Sunday, December 27, 1998

Hobby Lobby stores plans 30 new stores in the coming year

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) -- A rapidly growing Oklahoma City-based chain of stores specializing in arts and crafts supplies says it plans to open 30 new locations in 10 states during 1999.

Hobby Lobby Inc. plans to open additional stores in Texas, Colorado, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa and Missouri, and to expand into Florida, Minnesota, Ohio and Wisconsin.

The company already has more than 50 stores in Texas, many in the Houston and San Antonio areas. The first Dallas store is expected to open next year.

Hobby Lobby stores stock over 60,000 products of arts and crafts supplies, fashion fabrics, baskets, floral and silk flowers, needlework, picture framing, cards, party supplies, furniture and seasonal merchandise.

The chain opened 30 stores in 1998, bringing its total to 177 stores in 18 states.

To help accommodate the growth, the company will expand its manufacturing and warehouse space at its corporate site in south Oklahoma City. Construction will be completed in January, said Bill Hane, vice president.

Corporate site construction will expand the company's 300-acre tract to 1.7 million square feet of covered space. The next phase of expansion will begin in mid-1999 and add about 2 million square feet of office and warehouse space, officials said.

Hobby Lobby Inc. employs about 9,000 people in corporate, retail, wholesale and manufacturing divisions.

Hane said each new store creates about 50 jobs. Oklahoma has 18 stores, eight in the Oklahoma City metropolitan area.

Hobby Lobby Creative Centers have between 45,000 and 60,000 square feet of retail space. Hane said stores with under 45,000 square feet will expand or relocate. In the next year, at least 10 stores will grow or move, he said.

The 8 million square feet of retail space the chain has now is expected to grow about 1.5 million square feet.