ELBURN – Napa Auto Parts at 113 N. Main St. in Elburn is moving to a different facility just down the street – the former Patten Cat location on Route 47, south of Keslinger Road.
Napa owner Jaret Adrian said the move to 1001 S. Main St. should be done by the end of this month, and will provide ample parking for Napa customers, as well as more space for on-site inventory.
Adrian, who owns five Napa stores including the one in Elburn, said he's also moving the regional operation/receiving center for all five stores to Elburn. His other stores are in North Aurora, Yorkville, Sandwich and Hinckley.
At 10,500 square feet, Elburn will be the largest of Adrian's facilities – nearly double the size of the current, 6,500 square-foot store in downtown Elburn.
The new location will include a 3,200 square-foot showroom, additional store hours and more traditional retail parts. The second story of the building will house offices.
This additional space will allow Adrian to increase his buying power, resulting in more aggressive pricing for customers on certain product lines, he said.
Adrian said he's happy he found another location within Elburn, as he's been in business in Elburn since 1998 and has a core group of customers in the area. Staying on Route 47 was important to him.
"Everything was aligned perfectly," he said. "It's the right land and the right opportunity."
The property includes two parcels of land, about nine acres each. His business will be located on the northern portion, which is within the boundaries of the village of Elburn. He said it is "still to be determined" what he will do with the southern nine acres, which are in unincorporated Kane County.
Adrian also anticipates listing his current location in downtown Elburn for sale.
"Right now my focus is on opening up our business," he said.
The expansion will create five new positions – a mix of sales and managerial. The business is made up of about 75 percent wholesale suppliers and 25 percent retail sales.
When asked about the new Auto Zone moving into town, Adrian said that he has competition in every market, so he is not unfamiliar with it.
"It's good for everyone," he said. "It keeps us on our game."
Elburn Village President Dave Anderson said he is "thrilled" about Napa's move.
"I think this is an extremely positive move for Napa and for the business community in Elburn," Anderson said. "Any time you open a commercial business or expand it... it's a positive."
Anderson said the move will mean jobs, real estate taxes and sales tax.
"There are no negatives to this," Anderson said.
The Patten property has been vacant for six years, ever since the Caterpillar rental business left in 2010. Last year, the Kane County Forest Preserve District looked into the possibility of purchasing the land to house its Natural Resources Department.
At the time, several residents and village officials were concerned about the loss of property taxes and sales tax, due to the tax-exempt status of the district.
Patten has been paying $31,000 in property taxes on its property – $21,000 of which goes to the Kaneland School District.
"We're happy to keep the tax dollars in the community," Adrian said.