OKLAHOMA CITY – The arts-and-crafts superstore Hobby Lobby will open two of its five California locations with a ribbon-cutting ceremony and official grand opening celebration on Monday in Merced and Modesto. All festivities and ceremonies at both locations are open to the public.

Bruce Busby is the store manager of the Merced facility located at W. Olive Avenue and Austin Avenue. Local dignitaries, representatives from the Greater Merced Chamber of Commerce, and other business leaders will attend the store's grand opening ceremony that will be held at 9 a.m.

John Schumacher, assistant vice president of advertising, said the company plans to continue its push into California in 2012. Hobby Lobby started as an outgrowth of Greco Products, a miniature picture frames company founded in a garage in 1970. Today, the company has 491 stores across the country that average 55,000 square feet in size. The store offers more than 65,000 crafting and home decor products.

The Merced store's hours are Monday through Saturday from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m.. All Hobby Lobby stores are closed on Sundays.

--Sun-Star staff