Hobby, Music and Sewing Sectors Add 51,000 US Jobs in 18 Months as Consumers Seek Small Joys
Updated
Updated · CNN · Sep 1
Hobby, Music and Sewing Sectors Add 51,000 US Jobs in 18 Months as Consumers Seek Small Joys
1 articles · Updated · CNN · Sep 1
Summary
Hobby, toy and game retailers added 35,000 jobs, musical groups and artists 9,000, and sewing-related retailers 7,000 in the 18 months through June—the biggest percentage employment gains in their categories.
Those three niches make up just 0.15% of the labor force but generated 9% of all US job gains in the period, as inflation pushed cars and homes out of reach and steered spending toward cheaper, feel-good purchases.
Consumer demand backed the hiring: July spending rose 27% at hobby, toy and game stores, 13.9% at fabric stores and 7% at craft shops, while US toy sales hit a six-year first-half high.
Music hiring also drew support from social media and live events—Untitled turned a TikTok hit into a record deal and tour, while inflation-adjusted spending on live entertainment rose 9.5% in 2025, the strongest non-rebound gain since 2007.
Store owners and artists said the boom also reflects demand for in-person community and hands-on activities, from board-game tables to knitting circles, as consumers seek human connection in an AI-heavy era.