NEW HOBBY STORE OPENS IN MARCH

Hobby Lobby Creative Centers, which features a complete line of arts and crafts supplies, will open in Cape Girardeau March 24.

The firm, headquartered in Oklahoma City, will be at 207-A S. Kingshighway. The store will employ 40 to 45 people.

"Our store at Cape Girardeau will have about 42,000 square feet of space," said David Green, president of the firm. "It will also include a holiday shop dedicated to seasonal merchandise."

Hobby Lobby has 50 stores in seven states Missouri, Oklahoma, Texas, Kansas, Colorado, Arkansas and New Mexico. Each store carries more than 27,000 items, including traditional arts and crafts supplies, fashion fabrics, baskets, needlework, picture framing, cards, party supplies, floral and silk flowers, and season merchandise."

Philip Sante, who has been in management with Hobby Lobby at Lubbock, Texas, will manage the store here. It will be the sixth in Missouri; other operations are at Kansas City, Blue Springs, St. Joseph, Springfield and Jefferson City.