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North 40 Outfitters is evolving into its new location at 3180 U.S. Highway 2 West and the goal is to be able to move there by the end of the year.
"This is a good move, not only us, but for the community and the Hi-Line region," North 40 Outfitters Community Relations Coordinator Drew Steinberger said.
While the store now operates in a 40,000 square foot location in the Holiday Village Mall, North 40 will be able to expand in its new 91,000 square foot building, allowing the store to offer more variety, Steinberger said.
Steinberger added that the goal is for the building to be done by the end of the year, "tentatively." The hours will remain the same as the current store, Monday through Saturday from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. and Sunday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
"When we start here, it is still going to be an ongoing three-, six-, 12-month project to finalize things and to also feel out what the needs are in our community," Steinberger said.
Sales Presentation Manager John Teini said he came to work with North 40 in 2007, but also has worked with the farm and ranch industry for over 20 years.
He added that he was born and raised in Roundup. He currently has a family farm and ranch and said he is deeply rooted in the agriculture community component there.
"It helps me understand what our customers need in our industry here through the store," Teini said.
North 40 Outfitters has 10 stores between Montana, Idaho and Washington. While Havre is moving into a new facility, Great Falls will be adding second store, bringing the total locations to 11 in the future.
Steinberger said it is no coincidence that the past three locations, including Havre, were previous Kmart buildings.
The new location in Havre will have a customer service area for any questions and returns, with a new customer service feature for the store.
"More importantly this desk and area will be a hub for what we will call buy online and pick up in the store which should be a great opportunity for this community where they can buy something, pick it up, pulled off the shelf or readily available for them to come in the store and pick it up," Teini said. "We'll pick it and pull it and they can be their way as soon as possible."
"This is one of the big things about our business as we transition into new buying online, and even though online shopping isn't new, it is fairly new to us as a farm and ranch retailer," Steinberger said.
They can now pick and pull an order for somebody within an hour, he added, and it is extremely convenient, with lots of opportunities for different buying needs
"As part of being competitive with large online retailers and these large national retail chains it gives us a seat at the big table to help compete with them," Steinberger said.
The new store will also feature a larger section of clothes and shoes.
"It'll be like a real shoe store," Teini said.
Along with clothes and shoes, the store will have a designated lawn and garden center, an automotive and hardware and tool section, pets and animal health area, a power equipment center, and an archery section with a hands-on archery range.
Steinberger said since they have moved into more recreational items they have adopted the tagline "work and play" to show that the company's new focus will give customers the opportunity to have both.
"We just want to let people know that, when you come in, we can outfit you from the start of your job to when you take off your work hat and put on your fun hat - we cover that as well," Steinberger said.
Steinberger and Teini both said one thing that makes them really stand out amongst other retailers is their extra level of service. For example, they said if someone purchases a lawnmower from their store they will gas it up, put oil in it and make sure it runs before it is taken home.
The remodeling project on their new building is over 50 percent done, but there's still a lot to do, they added, but the goal is to be finished with the work by the end of the year.
"We are constantly seeking applications for qualified people who want to do an assortment of jobs," Steinberger said. "Anyone who wants to apply, go to https://north40.com ."
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