Fayetteville

officials are hoping the lights will soon be back

on in the long-vacant Wal-Mart building on North

Glynn Street.

Oklahoma-based

Hobby Lobby is negotiating a lease of 57,714

square feet of the 87,000-sq. ft. vacant

building, and the firm's Fayetteville store may

be its first in Georgia, said Bill Hane, vice

president for advertising.

The

store sells a variety of crafts, home improvement

items and recreational supplies.

Founder

Bill Green started the company in 1972, operating

a small picture frame business from his home in

Oklahoma City, said Hane. From that beginning,

the privately owned firm has blossomed into 210

stores in 22 states, anticipating sales of $820

million in 1999.

"We

hope to top a billion dollars in 2000," said

Hane.

lease has not yet been signed, so Hane could not

confirm for sure that the Fayetteville store will

become a reality or whether it will be the first

Georgia location for the company. If all goes

according to plan, he said, the Fayette store

will be one of six to eight the company will open

in the Atlanta area, with the first ones opening

early in 2000.

While

many craft and hobby stores occupy 25,000 to

30,000 square feet and handle around 30,000

items, Hobby Lobby stores typically are around

50,000 to 60,000 square feet and offer around

50,000 items, said Hane.

"We

offer traditional arts and crafts and art

supplies like paint brushes," he said,

"but we also have home decor and home accent

pieces, items like candles, lamps, ceramics and

pottery... even some fashions and clothing

items."

Judging

its new locations, Hane said, shoppers are

impressed with the stores' selection and

cleanliness. "People can't get over how neat

and well-organized these stores are," he

said.

That's

music to the ears of Fayetteville officials, who

have expressed concern in recent months that the

old Wal-Mart building has become somewhat run

down since Wal-Mart moved out to its new, larger

location at Fayette Pavilion two years ago.

During

discussions of the company's request for a sign

variance last week, Councilman Kenneth Steele

suggested the company might want to refurbish the

exterior of the old building to match the rest of

the mostly vacant shopping center next to it.

"It

certainly would be an addition to the community

if they matched up the rest of the stores,"

he said.

Dick

Brady of MOR Sign Graphics said he would convey

that request to Hobby Lobby officials.

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