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Hobby Lobby is open
My neighbor inadvertently was customer No. 1 at Hobby Lobby yesterday morning — they applauded for him when he walked in. So I scooted over ASAP. And now I get the applause. The place has — at least for now — staff on almost every aisle and they all seem to have drunk the Kool-Aid — one was nicer than the next and all of them absolutely insisted that they already have had many, many customers interested in the miles of lawn ornaments and signs that proclaim “Life Is Better on the Patio.”
No matter your opinion on Hobby Lobby (either for their politics or their taste, positive or negative), your views will be confirmed. I recommend going inside even if you swore to never do such a thing. I have never seen anything like it. And I have been to suburban Costcos. Maybe it’s the detailed items? The staff said they thought they would never see an end to the boxes as they were unpacking.
The place is just mammoth — the effect is greater than Barnes & Noble and Bed, Bath & Beyond combined. And they don’t have one of anything. They have racks and racks and aisles and aisles of every iteration, every color, every theme. I think — no exaggeration — there are five aisles, two sides on each, of fake flowers. The wall of lawn ornaments reaches to the ceiling. The made-in-China 4th of July section is four rows long. There is home “decor” for days — including metal letters that are designed for charcuterie and of course, inspirational messages mounted onto fake-distressed wood. There are a lot of crosses in every section — art supplies, baking, posters, decor, even in the impulse-buy shelves at the register.
The art on canvas is a big mystery to me. Clearly there was absolutely no effort to tailor the merch to the clientele. There is a large proportion of images of cattle. And you don’t have to dig deep to find stuff like a toilet paper holder that is shaped like a pistol right next to another “inspirational” message that reads “We Don’t Call 911.”
I tried to see what Tribecans would use, and after one lap this is my first impression: art supplies, if you choose not to go to Soho; party supplies since Target is always thin; sewing supplies since that does not exist here any more (there is TONS including fabrics); baking supplies since for that you have to go to Chelsea; and maybe frames — the selection is way bigger than Target and more diverse (there are even frames that hold jerseys). They have custom framing as well.
Report back if you found other treasures.
The grand opening is still scheduled for Monday. Hours are 9a to 8p. And remember: closed on Sunday!
PS: There are clearly marked bathrooms right by the entrance!
41 Comments
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I will never set foot inside this store just as would never patronize a tRump business or a Chik-fil-a, among others. I hope if fails miserably. Vote with our dollars!!!!!
the chicken sandwich at chik-fil-a is pretty amazing
I’ll stick to Popeye’s. Much better!
I wish them zero success and a very short tenure in our fair city. They push anti-queer and anti-women agendas, and as a gun violence prevention advocate that display of “toy” guns is very disturbing. I plan to send a copy of that pic to law enforcement as the sale of realistic toy guns is illegal in NY.
What a colossal waste of space. Filled with cheap trinkets and plastic junk.
The neon orange sign is so garish and out of place – reminds me of the neon Howard Johnson hotel signs from the 1980s
This business cannot be gone soon enough!
Who is buying this cheap, poorly made, junk?
Plastic birds, Life is Better on the Patio? LOL
Hopefully this means we don’t see another Hobby Lobby post every week!
I agree, let’s move on. Nice summary though.
Pretty amazing level of kitsch here (looking at you cow art). That it’s being brought to us from a brand so completely tone deaf to their surroundings makes it even more special.
That ‘we don’t call 911’ thing is just so gross. I also don’t like to contact the police, but for very different reasons.
I went in on Saturday, and checked it out. I’ve never seen more aisles, filled with absolutely useless stuff. At least, for me.
Just the plastic flowers, and variety of welcome matts alone was enough to make me queasy. I’m sure it will be a good place, for those who are looking for the variety of items they stock.
Prices seemed very good. Art and knitting supplies were impressive. Warning, don’t go in there high! LOL
I also hope they fail. I completely agree with Vote with your Dollars. Thanks for the post and details but no true Tribecan would purchase anything from them.
Capitalism in action. Interesting experiment: We’ll see if supply meets demand.
Will NEVER set in there.
Thanks for the article.
Please boycott this store. It does not belong in our neighborhood:
People are boycotting Hobby Lobby due to various controversies, including the company’s stance on contraception, LGBTQ+ rights, and discrimination against women, as well as accusations of antisemitism and supporting hate groups. Specifically, Hobby Lobby’s religious objections to providing birth control coverage in employee health insurance, which led to the Supreme Court case Burwell v. Hobby Lobby, is a major point of contention.
Ah yes, the pinnacle of tolerance — as long as everyone nods in perfect agreement, of course. Heaven forbid a differing perspective dares cross the picket fence. And now, the chorus of Karens wailing in unison because — gasp — someone different moved into the neighborhood. Truly, the hypocrisy is so thick you could spread it on toast.
Welcome to Tribeca, Hobby Lobby!! As an artist it is great to know I can get whatever I need at good price right here in the neighborhood. The diversity of products and the inclusion of items that seem out of sync with the neighborhood is colorful and inspiring! Thank you!
It is against the law in New York State to sell plastic real looking guns.
It is NOT hypocrisy to hate the people who hate. I hope they fail miserably. This store will receive zero mentions on FiDi Fan Page, as it is dead to me.
I just don’t get it. If Bed Bath & Beyond and Barnes & Noble, both of which offered items that our community needs, could not make it in that location why on earth does Hobby Lobby think they can survive? Those crosses they are selling will not help get them through the lack of sales.
They may look loaded up now – but imagine how empty those shelves will look when 135% China tariffs kick in. And I can only guess that 135% of junk in that store is from China.
May, could you please define what a “true Tribecan” is? I’ve been living here for many decades (4+) and don’t think I’ve ever heard residents defined as being true…or what, false? Would really like to hear your thoughts regarding what makes us true or not. Thanks.
It’s been two days and their stuff is already on sale. Wonder how that feels? Markdowns after TWO days. Ouch.
Anyone who needs a “Man Cave” or “God, Guns, & Guts Made America Free Let’s Keep It That Way” sign … c’mon in.
It was on sale on the first day…
I’m excited and will be going to visit the shop this week. I don’t know why the other comments are so negative.
The horrible signage alone shows disrespect for the community and the area
OMG LOOKS AMAZING!!!
I may step inside to take a look. I dearly miss the bookstore that once stood there.
These comments are asinine. Hobby Lobby is enormously far from the conservative hell hole implied here, and regardless no one said anyone else HAS to work there. Get a grip.
Lots of kids in the neighborhood, doing lots of projects, that otherwise you all would be ordering the same supplies and plastic junk off of Amazon (way more moral decay caused, not to mention environmental impact, etc. associated with that).
Hope the core business does great in our neighborhood. A little much plastic junk and whatever, but overall thrilled to have easier access to this stuff, and not bothered at all by the other noise. Very short sighted of my esteemed neighbors
May, that’s a thoughtful question—and one that strikes at the heart of what it means to belong to a community like Tribeca. I’ve lived here for over four decades, and in all that time, I’ve come to see that being a “true Tribecan” isn’t about how long you’ve lived here, where you came from, or even how you define your daily routine.
To me, a true Tribecan is someone who deeply values the unique character of this neighborhood—its creativity, resilience, and ever-evolving spirit. It’s someone who contributes to the fabric of the community, whether by supporting local businesses, engaging with neighbors, or simply caring about the future of the place we all call home.
So rather than drawing a line between “true” and “false,” maybe it’s more meaningful to think about shared values, mutual respect, and a genuine connection to the neighborhood. That’s what makes someone a part of Tribeca, in my view.
My biggest fear is the lure of easy access will force some to skip pass the crosses and fake guns to buy party stuff etc and take money away from Lot Less and Target, local businesses that have made real commitments to our neighborhood. From your photos, most of the stuff looks cheap and easy to ignore.
Please keep visiting those local stores in our neighborhood who don’t promote guns, religious bigotry and bias against women.
Thank you.
I have to say this article nailed it! Not only was this exactly our experience when we visited the first time but just validates what a comical and confusing step Hobby Lobby intended with this store. It is truly setup for the residents of Mississippi or those interested in making a theater set of such residents. I am baffled by the giant plastic lawn ornaments, rows of replicating bizarre wall decor that looks like they bought in bulk from the Dollar Store, again in Mississippi (no diss- beautiful state) etc. That said if you are interested in painting model cars there are the materials for that.
I miss Barnes and Nobles.
Amazing level of sanctimony and arrogant contempt for ordinary Americans in these comments from Tribecan mostly Democrats explains why Trump is serving a second term.
Putting the silly politics aside. I went in there yesterday to check it out. Overwhelming in scale and breadth of products. Lot of potentially useful stuff. Lots of fun stuff for kids. Lots of junky stuff too, including stuff that would seem out of place in an urban store. Most interesting, however, was that there were A LOT of people shopping, or at least checking it out. Especially for probably the nicest Saturday afternoon so far this spring. Way more people than I ever saw in BB&B and B&N. That said, it could still be the novelty factor as it’s only been open a week. But my guess is the ludicrous haters will be proven wrong about the level of interest the community has in shopping there. As someone up in the comments said, it would actually be kind of nice to not buy a lot of this stuff on Amazon for once.
The photo that accompanied the article of the guns on display was NOT taken at the Tribeca Hobby Lobby. And it’s irresponsible to include it.
It absolutely was. It’s rude to suggest otherwise.
I’m both a Tribeca resident and an employee of Hobby Lobby in Tribeca. I’ve walked every aisle, stocked and restocked merchandise. What is shown in that photo doesn’t exist in that store.
It was there on the day they opened.
Reading this condescending “Article” and all of these hateful comments only makes me want to support them even more. You think you’re fighting the “good fight” but you actually alienate lower income Americans and come off as snobby. The junk you refer to, is the only thing some of us can afford to try and make our homes cozy. The real problem is rich people gentrifying NYC and trying to run out the working class and our stores.
I don’t support anything that ACTIVELY tries to take away people’s human rights. This place is a disgrace- I’m offended just looking at it sitting right across the street from my child’s school- PS 234! I’d be much less offended if it were a dispensary! How did this place even come to land here?
If you want to shop here because people are so “against it”- then you’re part of the problem. Seriously- don’t be a child and read something about this awful corporation. I’d also be very interested in “lobbying” to get rid of it! SO LONG HOBBY LOBBY! DON’T GET TOO COMFORTABLE.
Hobby Lobby is an affront to everything moral and decent! Anyone who patronizes this establishment is party to their agenda!