If you’re a New Yorker in search of a particular item to celebrate the holidays, you won’t be able to find it at any of the Hobby Lobby stores in the area.
I have a complicated relationship with my local Hobby Lobby store. It can be incredibly frustrating to shop there, but I always find myself going back every month or so. This usually happens when my son is working on a creative project and we need a specific item that can’t be found elsewhere.
New York Hobby Lobby Stores Can Be Maddening
Every time I step into Hobby Lobby, whether it’s in Poughkeepsie or Middletown, I can’t help but feel like I’m on one of those reality TV shows where the entire store has been replaced with actors whose sole purpose is to test my sanity, all for the amusement of hidden cameras.
The queues at this place always seem never-ending, with cashiers manually entering the prices of each item since they don’t have scanners. And to top it off, the person in front of me is usually trying to return a bag filled with 100 miscellaneous buttons.
Hobby Lobby Faced With Controversy
Hobby Lobby, besides being a notorious time-consuming vortex that can devour an entire Saturday afternoon, has also made a series of questionable business decisions that have left some customers feeling uneasy about continuing to support them.
The store has a long track record of being quite unpleasant, whether it’s due to their blatant homophobia, denial of employee access to contraceptives, campaign to introduce religion into public schools, mistreatment of employees during the pandemic, or illegal smuggling of artifacts into the country.
Hobby Lobby No Longer Carrying Certain Holiday Items
Hobby Lobby, a Christian-based company, has faced accusations of antisemitism, with concerns raised about its history. In response to these claims, the company has denied any wrongdoing. However, it has taken the decision to remove Hanukkah items from its New York stores.
Hobby Lobby, which previously offered items for various holidays including Christmas, has made a change this year. Those in search of Hanukkah decorations such as menorahs and dreidels will be disappointed to learn that Hobby Lobby will no longer carry them.
Hobby Lobby stated to 10 News that their Hanukkah items are not as popular as their Christmas items.
Due to the need to find additional space for some of our stronger categories as well as our newer ones, the decision was made over the last couple of years to discontinue several seasonal product lines, including Mardi Gras, Halloween and Hanukkah.
During our visit to the Poughkeepsie branch of Hobby Lobby on the eve of Hanukkah, we were surprised to find an aisle completely devoid of any items. Furthermore, there was another section that appeared to be filled, but upon closer inspection, it was evident that only a single plastic wreath was hung on each peg, giving the illusion of abundance throughout the entire length of the aisle.
It’s quite unbelievable that the decision made by the conservative Christian management at Hobby Lobby to drop certain holiday items was solely based on demand. It’s hard to imagine that in a store with four whole aisles filled with signs saying “Live, Love, Laugh,” there isn’t even room for a single menorah. Moreover, it seems quite coincidental that the specific holiday items they chose to drop are all those that have been criticized by conservative Christian groups.
Also Read:
- Target shuts down stores due to rising crime rates
- Longbeach, Iowa Welcomes Massive 18,000 Square Foot Supermarket
- This California County has the Most Millionaires in the Entire State
