New Hobby Lobby in Los Banos expected to bring up to 50 jobs
City officials hope the addition of Hobby Lobby in the old Lowe’s property is a sign of economic strength in the community.
Hobby Lobby, a national arts and crafts chain, will be anchoring the commercial building at the southwest corner of Pacheco Boulevard and Ortigalita Road.
“It’s a very good sign we’re filling up the old Lowe’s center,” Mayor Mike Villalta said, noting that Hobby Lobby is the second tenant to commit to the building after Fitness Evolution.
Villalta said he credits the city’s community and economic development staff with bringing Hobby Lobby to Los Banos.
Hobby Lobby is aiming to open the Los Banos store sometime in September, but no definitive date has been set, Hobby Lobby communications coordinator Bob Miller said in an email.
“We are constantly looking for locations to better serve our customers and we think Los Banos fits that bill,” said Miller. “We are excited to come to Los Banos and look forward to being part of the community.”
The store plans to employ between 35 and 50 people, with a mix of full-time and part-time positions, Miller said.
“We lost jobs when Kmart went out of business (in October), so Hobby Lobby is going to be filling some of that,” Los Banos senior planner Stacy Souza Elms said.
The more than 130,000-square-foot building has been vacant since Lowe’s hardware store closed shop in 2011, resulting in the loss of 100 Los Banos jobs.
Hobby Lobby will occupy 55,000 square feet of the building, which is undergoing renovations to its north facade, Souza Elms said.
The former single-occupant building will be divided for five commercial tenants, according to a site plan approved by the Los Banos Planning Commission in November.
Souza Elms said it was refreshing to see a national chain show interest in the city.
“It means a lot of things for us,” she said. “It tells us that the Los Banos economy is looking good. ... It shows that we have the disposable income to sustain a business like that.”
This story was originally published March 30, 2016 at 11:58 PM with the headline "New Hobby Lobby in Los Banos expected to bring up to 50 jobs."