What to know about Gabriel Brothers, opening $77.5M distribution center in Springfield

The West Virginia-based department store chain will be investing $77.5 million into the construction of a state-of-the-art facility and will create more than 800 jobs at Prime Ohio II industrial Park in Springfield.

Gabriel Brothers Inc., also known as Gabe’s, announced Monday that construction is slated to start this month with the site expected to be fully operational by 2023.

Here are several things to know about the company behind the slated distribution center:

Merchandise: Gabe’s is an apparel, home and footwear retailer that also offers discount prices for merchandise.

History: The company was founded in West Virginia in 1961 and this year marked its 60th anniversary. It was founded by James and Arthur Gabriel, whose father Z.G. sold merchandise in coal towns out of the back of a green-paneled truck he had outfitted with shelves and drawers.

The stores were originally marketed as Gabriel Brothers and it was rebranded as Gabe’s when the company came under new ownership in 2005, according to the discount retail chain’s website.

Retail locations: Gabe’s has 119 stores throughout West Virginia, Delaware, Georgia, Kentucky, Indiana, Ohio, North Carolina, New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Tennessee and Virginia.

Local store: The chain’s closest retail outlet to Springfield is on North Fairfield in Beavercreek.

Distributions Centers: Gabe’s has distribution centers in Pennsylvania and West Virginia. The one planned for Springfield will be the company’s largest.

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