Harbor Freight announces opening plans for store in former Wisconsin Rapids Shopko building
WISCONSIN RAPIDS – The former Shopko store will once again be buzzing with new shoppers this summer.
Craig Hoffman, Harbor Freight’s director of corporate communications, told the Daily Tribune the company plans to open sometime mid-summer but doesn’t have a specific date set yet. Harbor Freight is one of four retailers that plan to move into the former Shopko building, including Big Lots, Marshalls and Five Below.
A spokesperson for Big Lots told the Daily Tribune this week the company did not have any updates to share yet, and messages left for Marshalls and Five Below were not returned.
Hoffman said Harbor Freight is excited about its new Wisconsin Rapids location and offering a more convenient place to shop for residents who otherwise had to travel 18 miles to the Stevens Point store or 25 miles to Marshfield.
The Shopko building was a perfect fit for the store. Hoffman said Harbor Freight had been looking for a location in Wisconsin Rapids for a while and waited until they found a location that would work best for the store and customers. The location at 1100 E. Riverview Expressway has good visibility, is easily accessible and has plenty of parking, Hoffman said.
The square footage available within the former big-box store was also the right fit, he said. Harbor Freight will take up 15,000 square feet of the building. Hoffman said the smaller store size gives Harbor Freight a competitive advantage, as it allows professional trades workers to find what they need quickly and other customers can easily browse and find great deals.
Hoffman said Harbor Freight also chose Wisconsin Rapids for a new location because of its workforce, offering a wide pool of qualified applicants. The company hired local construction workers to renovate the space and will employ 25 to 30 people when the store opens. Jobs can be found at harborfreightjobs.com/retail, searching for Wisconsin Rapids, WI, he said.
Harbor Freight is a California-based discount tool and hardware store, offering a variety of tools, automotive parts, generators, engines, lawn and garden, home and security, welding, plumbing, electrical, hardware, painting, construction, lighting and more at lower prices. According to the company’s website, shoppers can find tools up to 80% less than competing brands. The Wisconsin Rapids store will be the company’s 26th location in the state.
For more information, visit harborfreight.com or find Harbor Freight on Facebook.
More: Wisconsin Rapids Streetwise: Retail updates and the start of the mini golf season
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This article originally appeared on Wisconsin Rapids Daily Tribune: When will Harbor Freight open in former Wisconsin Rapids Shopko?
