NAPA breaks ground on new Harrisburg location

NAPA Tire and Auto Parts broke ground on their new building in Harrisburg on Thursday morning.

The local NAPA is a family owned business and has been run by the Stroup family for 105 years. The Stroup family opened the Harrisburg store nine years ago and have reached a point where they need a bigger building to serve their customers.

"We have had really good growth," Greg Stroup, company president said. "This will be a hub store also. We can stock parts and send them to our other stores from here."

The new location is on the southwest corner of the state Route 13 bypass and Veterans Drive and Stroup said that the company hopes to have the store open by late spring or early summer.

Harrisburg Mayor Dale Fowler presided over the ceremony, which was attended by local business leaders and city officials.

"I'm glad to be at another groundbreaking ceremony," Fowler said. "I'd love to see one of these every week."

Stroup spoke to the audience, stating how happy he was to be starting the new building and that he was looking forward to providing expanded service to his customers.

"We are really excited about this expansion and growing our business," Stroup said. "We are looking forward to continuing to serve the public."

The Stroup owned NAPA's comprise some 48 different locations in Illinois, with stores locally in Harrisburg, Eldorado, Vienna, West Frankfort and Johnston City.