LINCOLN -- The growth of Lincoln took a "leap" last week with the opening of a new Harps Food Store on West Pridemore Drive, just west of the Lincoln Post Office, community leaders say.

"There's been a lot of little movement in a good direction in Lincoln," said Heather Keenen, Lincoln Chamber of Commerce president. "This is a leap."

The Chamber sponsored a ribbon cutting the morning of June 7 and then the new Harps opened for business. It offered grand opening specials and vendors were in the store handing out coupons for free items.

"We're just beyond excited," Keenen said, prior to the grand opening ceremony. "Harps has been a good partner with Lincoln and the chamber and we're excited to continue that partnership."

J. Max Van Hoose, vice president of store planning, welcomed a large crowd at the grand opening. Store employees, city, school and Chamber representatives and people from the community gathered to see the new building.

"On behalf of Harps, we want to say how excited we are to still be in Lincoln," Van Hoose said.

Harps first opened in Lincoln about 25 years ago and Van Hoose said it was time for an upgrade. He thanked Mayor Rob Hulse, Richard Cooper with Farmers Co-Op True Value and other community leaders who helped with the process to purchase property in Lincoln.

Van Hoose also thanked store manager R. C. Capper and his staff for their work and effort.

"R.C. and his staff made the Lincoln store successful and I can only imagine how successful this store will be."

Hulse said he and Cooper met with Van Hoose last year for two reasons.

"One was to show our appreciation for what Harps has meant to Lincoln and also to see if they would be interested in renovating their store or would you be willing to build a new store," Hulse told those at the grand opening.

"A few months later, we got the call. 'We're ready to move.'"

Hulse referred to the 1989 movie, "Field of Dreams," in which an Iowa farmer built a baseball field and thousands came to see it.

Farmers Co-Op tripled the size of its store and has seen business grow, Hulse said. He predicted the same will happen with the new Harps store.

"We hope this springboards other businesses to come to Lincoln," Hulse said. "We want growth and this is a step in that direction."

The new Harps store has 22,500 square feet, compared to 13,000 square feet in the old store on West Pridemore. It has expanded sections for ice cream, frozen food, produce, meat and many other items.

In addition, the new store has a bakery, deli, gas station and a pharmacy, led by pharmacist Luke Hall. Hall is the former owner of Bell Pharmacy on Lincoln Square, which closed its doors June 6.

Capper said the new store will employ 65 people, double the number in the old building.

"I'm proud to be here," Capper said. "I told my staff this is like Christmas day. I've been in the restaurant business for 40 years and this is my first brand new store. It's pretty exciting."

It was obvious that customers were impressed with the new store.

"I think it's going to be wonderful for Lincoln," said Carole Kennedy. "This is big enough to have everything. I can't believe we have something so nice in Lincoln. I think it's beautiful."

Joe Sposato, a former coach and teacher with Lincoln Consolidated School District, said the new Harps will be an asset for Lincoln.

"This is a start of bigger and better things for our town," Sposato said.

Cooper agreed that the new Harps was a "start of things to come."

He added, "I think it's the best thing that every happened to the town of Lincoln."