Harbor Freight officially opened May 30. A grand opening is planned for June 17.
Harbor Freight officially opened its doors on May 30, filling half the space that previously housed Peebles and Gordman’s in the Milford Plaza Shopping Center. A grand opening is planned for June 17.
“This is our second store in Kent County,” Craig Hoffman, Director of Communications, said. “We’re excited about this new location because it is more convenient for customers in the Milford Community. Now that we have opened, customers will not need to drive to Dover or Seaford.”
Although smaller than other Harbor Freight locations in Delaware, the Milford location carries Harbor Freight’s full line of tools and accessories geared toward automotive, air and power tools, storage, outdoor power equipment, generators plus much more.
“We chose to open in Milford due to the wide pool of qualified applicants,” Hoffman said. “This store will bring 25 to 30 new jobs to the area. We offer competitive pay, great benefits and the opportunity to advance.”
The opening of the store was exciting news for some.
“Harbor Freight in Milford is open for everything we didn’t know we needed plus some,” Ben Tebbens posted on social media. Tim Cantwell called the store “the adult male Toys R Us.”
Harbor Freight opened in 1977 when Eric Smidt and his father, Allan, opened their first store, Harbor Freight and Salvage, in a small building in California. It began as a mail order tool business, specializing in liquidated and returned items. As the company grew, the name changed to Harbor Freight Tools and began including in-house brands in their retail outlets.
The company is also known for its philanthropy, with one of their core values giving back to the communities where they live, work and serve. In 2013, the company donated $1.4 million in tools and equipment to the Los Angeles Unified School District as well as $100,000 in tools to South Carolina schools. In 2016, the company formed The Smidt Foundation designed to support education, health, safety and community needs. The Harbor Freight Tools for Schools Prize for Teaching Excellence also awards over $1 million to skilled trades teachers.
Hoffman explained that the store is still hiring for many positions. Those interested may apply at www.harborfreightjobs.com/retail. Once on the site, search for Milford DE. Store hours are 8 AM to 8 PM Monday through Saturday and 9 AM to 6 PM on Sunday.
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