Louisville-based Whayne Supply Company was scheduled to break ground this morning on its new branch office in Bowling Green at 390 High Rail Way.

The office relocated from its original 24,925-square-foot location at 651 U.S. 31-W By-Pass, according to local commercial Realtor Alex Nottmeier, and will feature a new 65,000-square-feet facility on 20 acres.

According to the company, it was originally a supplier for coalfields in western Kentucky, but has expanded to a equipment supplier for a 19-county area from Christian to Adair Counties.

Monty Boyd, president and CEO of Whayne Supply Company, said in a press release that the expansion is a result of the company’s growth. With 1,300 employees, the company serves leading manufacturers such as Caterpillar Inc., AGCO/Challenger, ExxonMobil and a cross-section of markets, including those with agricultural, forestry and governmental ties.

According to Brian Cambron, vice-president of branch operations, the new office will bring on 15 additional employees when it opens in July 2008, raising its employee count from 45 to 60.

Whayne Supply Company was approved for state tax incentives up to $133,384 under the Kentucky Enterprise Initiative Act, which is an incentive program that allows companies making an investment of $500,000 or more in Kentucky to recoup Kentucky sales and use tax on the cost of construction materials, building fixtures and equipment used for research and development.

Nottmeier said Whayne’s move from the bypass is an example of how the road acts as a starter location for many growing businesses.

“You don’t have the traffic counts that you get on Scottsville Road, but you can buy a lot more on the bypass than you can Scottsville Road,” Nottmeier said, adding that the bypass caters more to local customers, whereas Scottsville Road brings in a more regional draw.

The bypass will soon be home to the largest tool and equipment catalog retailer in the United States, when Harbor Freight opens a store in Bowling Green by the spring, according to Nottmeier, who finalized the lease earlier this week with the company.

Harbor Freight, with more than 300 retail locations nationwide, including stores in Louisville and Lexington, will locate a store in the 17,000-square-foot space that once held a Fred’s Discount Store at 660 U.S. 31-W By-Pass, according to Nottmeier.

“The growth in our community, our stability with the lowest unemployment in the state, is why a retailer such as this will come into the marketplace,” Nottmeier said.

In other bypass news, the new year will also ring in a new location for the Beverly Hills Bargain Boutique at 1608 U.S. 31-W By-Pass, which once housed a Ponderosa Restaurant. Jan. 2 is the grand opening day for the store, according to manager Sandy Hedger. The store is already located on the bypass, just a few blocks down at 1436 U.S. 31-W By-Pass.

“They’ve already moved some of the merchandise in storage,” Hedger said. “There will be no closing or period of downtime.”

Also on the bypass, a sign announces that a Thai Restaurant will replace Titanic Jacks, a seafood-focused restaurant that was also once a Krystal. Titanic Jacks only lasted a few months before closing this year. Property records show Five Guys LLC bought the building at 1511 U.S. 31-W By-Pass from Krystal last fall. Business partners for Five Guys LLC did not return calls seeking comment.

Other business happenings include:

• Candlewood Suites Bowling Green, a hotel at 540 Wall St., opened Monday. The extended stay hotel features 90 suites with full kitchens in every room, as well as other features that cater to business guests. The hotel is a member of the InterContinental Hotel Group, which includes, the Holiday Inn, Holiday Inn Express, Staybridge Suites, Crowne Plaza, and InterContinental hotel brands. The general manager for the hotel is Kacie Hood.

• The closing of Del Rio Tex Mex Grill at 1620 Scottsville Road.

“I was stunned and very upset and sad,” customer Linda O’Brien said Tuesday a day after she drove up to the restaurant to eat huevos rancheros, her favorite dish that combines eggs, vegetables and spices. “I went at least once a week.” O’Brien said her sister noticed a declining clientele over time. Attempts to reach Del Rio owner Ember Menjivar or secretary Antonio Gonzalez were unsuccessful.