Popular arts-and-crafts chain set to open new store in NJ

🎨 A popular arts and crafts store is coming to Monmouth County

🎨 It's part of a mall revamping

🎨 The store is set to open next year

FREEHOLD — A Monmouth County shopping center is preparing for a new tenant.

Hobby Lobby is coming to Freehold Mall on Route 9 sometime in 2025, the Asbury Park Press reported.

According to the shopping center’s owner, Aspen Real Estate, the arts and crafts retailer will occupy a 55,000-square-foot store, part of what was Burlington.

Hobby Lobby will be part of Freehold Mall's makeover, a 220,000-square-foot shopping center located at the intersections of Routes 9 and 79. Burlington will be Hobby Lobby's next-door neighbor, APP reported.

This will be the 17th Hobby Lobby store in New Jersey. One just opened in East Hanover last month.

Other Hobby Lobby locations include Howell, Englishtown, Holmdel, Iselin, North Brunswick, Lawrenceville, Cherry Hill, Springfield, Paramus, Totowa, Sicklerville, Mays Landing, Deptford, Millville, and Phillipsburg.

Also, the minimum full-time hourly wage at Hobby Lobby was just raised to $19.25, effective October 1, according to a company statement.

In 2009, Hobby Lobby was one of the first retailers to establish a nationwide minimum hourly wage well above the federal minimum wage, and has since raised its minimum wage 13 times over the last 15 years, the statement continued.

“A pillar of our success is taking care of our employees. For decades, we have closed our stores on Sundays, and at 8:00 p.m. the rest of the week, to help employees balance their work and personal lives, and have time for rest, family, and worship,” said Hobby Lobby founder and CEO, David Green.

For current job openings and more information about Hobby Lobby, visit here.

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