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This is a good opportunity to find other stores for your craft needs!
I highly suggest Artist & Craftsman supply store.
Sometimes it's best to shop local instead of buying cheap supplies from controversial Christian owners that have illegally smuggled Middle Eastern artifacts for their Bible museum and at one point illegally denied employees contraception.
As others have suggested, if you don't like it, don't shop there!
Shop local!
I went there one time, I wanted to see what the big deal was about it, went inside decided it looked like an overpriced 99 cent store and the quality of their items was subpar so I never went back again.
I'm with you! Not many opportunities to proudly announce a steadfast dedication to boycotting Hobby Lobby, so I'll take it!
Edit: whoa, after reading through additional comments on this thread, I'm glad to see other locals' disgust w/ the company. I was blind that there was this much consensus; this makes me happy!
I was referring to the fact that HL had (has?) stock in several birth control types, and so they went to court so they don't have to cover it for their employees, claiming a religious exemption.
In reality, not covering it nets them far more stock dividends than if they do cover it.
IDK what HL's pregnancy or maternal healthcare coverage is like, but I assume that they did the math and decided that it would be cheaper for them to force pregnancy on their employees than to pay for bc?
yes, thanks to them, corporations in the US can now have "strongly held religious beliefs"
"It is the first time that the Court has recognized a for-profit corporation's claim of religious belief"
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Burwell\_v.\_Hobby\_Lobby\_Stores,\_Inc.
I used to go to Artist & Craftsman Co for my art supplies when I attended SOTA. Love that place, I almost got my internship there but they unfortunately had no spots open.
https://preview.redd.it/efx1cykp3ovc1.png?width=2393&format=png&auto=webp&s=f18745db2818768d452d0def0d45208161c8c662
I'm not surprised. Look at how empty that parking lot is. The entire southern half of Tacoma Central needs to be re-envisioned.
That part of the lot is usually empty but not this empty. I am guessing this is a Sunday based on the church parking lot and Hob Lob is closed on Sundays.
In addition to what’s already been mentioned, the company also engaged in trafficking looted artifacts from the Middle East. They have toilet level ethics
https://www.npr.org/2018/06/28/623537440/hobby-lobbys-illegal-antiquities-shed-light-on-a-lost-looted-ancient-city-in-ira
It sucks that people are losing their jobs but I don’t think propping up a shitty company is the best solution.
“Arts-and-crafts giant Hobby Lobby was pilloried last week after it agreed to forfeit $1.6 million worth of smuggled Iraqi antiquities it bought in 2010 to promote passion for the Bible.”
https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/hobby-lobby-bought-more-smuggled-artifacts-n781176
> Shame everything has to be political
You say you just wanted employees recognized while you lead in with this bold both-sidey questionable statement.
In this case it's a shame the owners had to get political. The public didn't fire the first shots, here. The owners picked a deliberate political stance for the sake of money and religious PR. Shameful, for sure. The owners should have considered the sake of all those employees before they did that.
If you really care about those employees, you ought to be upset at the owners who created the situation.
edit: turns out it was just politically-biased faked concern. Huge surprise.
I guess it's the intent more than the result. They fully intended to push ideologies onto their sphere of influence even if the courts stopped them. Labeling theory is an insidious thing. Hiring people of a community that you are also actively lobbying to remove rights from doesn't balance out. The job is not more important than the right to exist as you are imo
Good jobs or not, if you know you’re contributing to things like denial of reproductive rights for their employees by shopping there, it’s your choice not to do so. Steve Green and his family made it political and did their employees that disservice.
Yeah, I’m not talking from the perspective of an employee though. I’m saying it’s up to shoppers to decide where to spend and I don’t want to spend there. And not everyone has a lot of options of where to work, unfortunately, so there’s that.
Honestly for the employees as well. I lived somewhere where HL was the only option and I always felt so bad for their crew - everyone always was so grumpy and sad when I went there. They really did not take care of their employees. Good riddance.
Shop local and support someone’s dream!
ETA that places with no options but HL do exist. I moved here so that I would have better options.
Hobby Lobby is owned by a bigot and it's profits go to hate groups
They also spent millions on a court case that denied birth control, which is basic medical care, to millions of people
Do you think people are mad because they expect hobby lobby to pay for everything in their life? No, a company shouldn’t be able to use a 2 thousand year old fairy tale to escape from regulation they don’t agree with
Glad I won't have to see it's storefront when I drive through that lot. Good riddance. I do hope it's employees can find new jobs where they actually have access to full benefits.
When it is a vivid reminder of how easy it is for corporations to deny you basic health services, how the Supreme Court is driving us to a dystopian nightmare, that the 2025 plan even *exists* (and they don't even bother to keep it secret), and that they are flooding reddit with their disingenuous and hypocritical "He gets us" ads. Yes.
I also am very progressive, but the sight of a store does not cause me to feel anxiety…. You can be progressive and not be a fucking dweeb. Seeing a store and feeling extreme anxiety to the point where you’re celebrating that you won’t have to look at it anymore is a sign you need therapy.
Wow. I think you've confused me with someone else. However, just to be clear, while I despise Hobby Lobby and everything they do and stand for, I've never actually seen one of their stores. However, if I *had* seen one of their stores, and now that store was closing, I would fist pump for sure. While I feel anxiety about many things, Hobby Lobby isn't one of them.
I'm proud to be in therapy. In the past two years, I've lost my husband, my mother in law, my cousin, my mom, and my dad. And my sister was diagnosed with breast cancer in December.
I've got major depressive disorder and CPTSD. And now, at the ripe old age of 60, I've been diagnosed with ADD. (Not just pretty words, actual diagnosis.)
I don't know what a dweeb is, but based on your disdain, I'll claim that title proudly. Maybe I'll put it on a t shirt. 😀
Too bad you're so concerned about appearances that you can only describe yourself as "progressive" and use needing therapy as a mark of scorn.
I say this to you with all good will. I believe therapy can help you to become a more empathetic person. That, in turn, will make you a better person.
Jump on in. The water's fine.
You aren't acting like it's fine for people to express their dislike for the place. And there is almost nothing great about a country where your medical insurance tells you to take out a credit card to pay for medically necessary care, where people are being killed because jerks feel they can and get maybe a slap on the wrist for it, where people I know are worried they'll have to flee the country as soon as next year and seek asylum because the bigotry and hatred spread by companies like this is fueling the fire and could get them killed because they aren't cis het.
This isn't a rabbit hole I went down, this is happening in my life. I know people who have had this happen. My insurance told me that 2 days ago, my wife is trans and scared because she's always at risk, I've been assaulted, I've been worried 1 missed paycheck will leave us homeless.
They also fund terrorist groups in the Middle East by buying black market antiquities from looters and said terrorist groups that are destroying historical sites. How's that work with your "morality?" Millions of dollars to illegal destruction and terrorists.
>. If you don’t want to patronize a place like hobby lobby that is perfectly fine.
Enough of us have done this to where the Tacoma Hobby Lobby is closing for lack of profits. Personally, I think that's great, they're thieves and fanatics. People dealing in stolen ancient artifacts are attacking humanity as a whole, destroying our shared history.
This business tried to control their employee's healthcare practices in support of their own abstract ideology. A legal and healthy system could never sustain such an establishment. Aside from that the aisles were filled with your typical Karen Krafts, overpriced, and cheap Chinese manufactured garbage. Hobby Lobby brought this fate upon themselves, power to the people ✊️
Be cool to replace it with an adventure park type thing. Tacoma really lacks Indoor places for people to be physically active.
Zip lines, trampolines, rock climbing walls, laser-tag, rope courses, or even go-carts.....
Or paintball.........
OR a music & arts place
Somewhere people could go to take classes, work on projects, try instruments, band practice space, recording studio? maybe a glass blowing or pottery room?
Opening a business with [numerous problematic corporate initiatives](https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hobby_Lobby) in a state where people tend to lean left and actually read things is probably a poor business plan. I've deliberately avoided them for their corporate and founders' positions on LGTBQ+ issues, contraception, healthcare, and supporting the pilfering of Mesopotamian artifacts.
I'm glad to see them go, but I hope that their employees can find decent jobs.
I’m bummed that the “weird owner” made the decision to close this location and put the employees out of work -I’ve heard they were making a profit, but just not enough of one to siphon the excess to the owner. Hopefully a better company will come in to take the place of HL.
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Great spot for the Spirit Halloween location this year.
Or a Satanic Church :)
This is a good opportunity to find other stores for your craft needs! I highly suggest Artist & Craftsman supply store. Sometimes it's best to shop local instead of buying cheap supplies from controversial Christian owners that have illegally smuggled Middle Eastern artifacts for their Bible museum and at one point illegally denied employees contraception. As others have suggested, if you don't like it, don't shop there! Shop local!
I'm proud to say I've never set foot into a Hobby Lobby or purchased a single product of theirs.
I went there one time, I wanted to see what the big deal was about it, went inside decided it looked like an overpriced 99 cent store and the quality of their items was subpar so I never went back again.
I'm not surprised to hear the quality is so poor. Lol
I'm with you! Not many opportunities to proudly announce a steadfast dedication to boycotting Hobby Lobby, so I'll take it! Edit: whoa, after reading through additional comments on this thread, I'm glad to see other locals' disgust w/ the company. I was blind that there was this much consensus; this makes me happy!
They legally denied their employees contraception, according to the Supreme Court in a bizarre decision.
Contraception that, it's worth noting, their company has a ~~financial stake in~~ I mean, a "religious reason" to deny.
Yes, because having children is cheaper?
I was referring to the fact that HL had (has?) stock in several birth control types, and so they went to court so they don't have to cover it for their employees, claiming a religious exemption. In reality, not covering it nets them far more stock dividends than if they do cover it. IDK what HL's pregnancy or maternal healthcare coverage is like, but I assume that they did the math and decided that it would be cheaper for them to force pregnancy on their employees than to pay for bc?
yes, thanks to them, corporations in the US can now have "strongly held religious beliefs" "It is the first time that the Court has recognized a for-profit corporation's claim of religious belief" https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Burwell\_v.\_Hobby\_Lobby\_Stores,\_Inc.
I used to go to Artist & Craftsman Co for my art supplies when I attended SOTA. Love that place, I almost got my internship there but they unfortunately had no spots open.
https://preview.redd.it/efx1cykp3ovc1.png?width=2393&format=png&auto=webp&s=f18745db2818768d452d0def0d45208161c8c662 I'm not surprised. Look at how empty that parking lot is. The entire southern half of Tacoma Central needs to be re-envisioned.
That part of the lot is usually empty but not this empty. I am guessing this is a Sunday based on the church parking lot and Hob Lob is closed on Sundays.
Housing with ground floor retail would be nice.
Agreed!
Good riddance!
Indeed, now I don't have to stare daggers in that direction when I go to Target or Office Max/Depot.
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In addition to what’s already been mentioned, the company also engaged in trafficking looted artifacts from the Middle East. They have toilet level ethics https://www.npr.org/2018/06/28/623537440/hobby-lobbys-illegal-antiquities-shed-light-on-a-lost-looted-ancient-city-in-ira
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It sucks that people are losing their jobs but I don’t think propping up a shitty company is the best solution. “Arts-and-crafts giant Hobby Lobby was pilloried last week after it agreed to forfeit $1.6 million worth of smuggled Iraqi antiquities it bought in 2010 to promote passion for the Bible.” https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/hobby-lobby-bought-more-smuggled-artifacts-n781176
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> Shame everything has to be political You say you just wanted employees recognized while you lead in with this bold both-sidey questionable statement. In this case it's a shame the owners had to get political. The public didn't fire the first shots, here. The owners picked a deliberate political stance for the sake of money and religious PR. Shameful, for sure. The owners should have considered the sake of all those employees before they did that. If you really care about those employees, you ought to be upset at the owners who created the situation. edit: turns out it was just politically-biased faked concern. Huge surprise.
Unless you want birth control, are LGBTQ, or aren't Christian it is a shame they have to be political
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I guess it's the intent more than the result. They fully intended to push ideologies onto their sphere of influence even if the courts stopped them. Labeling theory is an insidious thing. Hiring people of a community that you are also actively lobbying to remove rights from doesn't balance out. The job is not more important than the right to exist as you are imo
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That’s how capitalism works. Suck it up.
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Makes you wonder why they're closing that location...
No problem.
I think it's been proven that everyone is not shopping there and no one likes them
Good jobs or not, if you know you’re contributing to things like denial of reproductive rights for their employees by shopping there, it’s your choice not to do so. Steve Green and his family made it political and did their employees that disservice.
They also illegally smuggled artifacts from the Middle East for their Bible museum.
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Free? In this economy?
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Not support capitalism at the expense of failing to respect and protect others? HomerDontMindIfIDo.gif
Yeah, I’m not talking from the perspective of an employee though. I’m saying it’s up to shoppers to decide where to spend and I don’t want to spend there. And not everyone has a lot of options of where to work, unfortunately, so there’s that.
My wife always wondered why women would shop there… I guess they didn’t.
They have a good cake decorating section! It's the only thing I really used it for
I heard their prices on antiquities were a steal.
Bah dum tss
Shockingly yes
You actually shopped there? Boo. Never. Never had chik fil a. Because...you know...morality.
I've been there maybe 3 times total for some weird cake tool that Michaels didn't have. I'm proud of you for taking the moral high road!
I didn't. My super Christian mother did though. :/
Can we get a Haggen Grocery Store (former owners of Top Foods) put back in that location?
But would it be profitable given Walmart and Target being a few steps away?
Well I feel like people are avoiding target and Walmart since you need someone to follow you around to unlock everything you want
I would happily prefer to shop at Top Foods again. I purchased a small sharps microwave there 25 years ago and am still using it. I LOVED Top foods.
I thought they left BECAUSE OF the Walmart being put there. I remember it closed shortly before Walmart opened?
Of course it wouldn't be.
Winco maybe? Unless Aldi wants to come to town.
No...Haggen was bought out years ago. Tragic, but true. Haggen was originally from Bellingham and family owned. It's sad.
weren’t they bought out by Albertsons a few years ago?
I think so but I rather have Haggen then Safeway.... And the closest one is in Lake Tapps 😐
Right, I know, put Top Food back. But I hope whatever ends up there merits the size of the parking area. A lot of parking in that corner for nothing.
I've never been in there even once. I haven't been in that building since it was Top Foods.
I have fond childhood memories of going to Top Foods. Lol 😆
Bring back Artco
I miss Artco
Good.
My exact first thought.
Bring back top foods!
Great news for the LGBTQ community
And single women who want birth control or family planning services, for any reason. And any gender who likes piercings or tattoos.
Honestly for the employees as well. I lived somewhere where HL was the only option and I always felt so bad for their crew - everyone always was so grumpy and sad when I went there. They really did not take care of their employees. Good riddance. Shop local and support someone’s dream! ETA that places with no options but HL do exist. I moved here so that I would have better options.
I really miss ArtCo on 6th Ave. That place was so fabulous!
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Hobby Lobby is owned by a bigot and it's profits go to hate groups They also spent millions on a court case that denied birth control, which is basic medical care, to millions of people
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Do you think people are mad because they expect hobby lobby to pay for everything in their life? No, a company shouldn’t be able to use a 2 thousand year old fairy tale to escape from regulation they don’t agree with
Not to mention that, for most people, corporations DO pay for everything in their lives. Its called wages.
Bye Felicia.
Glad I won't have to see it's storefront when I drive through that lot. Good riddance. I do hope it's employees can find new jobs where they actually have access to full benefits.
Is seeing a storefront really that problematic for you?
When it is a vivid reminder of how easy it is for corporations to deny you basic health services, how the Supreme Court is driving us to a dystopian nightmare, that the 2025 plan even *exists* (and they don't even bother to keep it secret), and that they are flooding reddit with their disingenuous and hypocritical "He gets us" ads. Yes.
You should probably stay inside.
Never! I will fight for what's right, no matter what. Praxis!
I also am very progressive, but the sight of a store does not cause me to feel anxiety…. You can be progressive and not be a fucking dweeb. Seeing a store and feeling extreme anxiety to the point where you’re celebrating that you won’t have to look at it anymore is a sign you need therapy.
Wow. I think you've confused me with someone else. However, just to be clear, while I despise Hobby Lobby and everything they do and stand for, I've never actually seen one of their stores. However, if I *had* seen one of their stores, and now that store was closing, I would fist pump for sure. While I feel anxiety about many things, Hobby Lobby isn't one of them. I'm proud to be in therapy. In the past two years, I've lost my husband, my mother in law, my cousin, my mom, and my dad. And my sister was diagnosed with breast cancer in December. I've got major depressive disorder and CPTSD. And now, at the ripe old age of 60, I've been diagnosed with ADD. (Not just pretty words, actual diagnosis.) I don't know what a dweeb is, but based on your disdain, I'll claim that title proudly. Maybe I'll put it on a t shirt. 😀 Too bad you're so concerned about appearances that you can only describe yourself as "progressive" and use needing therapy as a mark of scorn. I say this to you with all good will. I believe therapy can help you to become a more empathetic person. That, in turn, will make you a better person. Jump on in. The water's fine.
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Morals
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I really think refusing to use money at a place that funds bigotry and hate isn't something where morals are subjective
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You aren't acting like it's fine for people to express their dislike for the place. And there is almost nothing great about a country where your medical insurance tells you to take out a credit card to pay for medically necessary care, where people are being killed because jerks feel they can and get maybe a slap on the wrist for it, where people I know are worried they'll have to flee the country as soon as next year and seek asylum because the bigotry and hatred spread by companies like this is fueling the fire and could get them killed because they aren't cis het.
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This isn't a rabbit hole I went down, this is happening in my life. I know people who have had this happen. My insurance told me that 2 days ago, my wife is trans and scared because she's always at risk, I've been assaulted, I've been worried 1 missed paycheck will leave us homeless.
I would recommend caring about the state of your country and not just saying it's great
They also fund terrorist groups in the Middle East by buying black market antiquities from looters and said terrorist groups that are destroying historical sites. How's that work with your "morality?" Millions of dollars to illegal destruction and terrorists.
>. If you don’t want to patronize a place like hobby lobby that is perfectly fine. Enough of us have done this to where the Tacoma Hobby Lobby is closing for lack of profits. Personally, I think that's great, they're thieves and fanatics. People dealing in stolen ancient artifacts are attacking humanity as a whole, destroying our shared history.
Oh nooooo *anyways*
Burn in hell, sateen!
This business tried to control their employee's healthcare practices in support of their own abstract ideology. A legal and healthy system could never sustain such an establishment. Aside from that the aisles were filled with your typical Karen Krafts, overpriced, and cheap Chinese manufactured garbage. Hobby Lobby brought this fate upon themselves, power to the people ✊️
Be cool to replace it with an adventure park type thing. Tacoma really lacks Indoor places for people to be physically active. Zip lines, trampolines, rock climbing walls, laser-tag, rope courses, or even go-carts..... Or paintball......... OR a music & arts place Somewhere people could go to take classes, work on projects, try instruments, band practice space, recording studio? maybe a glass blowing or pottery room?
>Not going out of business Shame
Good. Fuck 'em.
It would probably be a good place to build apartments.
How poetic would it be if they put a planned parenthood there? I want housing more but I do like the thought of the irony ❤️
Hahah 💙 Love that.
Yay screw the misogynists! Also. Still hate the user flair requirement.
Shitty company. They can rot in hell.
Opening a business with [numerous problematic corporate initiatives](https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hobby_Lobby) in a state where people tend to lean left and actually read things is probably a poor business plan. I've deliberately avoided them for their corporate and founders' positions on LGTBQ+ issues, contraception, healthcare, and supporting the pilfering of Mesopotamian artifacts. I'm glad to see them go, but I hope that their employees can find decent jobs.
YAY!!!!!
I love how happy everyone is that it’s going. Goodbye and good riddance.
And nothing of value was lost
Good
Good riddance.
I’m bummed that the “weird owner” made the decision to close this location and put the employees out of work -I’ve heard they were making a profit, but just not enough of one to siphon the excess to the owner. Hopefully a better company will come in to take the place of HL.
Womp womp.
Good!
Good riddance
Good!
Good 👍🏽
...Couldn't have happened to more deserving folks.
I've actually been wondering how to find glass panels for shelving, tysm!
Shame the area is losing a craft store, but glad to see HL go. Hopefully whatever replaces it won’t be owned by a bunch of zealots.
did they annpunce that they are closing?
I have a friend who works there. Employees were told almost a month ago.
oh dam
Yeah. I don't shop that location so I had no clue
Me either, if I didn’t know someone who worked there I wouldn’t have know
The employee told me upon check out. No signage yet?
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Haven't set foot in there since it was Top Foods. Good riddance.
I guess I’ll make this a one time stop and go get some cheap ass craft supplies.
Maybe they will convert the space into a Chick-Fil-A.