Harbor Freight to open next week in Cape Girardeau

Harbor Freight Tools will open its doors in Cape Girardeau next week, a company spokeswoman confirmed Monday.

The soft opening for the store in Town Plaza, at 2136 William St., is set for July 17, said Lisa Hartley with Harbor Freight�s media department.

A grand opening is set for Aug. 1, she added.

Harbor Freight will occupy the former AMC Town Plaza 5 Cinema site with a 15,000-square-foot store, set to employ between 35 and 40 people, Hartley said.

Eric Smidt, president of Harbor Freight Tools, said in a statement the company is thrilled to be opening the 22nd Harbor Freight Tools store in Missouri, and is pleased at the warm welcome received in Cape Girardeau.

Harbor Freight Tools is seen Monday in Town Plaza in Cape Girardeau.BEN MATTHEWS

According to earlier reporting by the Southeast Missourian, the project was originally set for completion in October 2017, but was delayed by �engineering challenges,� including removal of two load-bearing walls.

Greater Missouri Builders, the St. Charles, Missouri, company that owns Town Plaza, typically renovates spaces for tenants, company president Scott Campbell told the Southeast Missourian in December.

But late last year, Harbor Freight took over design and construction.

A second building permit was issued Feb. 20 after the original building plan was revised.

The California-based chain, founded in 1977, has more than 800 stores nationwide � including in Sikeston, Poplar Bluff and Farmington, in Missouri � and in Paducah, Kentucky.

mniederkorn@semissourian.com

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