Right now the nearest Menards store is 80-plus miles away from St. Peters residents. In a year, that will likely change.

The national hardware chain, which has more than 250 stores, is attempting to crack the St. Louis area with a few stores planned in the region. One of those stores is in St. Peters. Menards said that if all goes to plan, the St. Peters location could be the first in the region to open. So far, so good. 

Menards presented a site plan to St. Peters Planning and Zoning Commission on Wednesday night during the Commission's March meeting. After making a few minor changes, the Commission approved the site plan. The next step for Menards is bidding out the construction work and starting construction.

Menards said construction of the 162,000 square foot store would be bid out with a special preference to local workers. Once the bidding is complete, work will start and Menards said it hopes the store can open in spring 2013. 

The site of the new hardware store is located at Spencer Road, south side of Executive Centre Parkway. Basically, the store will sit behind the McDonald's at the intersection of Spencer and Mexico Roads. The store will have entrances on both Spencer and Mexico.

Once the store opens, Menard's representative Tyler Edwards said the store would add 150-200 jobs to the area. 

St. Peters Mayor Len Pagano said before the meeting he was excited about the possibility of another business coming to town. He attended Wednesday's meeting to further support the project.

Pagano wasn't the only one happy to see Menards come to town.

"We're excited to have you," Ward 2 Alderman Jerry Hollingsworth said. 

Commission member Larry Sachse was also happy, but for a different reason. He said he had gone to a Menards while visiting family and had grown fond of the root beer the store stocks. He joked that as long as the St. Peters location would have the root beer, he'd support the store. 

The site plan was approved unnamiously by the Commission. 

Other Notes

• Both home occupation permits were approved. 
• The Commission also approved a temporary carnival at Mid Rivers Mall and an outdoor plant display at Hackmann Lumber Co.