Hobby Lobby has been sent a cease and desist order, after the craft store claimed to be an “essential store” and remained open during the current coronavirus pandemic. According to ABC News 5 in Cleveland, Ohio, the state’s Attorney General Dave Yost sent the order, chiding the business for not shutting down after the Ohio governor issued a stay-at-home order.
The craft store initially shut down on March 21 when the stay-at-home order was first handed down, but reopened later, claiming to be “essential.” The situation caught quite a lot of attention on social media, with Yost taking to Twitter to blast the store. “Hobby Lobby properly closed its stores during Ohio’s stay-home order. Now they’re open again — what’s changed? Neither the order, nor the seriousness of the health threat, for sure.” he wrote. “I sent a cease & desist letter to their general counsel.” The tweet has garnered some responses, with one user saying, “If they feel like the order was a suggestion perhaps they shouldn’t have a license for business in the state.”
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This is what happens when your Republican Party is hi-jacked by evangelical/Trump bootlickers who believe they have the right to do as they please, no matter if it hurts others or not. They only respect authority when it is what they “believe in” and science/Gov DeWine is a NO!!
— Don DeLotell (@dondelotell12) April 1, 2020
“I called our local Joann Fabrics, and they are open. Specifically told me they are essential because of ‘their relationship with the hospital.’ What is the difference between them and Hobby Lobby?” another user asked. “Sincere question. Both sell fabric, notions, and other miscellaneous.”
“Joanns in WV has been donating pre cut material to people making masks for healthcare workers and collecting them back to donate,” someone else replied. “Maybe the one there is doing the same?”
“I work for a large health care system in Ohio. We aren’t allowed to wear homemade masks,” the first user then responded. “Kits could easily be left in an outdoor display for curbside pickup for local residents for personal use. Store itself doesn’t need to be open.”
I was in the @JoAnn_Stores in Hudson where people were buying materials to make masks — and then dropping the masks back off later for distribution.
The one woman dropped off something like 200 masks she and her friend had made.
— Adam VanHo 🇺🇸 (@adamvanho) April 1, 2020
At this time, it is unclear is Hobby Lobby will comply and close down its stores.
