Brownwood News – Representatives from the Early Chamber of Commerce, City of Early staff, and eager shoppers gathered with Hobby Lobby corporate ambassadors and team members of the newest location in Heartland Mall for the official Grand Opening of the arts and crafts supply store Monday morning.
Grand Opening attendees were treated to coffee and breakfast snacks as they entered the store.
“We offer a wide and ever-changing variety of craft and home decor products including many exclusive Hobby Lobby brands,” stated Kelly Black, Director of Advertising. “First-time shoppers in Early will be pleasantly surprised at the store size and the exceptional service provided by our trained associates.”
Last month construction crews finished the final remodeling of the retail location that had once been home to JC Penny inside Heartland Mall. The Early store is Hobby Lobby’s 101st location in Texas. Delia Mathison is the store manager of the 55,000 square-foot retail facility located on Early Boulevard.
The store has infused the local economy by adding 50 new jobs for full-time and part-time positions in cashier, floral, crafts, arts, custom frames, hobbies and fabric departments.
Heartland Mall manager Mark McAfee believes Hobby Lobby will usher in a new era of prosperity for the retail hub in Early. He expects all the mall’s storefronts to be filled by 2019 and is currently in conversation with several potential new tenants, according to statements made to the media earlier this year.
Store hours are Monday through Saturday from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. Hobby Lobby stores are closed on Sunday.
