ATHOL — Hobby Lobby has signed a lease to develop a store in the Athol shopping center that plays host to Market Basket and other businesses.
The arts-and-crafts retailer is expected to open a 55,000-square-foot store in North Quabbin Commons, according to Steve Cucinatti, a leasing representative for RMD Inc., the property management company that handles the leasing for DeMoulas Super Markets Inc., which owns the shopping center.
Bob Miller, communication coordinator for Hobby Lobby, said construction is scheduled to begin at the end of April and the company hopes to hold a grand opening in September. There are two other Hobby Lobby locations in Massachusetts — in Holyoke and Seekonk.
“The success of our stores in the area led us to look at Athol. We think the North Quabbin Commons is a great location and we are eager to get the doors open and become a part of the community,” Miller said via email.
According to its website, Hobby Lobby opened 56 new stores, including eight relocated ones, in 2016.
Miller said Hobby Lobby Stores Inc. began as Greco, a miniature picture frame company in 1970. He said Hobby Lobby was born when David Green moved his business from the family garage to a 300-square-foot retail space in 1972.
Headquartered in Oklahoma City, Okla., it bills itself as the world’s largest privately owned arts-and-crafts retailer, employing approximately 32,000 employees and operating more than 700 stores in 47 states.
According to the website, Hobby Lobby is primarily an arts-and-crafts store but also sells merchandise like home accents, holiday merchandise, floral and wedding supplies and materials for hobbies like picture framing and jewelry making.
The Market Basket location in Athol opened on Feb. 14, 2015. The center is also home to Marshalls, Maurices, Shoe Dept., Starbucks, Great Clips, Verizon Wireless and Sally Beauty. Cucinatti said he reached out to the national chains and pitched the location on Tower Road. He said representatives from the four businesses were eager to secure a place in the shopping center.