David Green, born Nov. 13, 1941, in Emporia, Kan., is the founder of Hobby Lobby, a chain of arts and crafts stores.
After moving to Oklahoma, while a store manager with the variety store chain TG&Y, in 1970 Green took a $600 loan and started a home business in his garage assembling and selling miniature picture frames. The business, Greco Products, capitalized on a decorating fad of the time. By August 1972, the business had thrived to such an extent that Green and his wife were able to open a 300 square foot store in northwest Oklahoma City. In 1975, Green left his 13 – year career with TG&Y and opened a second Hobby Lobby location with 6,000 square feet of space.
Green is from a family of preachers and asserts that he has built his business squarely on biblical principles. Green is very supportive of Christian organizations, and is the largest individual donor to Evangelical causes in the United States. Green commits half of Hobby Lobby’s total pretax earnings to a portfolio of evangelical ministries and as of 2012, he has donated an estimated $500 million.
Green lives in southwest Oklahoma City with his wife, Barbara. They have three children. The eldest son, Mart Green, is the founder and CEO of Mardel Christian and Education and Every Tribe Entertainment. Steve Green is president of Hobby Lobby, as well as founder and primary funder of the Museum of the Bible in Washington D.C. Daughter Darsee Lett is Creative Director for the Hobby Lobby stores.
Think about it: Everyone is born creative; everyone is given a box of crayons in kindergarten. Then when you hit puberty, they take the crayons away and replace them with dry, uninspiring books on algebra and history. Being suddenly hit years later with the creative bug is just a wee voice telling you, ‘I’d like my crayons back, please.’ ~Hugh MacLeod.
Made me laugh: My hobbies include eating and complaining that I’ve gained too much weight.
Keeping the New Year’s resolutions going: Walk to a coworker’s office instead of emailing them. We sit too much, and the Mayo Clinic says sitting can be as deadly as smoking and obesity.
Trunk or Treat in Guymon: The City of Guymon and all their partners had a wonderful Trunk or Treat on Halloween. Sheila Martin says they took 3,000 pieces of candy, gave them all out, ran to the store for more and gave all that out, too. The handed out 1,148 free hot dogs and 1,280 bags of chips. Charles White’s team had premade 600 cotton candy and gave those out in the first hour. They continued making the cotton candy through the time the Trunk or Treat lasted. Good job, everyone!
Guymon Community Theatre: The have “12 Angry Jurors” playing Nov. 6, 7, 13, 14 at 7 pm; and Nov. 8, 15 at 2 pm. For more information call 580-338-0019. The theatre is located at 413 N. Main in Guymon.
See you on the bricks!