SPRINGDALE — A larger, more varied selection of merchandise awaits customers at Orscheln Farm & Home, which opened June 17 in a new facility at 211 N. Maestri Road in Tontitown.

Orscheln’s Springdale location was in a building on East Emma Avenue for 13 years, said Dennis Garr, store manager.

The Springdale store is one of 158 stores in nine states, said Becky Honey, promotions and media specialist for the company.

The old building was 30,000 square feet with a 19,000-square-foot sales floor, Honey said. The new building is about 32,000 square feet with a sales floor of about 25,000 square feet, Garr said. Company officials decided to build the new facility instead of leasing, as they did with the Emma location.

The new building also has a square shape more convenient than the old store’s L-shape, Garr said.

“You can see around the whole store better,” he said.

The new location is closer to farms, Garr said, and a larger parking lot allows trucks and trailers easier access to the store.

The move also gives Orscheln the space to offer a larger variety of products, Garr said. The new store has a wider range of dog foods and power equipment. There also will be a larger selection of women’s and children’s clothing this fall, he said.

The store also will have a new car shop where customers can purchase tires for cars and light trucks, Garr said. Customers will be able to have their tires mounted and balanced. That section of the store will open next week, he said.

Ranalli Farms, a farm supply store in Tontitown, hasn’t been affected by Orscheln’s location three miles away, said Paul Ranalli, part owner of the company. Ranalli said he hasn’t seen any changes in business and he thinks the growing community provides enough room for multiple farm supply stores.

Orscheln hasn’t been in the new location long enough to see how the competition affects them, Garr said.

Garr hired five more employees for the new location, for a total of 17.

The new employees were hired before the move and helped with the store’s move. One of the three hires had experience working on cars and will be working in Orcheln’s new car shop, Garr said.

Challenges that companies face when changing locations varies from business to business, said Randy Zook, president of the Arkansas State Chamber of Commerce. Changing utilities and altered commuting patterns for employees are two basic challenges.

“It’s like moving your home,” he said. “It’s a pain.”

Changing locations can place a business farther from some customers, but it can also place a store closer to others, Zook said.

Garr said he’s seen a lot of new customers who didn’t shop at the Emma Avenue location. He expects sales to increase because of the new, larger location, and increased variety of products, he said.

The store is open from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m., Monday through Saturday, and from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Sunday, Honey said. A grand opening is planned for October, Garr said.