WINCHESTER, VA-Privately-held Hobby Lobby isaggressively expanding in Maryland and Virginia with an eye toexecuting leases on stores that are close to the DC Beltway. Theretailer has just opened its fourth location in the region, inSalisbury, MD, and next month it will open its fifth store here.“Hobby Lobby doesn’t have a set number of stores it is opening inthe region but it does have an ‘open to buy’ for the DC/Baltimorearea,” H&R Retail’s president DavidWard tells GlobeSt.com. “It will execute its sixth leasein Maryland this week.”

Ward and colleague Ben Hoskins representedHobby Lobby in the transactions. Jim Crilley withH&R Retail represented the landlord in the Salisburytransaction. In Salisbury it has taken a 56,800-square foot leaseat North Point Plaza. In Winchester, it is leasing 55,793 squarefoot lease at South Pleasant Valley Road. H&R is exclusivelyrepresenting Hobby Lobby in Maryland, Virginia and theDistrict.

All together, the retailer hopes to have opened dozens oflocations nationally by next year, Ward says. “Because it is aprivate company it doesn’t have to report its pipeline but it is ina solid financial position” for this growth, he says. Hobby Lobby’spreference is for 55,000 or so square feet in shopping centers thathave a strong co-tenancy. “It likes to be with other anchors and itloves power centers,” Ward says.