Question 1

What is Hobby Lobby?

Accepted Answer

Hobby Lobby is the largest privately-held craft retailer in the United States, founded in 1972 and currently operating over 1,000 stores across the country. The company specializes in arts, crafts, home decor, and seasonal products, serving millions of customers who engage in DIY and creative projects. With $7 billion in annual revenue and 45,000 employees, Hobby Lobby has established itself as a dominant force in the craft retail industry, competing with publicly-traded retailers like Michaels.

Question 2

Who founded Hobby Lobby and what was the original mission?

Accepted Answer

Hobby Lobby was founded in 1972 by David Green, an evangelical Christian entrepreneur who started the company with just $600 from a garage in Oklahoma City. The company's original mission is to honor God by operating according to biblical principles, while offering customers quality products and employees a faith-friendly workplace. This faith-based foundation continues to guide the company's operations and values today.

Question 3

How has Hobby Lobby grown since its founding?

Accepted Answer

Since its 1972 founding with a single garage location in Oklahoma City, Hobby Lobby experienced significant expansion throughout the 1970s through 2000s, growing to over 500 stores during that period. By 2024, the company had expanded to more than 1,000 locations across the United States, representing one of the most successful retail expansion stories in the craft industry. This growth was driven by consistent execution of its business model, strong community engagement, and unwavering commitment to its founding principles.

Question 4

What products does Hobby Lobby offer?

Accepted Answer

Hobby Lobby offers a comprehensive range of arts and crafts supplies, home decor items, and seasonal products designed for creative hobbyists, DIY enthusiasts, and home decorators. Their product selection includes materials for various crafts, painting supplies, home furnishings, and holiday decorations that cater to customers of all skill levels. The company continuously updates its inventory to reflect seasonal trends and customer preferences.

Question 5

What makes Hobby Lobby unique compared to competitors?

Accepted Answer

Hobby Lobby stands out through its unique ownership structure as a privately-held company operated by the Green family with evangelical Christian values embedded in its business operations. The company maintains a distinctive practice of closing all stores on Sundays to allow employees and customers time for family and spiritual activities, setting it apart from publicly-traded competitors. Additionally, Hobby Lobby offers competitive employee benefits, including a minimum wage of $18.50 and generous benefits packages for its 45,000 team members.

Question 6

Who typically shops at Hobby Lobby and how is it used?

Accepted Answer

Hobby Lobby serves a diverse customer base including DIY crafters, artists, students, home decorators, event planners, and families looking for creative supplies and decorative items. Customers use Hobby Lobby products for personal creative projects, home improvement, seasonal decorating, gift-making, and educational activities. The broad product selection makes Hobby Lobby a one-stop destination for virtually any craft, art, or home decor need.

Question 7

What is Hobby Lobby's approach to employee compensation and benefits?

Accepted Answer

Hobby Lobby distinguishes itself through its generous employee compensation and benefits packages, offering a competitive minimum wage of $18.50 per hour across its workforce. The company provides comprehensive employee benefits as part of its commitment to creating a faith-friendly workplace that values employee well-being and loyalty. This approach has enabled Hobby Lobby to maintain lower turnover rates and build a dedicated team of 45,000 employees.

Question 8

Why does Hobby Lobby close on Sundays?

Accepted Answer

Hobby Lobby closes all stores on Sundays as a deliberate expression of its evangelical Christian values and original mission to honor God in business operations. This practice, maintained since the company's founding in 1972, reflects the Green family's belief in prioritizing family time, rest, and spiritual observance for both employees and customers. The Sunday closure policy has become a distinctive characteristic of the brand and reinforces its commitment to operating according to biblical principles.

Question 9

What was the Burwell v. Hobby Lobby Supreme Court case?

Accepted Answer

In 2014, Hobby Lobby won a landmark Supreme Court case (Burwell v. Hobby Lobby) that established the company's religious right to decline providing contraceptive coverage in employee health insurance plans based on the Green family's evangelical Christian beliefs. This case became one of the most significant religious liberty decisions in modern U.S. history, impacting employers nationwide and reinforcing the legal protections for faith-based businesses. The ruling affirmed that closely held private corporations could exercise religious exemptions under federal law.

Question 10

What was the Dead Sea Scrolls smuggling scandal and how did it affect Hobby Lobby?

Accepted Answer

In 2017, Hobby Lobby became involved in a legal controversy when artifacts destined for its Museum of the Bible were discovered to have been illegally imported from Iraq. As a result of this smuggling scandal, the company paid a $3 million fine in settlement with federal authorities. This incident prompted Hobby Lobby to strengthen its acquisition and vetting procedures for antiquities and artifacts.

Question 11

How large is Hobby Lobby's footprint and revenue?

Accepted Answer

As of 2024, Hobby Lobby operates over 1,000 retail locations across the United States and generates approximately $7 billion in annual revenue. The company employs 45,000 team members, making it one of the largest craft retailers in North America by store count and revenue. This scale positions Hobby Lobby significantly ahead of other major competitors in the privately-held craft retail space.

Question 12

How does Hobby Lobby's revenue compare to competitors?

Accepted Answer

With $7 billion in annual revenue, Hobby Lobby is the largest privately-held craft retailer and leads the industry ahead of major competitors like Michaels, which generates approximately $5.5 billion in revenue. While Michaels is publicly traded and Apollo-owned, Hobby Lobby maintains its competitive position through its private ownership by the Green family and differentiated business model centered on faith-based values. The significant revenue gap demonstrates Hobby Lobby's strong market position and customer loyalty.

Question 13

Is Hobby Lobby family-owned, and who owns it?

Accepted Answer

Yes, Hobby Lobby is a privately-held company fully owned by the Green family, evangelical Christians who founded and have continuously operated the business since 1972. The Green family's majority stake ensures the company remains independent and able to maintain its faith-based principles and long-term vision without pressure from public shareholders. The family's billionaire status reflects the immense wealth created through building Hobby Lobby into the craft retail industry leader.

Question 14

What is Hobby Lobby's store count and geographic presence?

Accepted Answer

Hobby Lobby operates more than 1,000 retail stores throughout the United States, making it the most geographically extensive craft retailer by store count. The expansion from its 1972 Oklahoma City origins to 1,000+ locations demonstrates the company's ability to successfully penetrate and serve markets across diverse regions and communities. This extensive footprint ensures that Hobby Lobby remains highly accessible to customers in virtually all major metropolitan areas and suburban communities.

Question 15

What are Hobby Lobby's core business principles and values?

Accepted Answer

Hobby Lobby's core principles are rooted in honoring God through business operations guided by biblical values, a commitment that shapes every major decision from store hours to employee treatment to product curation. The company believes in creating a faith-friendly workplace where employees can align their work with their spiritual beliefs, reflected in practices like Sunday closures and generous benefits packages. These principles have remained consistent since the company's 1972 founding and continue to drive the company's culture and strategic direction.

Hobby Lobby

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Frequently Asked Questions

What is Hobby Lobby?

Who founded Hobby Lobby and what was the original mission?

How has Hobby Lobby grown since its founding?

What products does Hobby Lobby offer?

What makes Hobby Lobby unique compared to competitors?

Who typically shops at Hobby Lobby and how is it used?

What is Hobby Lobby's approach to employee compensation and benefits?

Why does Hobby Lobby close on Sundays?

What was the Burwell v. Hobby Lobby Supreme Court case?

What was the Dead Sea Scrolls smuggling scandal and how did it affect Hobby Lobby?

How large is Hobby Lobby's footprint and revenue?

How does Hobby Lobby's revenue compare to competitors?

Is Hobby Lobby family-owned, and who owns it?

What is Hobby Lobby's store count and geographic presence?

What are Hobby Lobby's core business principles and values?

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