Father and son duo Eric and Allan Smidt founded Harbor Freight in 1977. Eric eventually assumed sole ownership in 1999 and still owns the company as of 2025.
Harbor Freight may not have the scale of some larger home improvement and tool retailers out there, but for many, the value it brings to the table more than makes up for it. Renowned for its exclusive family of tools and accessories sold at lower prices than its competitors, Harbor Freight has earned the trust of countless DIYers, even if there are some products users have to think twice about before buying from the chain. But that reputation wouldn’t have been had the company not taken risks and gone against the grain early on.
Harbor Freight was officially launched in 1977 by 17-year-old Eric Smidt and his father, Allan. The company started life as a delivery service where customers could call in to have tools sent over to them, and it wouldn’t be until 1980 that Harbor Freight’s first physical store opened in Kentucky.
