Hobby Lobby/David Green - Good Citizens?

[brianinok]

I also think the Hobby Lobby/David Green is a great corporate citizen. They have done numerous things for charities here and across the state and country. Last year, he bought the Edmond Athletic Club, and donated it to Ministries of Jesus (essentially a free clinic of Henderson Hills that seeks to heal body, soul, and spirit). MOJ now runs EAC as Transformations Fitness Center debt-free and the proceeds go to fund the clinic portion of MOJ. I know we at Henderson Hills sure think highly of his generousity!

[SoonerGirl26]

During my senior year in high school, I worked for David Green when he was a manager with TG&Y. Back then he was just Mr. Green to me. I never made the connection that he was the same David Green, until I recently read his bio and how he started his business. He married his wife when she was 17and he was 19....over 40 years ago. He and his wife started the business out of their garage making picture frames. He is also the son of Church of God minister. Here is a link to a pretty good bio on him.

The Modest BILLIONAIRE - Charisma Magazine

According to Cleveland county assessor records, his house has a "market value" of $3,187,620.

[Patrick]

i'm with you, bailjumper... i'm pretty sure that hobby lobby is opened on sundays around the christmas season... so the whole closed sundays thing sounds like pr to me. not that i think that's some evil marketing strategy... just calling a spade a spade. -M

Actually, Hobby Lobby is closed on Sundays, even around the holidays.
He does have extended holiday hours, but that's during the week. I think they're open until 9PM during the holiday hours......but I think they still get out early on Wednesdays, for Wednesday evening church. I know for sure that Mardel closes early on Wednesday evenings.

But, yeah, Hobby Lobby is not open on weekends, not even around the holidays.

Green closes his stores on Sunday to allow his people to worship, if they so choose. Also, the Bible states that one is to take a sabath day once a week, and to keep it holy. Green is doing that by keeping his stores closed on Sundays.

[Patrick]

I personally do not agree with the policy of retail stores being closed on Sundays. I agree a store can do as they choose, I just don't think it makes that much business sense.

I'd love to see an accurate tally of the number of employees that are in church Sunday morning.

Many will disagree, but I think their policy of being closed on Sundays is foolish and done for PR reasons. Michael's doesn't seem to be a ghost town on Sunday afternoons.

Of course, I remember when the Edmond HL was closed around 6pm on week nights (many, many years ago) - now that was nuts!

You don't agree with it, because you're not a man of faith. If you knew anything about the Bible, you'd know that the Bible commands Christians to take a Sabath day out once a week, and rest. David Green sticks to that by having his business taken off once a week and rest.

The reason for him being closed on Sundays is inkeeping with his faith.

Same thing with the owner of Chick Fil A, who is a devout Baptist and evangelical Christian.

Both feel that they are honoring their God by taking off on Sunday.

And, if David Green wants to close his stores at 6PM, that's his business.

I bet you also think the ritsy stores at Northpark closing at 6PM is ridiculous.

Hmmmm...since you're so against being off, why don't you work from 4AM until 10PM, 7 You'll most likely be crying for an antidepressant.

[Martin]

i've already retracted that statement, patrick. i was wrong.

as for theology, sunday is not the sabbath. -M

[Patrick]

...well, i checked on it just to be sure. holiday ads from 2001 and 2003 do show "closed sundays." so, i'll kindly retract my "closing sundays is part of hobby lobby pr" statement. -M

LOL! We forgive you.

[Patrick]

i've already retracted that statement, patrick. i was wrong.

as for theology, sunday is not the sabbath. -M

Really, any day can be the Sabbath. David just chooses Sunday since that's when the Christian church worships.

[Martin]

while i really don't want to turn this into another religious discussion (at least not in this thread), the weekly jewish day of rest is always on the seventh day of the week... a saturday. christian scripture breaks with jewish laws and traditions such as the sabbath. therefore, i'd argue that there's no such thing as a christian sabbath. -M

[Patrick]

Sticking with the traditional calendar used today, the Jews are correct in practicing the Sabbath on Saturday.

In America and Europe, we've changed everything, making Monday the first day of the week, and Sunday the last. So I guess it depends on when your week starts! And it depends on how rigid you are in complying with the notion that the Sabbath is supposed to be on the 7th day.

Still, I think the overall point God is trying to make is to work 6 days, and take a day off for rest. The Bible states that God worked 6 days, and rested on the 7th. It really doesn't discuss what the actual day of rest should be. For all we know, God could've started work on a Tuesday, and taken Monday off. LOL!

[kevinpate]

> God could've started work on a Tuesday, and taken Monday off.

God was a barber?
8^)

[Patrick]

> God could've started work on a Tuesday, and taken Monday off.

God was a barber?
8^)

Sounds good to me.

[mranderson]

> God could've started work on a Tuesday, and taken Monday off.

God was a barber?
8^)

Actually, God created the world in one day... He thought about it for six days. So, he plans ahead with no need to start on Tuesday.

[kevinpate]

> I have however pondered why they aren't more involved with "The Arts
> and Civic projects" as I think the thread was originally designed to hint
> at

It's likely as simple as they recognize other folks will give, and give well, for such endeavors, while also recognizing other needs which they care deeply about might go wanting, but for their kindness, commitment and gifts.


I really think Keith nailed it back in #13

[Jen at Airports]

Community relations is a common element of public relations among more well-known functions - like media relations and publications. Corporations give money and sponsor events for both altruistic and not-so altruistic reasons. Consider the oil refinery in close proximity to a low-income neighborhood that sponsors a kids' coloring contests with significant monetary prizes or even a company responsible for polluting the air all while giving $50,000 a year to the tiny, poverty-stricken community in which it resides -- for a library. Are these companies being good corporate citizen or is this their way of managing relationships with their publics? In the age of Enron and WorldCom it feels risky claiming admiration for any company or CEO. Still, I think Hobby Lobby's lack of "community relations" deserves a refined evaluation. From what I hear of David Green, ruthless self promotion of himself or Hobby Lobby is just not in his PR arsenal. Also, one of the most memorable ads to ever appear in The Oklahoman was purchased by Hobby Lobby. Anybody got any idea what it looked like or what it said? Here's a clue: full page and almost entirely white space. I'll never forget it and there were no orange Hobby Lobby letters in the creative. There's my two cents.

[metro]

Jen at Airports, not sure where you're going with your Community Relations speal aka "Social Responsibility" however I think I get your point. I agree with you two on Hobby Lobby's "white space ad". FYI this is a national ad they run, not just in the Oklahoman. I'm not sure if they do it in ALL the major papers in the U.S. but I can vouch that they do it in all the major and minor markets they have stores in. They purchase these ads at Christmas time and it doesn't really advertise anything for Hobby Lobby.

[Patrick]

Jen at Airports, not sure where you're going with your Community Relations speal aka "Social Responsibility" however I think I get your point. I agree with you two on Hobby Lobby's "white space ad". FYI this is a national ad they run, not just in the Oklahoman. I'm not sure if they do it in ALL the major papers in the U.S. but I can vouch that they do it in all the major and minor markets they have stores in. They purchase these ads at Christmas time and it doesn't really advertise anything for Hobby Lobby.

Yeah, they're mainly full page ads with a religious theme of some sort on them.