No, Hobby Lobby is Not Closing Its Stores

If it's on the internet, it MUST be true, right?  Uh, no! Not necessarily. A story is spreading that Hobby Lobby is planning to close all its stores nationwide. It appeared on an obscure website, called newsclub.today. The story quotes the CEO of the popular chain as saying they can no longer stay in business because of pressure to engage in practices that violate their Christian principles. I've worked in media for many years, never heard of this website before today. This is an urban legend from several years ago, that's being recirculated. Hobby Lobby is a huge chain, with 500 stores in 41 states. It's hugely popular with arts & crafts enthusiasts nationwide. This begs a question. Why are no nationally known media covering this? The answer is simple. It isn't true. The story is what people in my profession refer to as "click bait." The creators of this garbage pick a controversial subject, and fabricate inflammatory stories. Theses articles often contain viruses. Please remember, the internet isn't always a safe place.