Framingham Hobby Lobby To Open Before New Year's Day

FRAMINGHAM, MA — The long-anticipated Hobby Lobby store in Framingham has an opening date. The store was announced in September, and will open in a space at Shoppers World that was formerly a Toys “R” Us.

The Framingham Hobby Lobby will be the chain's seventh store in Massachusetts, but only the second location inside I-495. Hobby Lobby's only other Boston-area location is in Braintree.

The 45,000 square-foot craft store will be opening just as Shoppers World loses its only other craft store, A.C. Moore. The day before Thanksgiving, A.C. Moore said it would close all of its stores, including 11 locations in Massachusetts. About 40 A.C. Moore stores across the nation will be taken over by Michael's.

Hobby Lobby is based in Oklahoma City, and the local store will employ up to 50 full and part-time employees, the company has said. Representatives from the MetroWest Chamber of Commerce and other local officials will attend the grand opening.

The Framingham Hobby Lobby opens on Dec. 30 at 9 a.m.