LINCOLN -- A new Harps Food Store in Lincoln will be 50 percent larger and have a fuel station, according to J. Max Van Hoose, vice president of store planning with the company.
Plans have not been finalized but the new store may open spring or summer 2017. It will be located on four acres along Pridemore Drive, west of Lincoln Post Office. Harps purchased four parcels in early April and the company has started demolishing buildings on the land and started initial site work, Van Hoose said.
The new store will have 22,000 square feet, compared to 14,000 square feet in the current store, and will be similar to Harps stores in Waldron, Belfone and Inola, Okla.
The significant differences between the present store and the new facility will be the fuel station and an expanded selection of food and other items across the board, Van Hoose said.
Lincoln Mayor Rob Hulse said the city has been working with Harps for about a year to get to this point.
"We're tickled to death that Harps wants to build a new one in our community," Hulse said. "It definitely will improve the shopping experience. We're excited Harps has decided to invest here. They've been a part of Lincoln for a long time and will be here for years to come."
Hulse said Richard Cooper, manager of Farmers Co-Op True Value in Lincoln, set up a meeting for the two men to meet with a Harps representative months ago.
Hulse said he first wanted to thank Harps for being a member of the community and express appreciation for what the company does for Lincoln and the surrounding area. But the men also asked if Harps would ever consider remodeling its existing store or building a new one.
Cooper on Friday said he was given permission to show the Harps representative sales figures on how Farmers Co-Op has increased its business since moving to a new location on Pridemore Drive.
"Our sales have been wonderful since we moved," Cooper said.
The man was impressed but he also acknowledged he could not provide any information on Harps' future plans in Lincoln, Cooper recalled.
The meeting went well, Cooper said.
Several months later, Hulse received the news that Harps had started the groundwork for finding property for a new store.
"This is just another opportunity for us to move forward in Lincoln," Hulse said.
Cooper said a new Harps store will mean more jobs for Lincoln and more people moving to the area.
"People like to move into towns where they are showing progress and Lincoln is showing progress," Cooper said. "We needed something like this for a long time. I think it's the best thing that has happened to Lincoln in a long time."
General News on 06/22/2016