NEPTUNE - Craft store Hobby Lobby is bringing another store to Monmouth County.

The retailer, which has stores in Holmdel, Marlboro and Howell, has leased a large store at the Neptune Plaza Shopping Center on Route 66, according to Azarian Realty Co., the shopping center’s leasing and managing agent. The store is expected to open in 2024.

The lease of the 58,952-square-foot space fills an anchor store on the Route 66-facing portion of the shopping center vacated after Marshalls and Home Goods left in 2020. Hobby Lobby will join KPot Korean BBQ & Hot Pot, a new renter announced in September 2022.

“When Marshalls and Home Goods relocated in the market, it left considerable upside and opportunity to reposition the Neptune Plaza Shopping Center for the long-term ownership group we represent,” said Kevin Pelio, senior director of leasing at Azarian Realty Co., who represented the landlord in the lease transaction. Michael Testa of Jeffery Realty represented Hobby Lobby.

“Hobby Lobby was able to see that long-term vision and their future success at the property as well,” Pelio said in a statement. “We are slated to begin the oversight of the renovation and construction on this box in the next few weeks and look forward to Hobby Lobby’s highly anticipated opening.”

The addition of the craft store means that Neptune Plaza Shopping Center is now 99.3% leased, with only a 1,621-square-foot shop available, Azarian Realty said in a post on LinkedIn. The center is anchored by an 113,000-square-foot ShopRite supermarket. Other tenants include IHOP and Carvel and a free-standing TD Bank branch.

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David P. Willis, an award-winning business writer, has covered business and consumer news at the Asbury Park Press for more than 20 years. He writes APP.com's What's Going There column and can be reached at dwillis@gannettnj.com. Join his What's Going There page on Facebook for updates.

This article originally appeared on Asbury Park Press: Neptune NJ getting Hobby Lobby store on Route 66