Hobby Lobby CEO to speak at Chamber Annual Meeting

The Greater Oklahoma City Chamber will host its Annual Meeting on December 18 from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the National Cowboy and Western Heritage Museum, featuring keynote speaker David Green, CEO of Hobby Lobby.

With more than 1,000 locations across the United States, Hobby Lobby is the world’s largest privately-owned arts-and-crafts retailer, employing over 46,000 people across 48 states. Despite its expansive reach, the story of Hobby Lobby’s rise is rooted in humble beginnings.

Founded in 1970 by David and Barbara Green, the company started with a $600 loan to operate a small-scale business selling miniature picture frames from the Green family’s home. Two years later, they opened their first retail location – a 300-square-foot store in Oklahoma City – and from there, the Hobby Lobby franchise continued to grow.

Hobby Lobby’s success can partly be attributed to its commitment to its core values. From its founding, David and Barbara Green laid the foundation for a business model that focused on decision making, corporate culture and business conduct. Hobby Lobby’s core values include a strong commitment to the Christian faith, offering customers exceptional selection and value, providing employees with a positive work environment and investing in the communities where they operate.

These principles continue to shape the company today, even as it has expanded into new areas. Initially focused on arts and crafts, Hobby Lobby now offers a wide variety of products, including jewelry-making supplies, fabrics, floral arrangements, wedding decorations, holiday merchandise and home decor.

Today, Hobby Lobby’s corporate headquarters in Oklahoma City spans over 12 million square feet, encompassing manufacturing and distribution facilities, as well as office space. Aside from its stores in the United States, the company operates in Hong Kong, Shenzhen and Yiwu, China.

In addition to its retail growth, Hobby Lobby has highlights for some of its distinctive business practices. Notable examples include closing all stores on Sundays and paying employees above the national minimum wage.

Despite the challenges of running a large retail chain, Hobby Lobby has remained steadfast in its core values, maintaining a loyal customer base through its focus on quality and service. Its journey from a small family business to an international retail leader is a testament to vision, hard work and faith.

To hear Green’s story of entrepreneurship and philanthropy, as well as gain valuable insights into his path to success, register for the Chamber’s Annual Meeting on December 18. Tickets are $80 for members and $100 for nonmembers, and registration closes on December 11.