T-L Photo/CARRI GRAHAM Harbor Freight Tools will open sometime in the fall in the former ICR Sales and Supply location at the Ohio Valley Mall in St. Clairsville. Harbor Freight to open new location in St. Clairsville

ST. CLAIRSVILLE — Harbor Freight Tools is planning to join the Ohio Valley Mall family of stores with the opening of its new location.

The new store will be located inside the former ICR Sales and Supply, which closed in July 2021, located at 67661 Mall Ring Road. The space has remained empty since ICR left and is located on the mall perimeter in between Candlewood Suites and Ferguson’s House of Furniture.

Harbor Freight is expected to open this fall. An official opening date will be announced once the establishment gets closer to opening its doors, according to a release.

Joe Bell, spokesman for the mall’s parent company Cafaro Co., said renovations of the building are underway by the company. The store stated that it is employing local workers and companies from the area to perform the work.

“We’ve been looking to open another location in St. Clairsville for a number of years so that we can provide the tools and equipment at tremendous values to the community,” Trey Feiler, senior vice president of real estate and construction for Harbor Freight Tools, stated in a release.

“In addition to finding a great location, we were attracted by the availability of great associates in the St. Clairsville area, and we look forward to having them join the Harbor Freight team.”

Bell said the store has become a popular supplier nationwide for a variety of tools.

“You can buy everything from small hand tools to large power equipment,” he said.

Bell said he believes Harbor Freight is a “great fit” for the area. He said mall officials are looking forward to welcoming the tool shop to the mall’s array of shops.

“There are always people in the marketplace looking for a large supplier for hardware – it’s almost like you can’t have enough of it. People are always looking for this tool, that tool for this fixture or something as small as a nut or bolt. Harbor Freight has a great reputation and great prices. They pride themselves on being able to undercut a lot of their competitors on prices,” he said.

Harbor Freight Tools is expected to create between 25 and 30 new jobs in the community, including sales and logistic supervisors, senior associates, sales associates, as well as seasonal opportunities. The store offers employees’ a “competitive starting rate” and a benefits package that includes health care coverage and Thanksgiving and Christmas holidays off. The company employees over 25,000 associates at more than 1,300 locations nationwide.

According to a release, Forbes Magazine recently recognized Harbor Freight as one of the top 20 large employers in all of retail, one of the top employers in terms of diversity, a top employer for women, and one of the country’s best employers for veterans for two years in a row. Additionally, Diversityjobs.com recognized the company as a top employer for its commitment to diversity and inclusion.

“Harbor Freight recognizes that its people are key to its success and is committed to being the best place to work in any industry,” the company stated.

Interested applicants can apply for the St. Clairsville location online at harborfreightjobs.com/retail.