By JOHN ANDERSON
First it was Five Below, then a Dollar Tree, and now, a popular store for “quality tools at low prices” is coming to the area.
Harbor Freight Tools confirmed to the Hornell Sun they are working on a new location in Hornellsville.
The loss of Valu Home Center in 2021 in the old Nichols Plaza is now the gain for the region with Harbor Freight Tools.
Town officials said the code enforcement officer is working on reviewing the plans for a permit.
Meanwhile, Harbor Freight will be starting the bidding process for the work.
JOBS
Harbor Freight Tools USA is advertising for a store manager in Hornell, which will pay between $68,050 and $97,808 a year. The store does pay managers more depending on the location of the store and experience.l.
“Our Store Managers lead teams to maximize the financial output of their stores through the optimization of talent, operational execution, and delivering a rewarding customer experience,” the job listing said. “Our Store Managers act with urgency and are driven to achieve results. They thrive on building high performance teams that execute with excellence.”
HISTORY
In 1977, Eric Smidt and his father launched Harbor Freight Tools. Today, over 40 years and 1,400 stores later, with 75 million customers they are still family-owned.
“We’ve stayed true to our mission,” Company officials said. “We’ve continued to deliver an incredible assortment of quality tools to pros and DIYers alike at prices that are up to 80% less than competing brands.”
BEST EMPLOYER FOR WOMEN
In July, Harbor Freight Tools was been named to the 2023 list of Forbes Magazine’s Best Employers for Women, and one of the top 20 best employers for women in the retail category.
Harbor Freight Tools officials said of the honor they are “committed to putting people first and helping build careers for all Associates.”
Forbes was previously recognized the company as a Best Employer for Veterans in retail for the past three years, and a Best Employer for Diversity and Inclusion.
HOT 25 RETAILERS
Harbor Freight Tools was named again to National Retail Federation’s (NRF) annual “Hot 25 Retailers” in August.
The NRF 2023 Hot 25 Retailers List ranks the nation’s fastest-growing retail companies according to sales and growth figures compiled by Kantar, a leading data and insights company.
Rankings are determined by a year-over-year percentage in sales increases, and all retail companies with global sales in excess of $2 billion were eligible.
During 2022, Harbor Freight Tools launched more than 500 new tools and products and add 122 new stores, bringing the total to over 1,400 locations nationwide.
