Tractor Supply's grand opening Saturday in Carpentersville

Anticipation for the opening of the Tractor Supply Company in Carpentersville was palbable last week as evidenced when hundreds of eager customers and job hunters stopped by the store for a deal or employment.

"It has been a crazy week," said the store's general manager Justin Wells. "In one day we handed out about 200 of our catalogs."

During the conversation, Wells also turned away at least one job seeker.

The store in Meadowdale Mall at 150 S. Kennedy Dr., officially opened May 1. A grand opening is planned for Saturday, May 15.

It was a long project for Carpentersville's Economic Development and Special Projects Manager, Janice Murphy, who began negotiating with a site selection team during the summer of 2006.

The company initially showed interest in a site on Randall Road, but Murphy said the company ultimately decided on the village's east side location.

"They found that the company's market was a little east of Randall Road," Murphy said. "That's when they started looking at Route 25."

The 38,200 square-foot store includes a sales floor offering products ranging from livestock equipment to gardening tools. The company is the largest retail farm and ranch supply store chain in the United States, and has been operating in Illinois since 1947. There are currently more than a dozen stores in communities like Alton, Bloomington, Springfield and Peoria. Another store is also planned for Harvard.

"We are the first store in the Chicago area and we are just an old-fashioned farm store," Wells said. "Our focus is on customer service."

The store will create 17 new jobs and village officials are also counting on the store to drive customers to nearby stores.

"It's fabulous," Murphy said. "They are a wonderful company and their products are good quality.

"To have this midbox retailer located in Meadowdale Mall will draw traffic to the mall area and help the fresh market and other businesses."

Village President Bill Sarto said he expects the store will find a niche market.

"I think it will be a good fit here and the store will be a success," Sarto said. "I am optimistic the marketers found a good location and I hope the store succeeds and brings in revenue for the village."

It is expected the store will draw customers from nearby Barrington Hills, home to many small stables.