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ELKINS -- Residents driving on the Beverly Five-lane may have noticed that a new business is moving into the former Rite Aid Pharmacy building, but company officials said this week it won't be opening for several months.
Last week O'Reilly Auto Parts placed its trademark signs on each side of the building, letting everyone know that the franchise will be opening at the location.
"We absolutely have a project that we are working on there in Elkins," O'Reilly corporate spokesman Mark Merz told The Inter-Mountain Thursday. "We really don't have any specific dates for an opening at this point, but it does look like we are probably a little bit away, so it doesn't look like it will be within the next six months."
Merz confirmed the business will open in the year 2021, however. He said the company does not like to provide a lot of information this early in the development process, because they don't want to disappoint customers who are waiting for it to open.
"We don't want to say we are going to open a store in say March, April or May, and then because of construction delays or something else, we don't open at that time and we ultimately disappoint," said Merz. "When we get about 30 days prior to the store's opening, we do a soft opening and then about 30 days later we do an official grand opening type of event."
Merz says O'Reilly makes a donation to a local organization anytime the company opens a store in a new area. He also said the official grand opening will be a celebration of sorts featuring specials and giveaways.
O'Reilly, which is leasing the building of its new location, not only provides auto parts to all the do-it-yourselfers out there, but to the top notch mechanics as well.
"We sell parts and provide guidance to customers who are trying to fix their cars themselves," Merz said. "And we also provide parts to installers and the professional mechanics who work at the garages and dealerships."
Even if O'Reilly doesn't feature a garage for big mechanical issues, it has team members that are willing to help out with any small issues that may arise.
"We will absolutely help you put your windshield wipers on, or help you install your battery," Merz said. "Those small mechanical issues are a customer service benefit that we like to provide."
O'Reilly is one of the biggest auto parts retailers in the United States. It has grown from a single store in Missouri in 1957 to a business consisting of 5,592 stores across the U.S. O'Reilly currently employs more than 76,000 individuals.
Merz said when the store is close to opening in Elkins, a phone number will be posted on the location's doors for those interested in applying for a job.