Murdoch’s Store Manager Jarrod Bell has worked at four different locations and seen several different store openings.

The opening in Craig has been the best for him.

“Here, everybody is excited to see us,” he said. “Everybody who has come through has been excited about having us in Craig.”

Murdoch’s opened Friday at 7:30 a.m. and Bell said the store was full until the store closed at 7 p.m.

“It was a good day,” he said.

Bell estimated more than 500 purchases were made during the first day in business.

The building at the west end of Craig on U.S. Highway 40 had been vacant since Country General closed in 2001.

Bell said he had customers from Craig, Hayden, Steamboat Springs and Baggs, Wyo.

Mickey Todd of Craig said he had been waiting for a store like Country General to open.

“Having missed Country General, I was hoping for a similar facility,” he said. “I wanted an alternative to what is out there.”

Todd said to get farming equipment for his job, he would often have to travel to Denver.

He said Murdoch’s will be a big convenience for him.

Sue Weidner also was impressed with the store.

“I think it has a good selection and variety,” Sue Weidner said. “Everyone is real friendly. They ask you if you need help, and if you say ‘no,’ they don’t keep pestering you.”

The Craig store is the 13th Murdoch’s store to open. The other stores include more than 500 employees — an average of 41 a store. The Craig store staffs 31.