Serving Lincoln County for more than a century!
Serving Lincoln County for more than a century!
Frank and Marcus Horak were open and ready to assist customers like Eddie Carroll Tuesday morning.
Tuesday morning, Frank and Marcus Horak opened for business as usual. Just not in the usual place.
In just a little over two months, the brothers have purchased the old VFW building, remodeled it and moved their entire Odessa Auto Parts inventory from their former location on West First Ave.
According to the brothers, the whole idea began around July 1, when they made an offer on the VFW building. The purchase was finalized at the beginning of August, and the real work began.
Each evening, the Horaks would put up the “Closed” sign at the store, then turn their hands to gutting and remodeling the dining and meeting area of the VFW hall. Each layer removed revealed one more thing that needed to be done. Suspended ceilings hid 2 x 6 sub ceiling and when that was removed, they found gaping holes in the walls where conduit had been run.
When the carpeting was removed, a hardwood floor was revealed. The Horaks sanded and refinished it, completing the job at 4:30 a.m. 24 hours before the fixtures and inventory were to be moved.
Frank said that the entire remodel, with the exception of the lighting installation, was done by the two brothers and a couple of friends. They worked on the project for a month, from closing time at the store until midnight most nights.
The actual move began August 29, when corporate NAPA personnel from Spokane, Coeur d’Alene and as far away as Boise arrived to assist. Each day of the move there were from 5 to 15 NAPA representatives helping. For the rest of the week, people could be seen in ones and twos, and occasionally tens, carrying items across First Avenue, wheeling them on hand trucks or loading and unloading trailers.
The floor wasn’t supposed to be walked on until 3 days after the refinishing, but time was short and there was much to be done.
Every item in the store’s inventory was moved, with the exception of the hand tools. NAPA was in the process of changing manufacturers, so the Horaks made the transition to the new line at the same time as the move.
When asked what plans they had for the future, Marcus said that although they would be installing a glass door, windows are not an option, as the building’s foundation will not support them. Frank added that outside of some minor improvements, the job was “pretty well done.”
“I’m more than ready to go fishing,” he added.
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