https://archive.triblive.com/news/oreilly-auto-supply-chain-plans-store-off-route-8-in-hampton/
O'Reilly auto supply chain plans store off Route 8 in Hampton
Deborah Deasy | Tribune-Review
Missouri-based O’Reilly Automotive Stores has applied for approval to build a new store at the site of a onetime commercial garage and used car lot on Route 8 in Hampton.
Wheels are turning to put another auto parts store on Route 8 in Hampton.
The busy state road already is home to four Hampton retail outlets for as many national vendors of auto parts and supplies: the National Automotive Parts Association (NAPA), Hovis Auto & Truck Supply, AutoZone and Advance Auto Parts.
O'Reilly Automotive Stores of Springfield, Mo., another national chain with stores in 44 states, has applied to build one of its newest outlets at 5044 Route 8 near the Pennsylvania Turnpike.
Hampton Council was to vote Wednesday, after the deadline for this edition, on a revised site plan for the new, 11,306-square-foot store.
O'Reilly Automotive Stores proposes to build the store at the former site of Premium Plus, a closed used car lot next to the offices of Howard Hanna Real Estate Services.
O'Reilly Automotive Stores bought the approximately 1.4-acre property and one-time commercial garage in October 2015 for $660,000, according to Allegheny County property records.
A spokesman for O'Reilly Automotive Stores confirmed that the chain is interested in opening a store at the site, but declined to say when the proposed Hampton store might open.
“The reason that we don't like to provide much information this early in a new store development cycle is because so many things can change,” said Mark Merz, director of external reporting and investor relations for O'Reilly Automotive Stores.
“The last thing we want to do is disappoint our potential customers,” Merz said. “If we say, ‘Hey, we're going to put a store there,' and then maybe because of a million different reasons — between zoning and contracting and development — it doesn't open when we thought it would, or maybe it doesn't open at all, we don't want to disappoint. So we don't like to give much information until about 90 days before we open.”
O'Reilly Automotive Stores currently operates more than 4,600 U.S. stores, Merz said. But only three of the stores are in Pennsylvania, according to the corporation's website. The website shows two O'Reilly auto parts stores in Erie County and one in Greenville, Mercer County.
“For 2016, our goal is to open 210 new stores across the country,” Merz said. “We look for thriving communities, growing communities, communities with a robust population and robust vehicle population with lots of miles driven.”
Deborah Deasy is a Tribune-Review staff writer. Reach her at 724-772-6369 or ddeasy@tribweb.com.
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