Sentinel staff report–
Hobby Lobby is moving forward with its conversion of the former Toys R Us building in Citrus Heights, with the location soon to become a new 40,000-square-foot hobby supply and home decor store.
Scaffolding was seen set up on the front of the store last week and the old toy store logo was finally removed. Crews were also seen working on interior demolition and digging, with a large debris box in the front.
A spokesperson with Hobby Lobby’s corporate offices confirmed an “early 2020” opening date in an email to The Sentinel on Wednesday.
Hobby Lobby’s anticipated opening has been welcome news for Citrus Heights Economic Development Manager Meghan Huber who is working to fill retail vacancies in the city.
“[R]etail is our number five top employment sector, so it’s always great that we’re able to add those job numbers,” Huber told The Sentinel on Friday. “It’s also great to see a prominent site like our old Toys R Us building be filled so quickly and successfully with a great brand.”
The new Citrus Heights Hobby Lobby store will be the second location in the immediate area, with the nearest store at 1815 Douglas Blvd., in Roseville. Toys R Us closed its Citrus Heights store on June 29 last year, following the company’s filing for bankruptcy.
Property records show the former Toys R Us building was constructed in 1978 and sits on a five-acre parcel, with a large parking lot in the front. The property is owned by the Cordano family, which owns property and development companies in the Sacramento region.
The store is expected to bring 35-50 new jobs to the area. The company is currently hiring an assistant store manager for the new location, posted on careers.hobbylobby.com.
The company’s new Citrus Heights store is part of a nationwide expansion of the chain, which announced plans to open more than 50 new Hobby Lobby stores this year and currently has over 850 stores across the nation.
Hobby Lobby, headquartered in Oklahoma City, is primarily an arts-and-crafts store but also includes hobby supplies, picture framing, jewelry making, fabrics, floral and wedding supplies, cards and party ware, baskets, wearable art, home accents and holiday merchandise. The privately-owned retailer has approximately 32,000 employees and operates in 47 states.
