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SUFFOLK, Virginia — A spokesperson with Harbor Freight confirmed to Suffolk News-Herald that construction for a new store in Suffolk is set to begin in September, with a tentative opening in November. The new location will mark the retailer’s 38th store in Virginia and its first in Suffolk. The new location will be located in the Suffolk Shopping Center on N. Main St.

“We’ve been looking to open a location in Suffolk for a while now, but we always believe in waiting until we find a location that meets our needs and the needs of our customers:  good visibility, easy access, ample parking, and the right square footage,” Harbor Freight spokesperson Donna Walker said.”This particular location, in the Suffolk Shopping Center, will be 16,800 square feet which is smaller than the so-called “Big Box” stores in our category, and which we feel is a competitive advantage.”

Walker says the store’s size will make it easier for shoppers to find what they need quickly, minimizing time away from the job site or workshop.

“Many of our customers are professional trades workers who want to stop in, find what they need and then head out quickly to their job site or workshop,” she said. “For other customers, this size makes it easier to browse and find our great deals. All our customers will find a full selection of quality tools and accessories in categories including automotive, air and power tools, storage, outdoor power equipment, generators, welding supplies, shop equipment, hand tools and more, at lowest prices, which has been our mission since we began more than 45 years ago.”

Walker says the company plans to hire locally, bringing 25-30 new jobs to the Suffolk community.

“We also chose to open in Suffolk because we feel there is a wide pool of qualified applicants to join our team.  We hire locally, and in addition to the construction workers we’ll be hiring, we’ll be bringing an additional new 25-30 jobs to the Suffolk community. We consider ourselves to be one of the best places to work in the retail industry, with highly competitive pay, great benefits, and the opportunity to advance in one of the fastest-growing companies in retail.”

Interested applicants can apply online at www.harborfreightjobs.com/retail by searching for “Suffolk, VA.”