Old Time Pottery to fill former Hobby Lobby space

The former home of Hobby Lobby and Mardel Christian & Education in Springfield has a new occupant.

Old Time Pottery, a Murfreesboro, Tennessee-based discount home decor retailer, is slated to take on 85,000 square feet at 1535 E. Battlefield Road, according to a news release. The company is occupying all but 10,000 square feet that had been used by Hobby Lobby and Mardel.

A September opening is planned for Old Time Pottery’s first Queen City store and third location in Missouri

Old Time Pottery's wares include home accents and furnishings, wall decor, rugs and bedding. The company has 39 stores in 11 states in the Southeast and Midwest. Jason Schmitt, CEO of Old Time Pottery, in the release said “tens of thousands of unique home decor finds” would be available.

The release did not disclose the number of employees that would be hired for the store, though it did detail benefits such as "competitive wages," a store discount and paid vacations. A company spokesperson did not respond to a request for comment by deadline.

Oklahoma City-based craft and home decor store Hobby Lobby and Mardel, affiliated companies, moved from East Battlefield Road to 3075 S. Glenstone Ave. in March, according to past reporting. The stores took over space that had housed a Kmart, which shuttered in 2017.