Harbor Freight now open in Porterville
Harbor Freight Tools is now open in Porterville. The store is located at the former Sears location at 580 S. Jaye Street.
The 23,000-square-foot store has a full selection of tools and accessories in areas such as automotive, air and power tools, storage, outdoor power equipment, generators, welding supplies, shop equipment and hand tools.
Harbor Freight stated the new store will bring 35 new jobs to the community. The store has been open since Tuesday.
“Really, really busy,” said Javi Sanchez, a supervisor for the store about how much business the store has been doing. “We’ve just been swamped. People just swarming in.”
While the store has been busy, it’s still be limiting the number of people that can be allowed into the store. Even though the store is a retail store that meets California guidelines for in-store service, the store is still limiting the number of customers inside to 25.
All employees are also required to wear masks. While Sanchez said the store isn’t requiring customers to wear masks, he said the store is recommending customers to wear masks to protect themselves and employees.
Sanchez said the store is open 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. seven days a week. Once the COVID-19 crisis is over, Sanchez said the store will switch to its regular hours from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. seven days
a week. Sanchez also said the store plans to hold its grand opening on Friday, June 5.
“We’re ready to serve and deliver value to customers in Porterville and all of Tulare County,” said store manager Chad Burke. “At Harbor Freight, we recognize that now, more than ever, our customers depend on Harbor Freight for the tools they need to get the job done at an affordable price. We are the place for quality tools at the lowest prices for mechanics, contractors, homeowners and hobbyists — any tool user who cares about value.”
The store will also feature welding supplies and all of its hand tools will come with a lifetime warranty.
During the COVID-19 crisis, all Harbor Freight stores have implemented more frequent cleaning and are following the guidelines from the Center for Disease Control, including social distancing to protect the health and safety of customers and employees. Customers can also shop on Harbor Freight’s website at www. harborfreight.com.