May 6—ASHTABULA TOWNSHIP — Harbor Freight Tools will put 25 to 30 area residents to work when it officially opens its new store at 8 a.m. May 21 at 3315 N. Ridge Road E, in the former Office Max building.

The store will be open seven days a week from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Saturday, and from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Sunday.

More than 40 million customers, from professional contractors and technicians to homeowners and hobbyists, shop at Harbor Freight to find the tools and equipment they need to get the job done.

The store will stock a large selection of tools and equipment, including automotive, air and power tools, storage, outdoor power equipment, generators, welding supplies, shop equipment, hand tools and much more. The stores are smaller and much easier to shop than the huge home improvement centers.

This new store is the 51st Harbor Freight Tools store in Ohio.

OfficeMax closed its doors Nov. 13.

OfficeMax/Office Depot reportedly lost more than $850 million during the pandemic, according to its corporate headquarters in Boca Raton, Fla.

Harbor Freight then purchased the 3.3-acre property.

Last year, Forbes Magazine recognized Harbor Freight as one of the top 20 large employers in all of retail, one of the top employers in terms of diversity, one of the top employers for women and one of the country's top employers for veterans.

"Our team is ready to serve and deliver value to customers in Ashtabula and all of Ashtabula County," said Daniel Buechel, store manager. "At Harbor Freight, we recognize that now, more than ever, our customers depend on us for the tools they need to get the job done at an affordable price."

Harbor Freight Tools got its start in 1977 as a Southern California based mail-order company. Harbor Freight is still owned and led by founder Eric Smidt.

The company opened its first store in 1980. Today, Harbor Freight Tools has more than 1,200 stores across the country, 24,000 associates and more than 40 million customers.