05/us/hobby-lobby-ancient-artifacts-trnd/index.html

http://www.npr.org/sections/thetwo-way/2017/07/05/535698988/hobby-lobby-to-forfeit-smuggled-iraqi-antiquities

http://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/hobby-lobby-agrees-return-artifacts-smuggled-iraq-n779931

[zonemad96]

Doesn't get much weirder then a craft store fined for buying illegal smuggled religious artifacts.

[giantsfan2016]

Hobby Lobby is opening in the former ACME Supermarket in King of Prussia, PA.