Hobby Lobby

So here's the thing about Hobby Lobby-it's basically the craft store equivalent of that friend who's got everything you need but operates on their own very specific schedule. All stores are closed on Sundays to "allow employees time for family and worship," which honestly, in today's retail world, feels pretty refreshing.

With 1,057 stores across 48 states (sorry Alaska and Hawaii), they've managed to become the largest privately owned arts-and-crafts retailer in the world with over 46,000 employees. That's no small feat when you consider they started in 1970 with David and Barbara Green taking out a $600 loan to make miniature picture frames out of their home, then opened their first 300-square-foot store in Oklahoma City in 1972.

What sets them apart isn't just their size-it's their quirks. They're unusual among retailers in not using barcodes, with cashiers instead inputting prices manually. And get this: they announced in 2020 that their full-time minimum hourly wage would be raised to $17, increased from the $15 minimum wage established in 2014, then continued that trend by raising it to $18.50 in 2022.

The shopping experience is pretty straightforward-they offer over 70,000 items featuring home decor, seasonal decor, tableware, floral, art supplies, craft supplies, yarn, fabric, jewelry making, hobbies and much more. Their stores range in size up to 90,000 square feet, and they draw customers from a 10-15-mile radius. They've got this smart real estate strategy too-they typically seek to rent big-box facilities, such as previously occupied supermarkets, hardware stores or Kmarts in mid- to high-income suburban areas, which allows them to save 50-70 percent on building lease costs.

But here's where it gets interesting from a business perspective. The Green family founded Hobby Lobby to express their evangelical Protestant beliefs and the chain incorporates American conservative values and Christian media. This isn't just corporate speak-it genuinely shapes how they operate, from their Sunday closures to their approach to employee benefits.

The company's had its share of controversy, particularly around returning over eleven thousand artifacts to Egypt and Iraq, including the "Gilgamesh Dream Tablet" that they purchased for $1.6 million in 2014. But for most shoppers, that's background noise compared to the weekly ritual of checking their sales.

And those sales? They're legendary among crafters. The company operates on this rotating discount system where different departments go on sale throughout the week, which keeps people coming back regularly. It's become almost a sport among DIY enthusiasts to time their purchases just right.