Garrett Neese/Daily Mining Gazette The Keweenaw Co-op’s new location will be ready to open in October.

HANCOCK – The Keweenaw Co-op has set a date for the opening of its new location.

The Hancock store announced the Oct. 16 date in a Facebook post Saturday.

Supply-chain snarls and other issues had delayed the opening, originally planned for spring 2023. The October date will allow the store to perfect itself before the busy thanksgiving season, said general manager Curt Webb.

“It’s very exciting,” he said Monday. “We’ve had to push it out a number of different times, but we feel like all of the big question marks have been answered. Even if there are other delays, our intent is to keep pushing forward … even if it’s shy of (100%), we’re going to do it.”

Interior finishing work is far enough along that refrigeration cases are being installed, Webb said. Electrical and plumbing had been roughed in for a while, but is reaching the trim-out stage where final outlets and fixtures can be installed.

“It’s starting to look like something in certain parts,” Webb said.

One source of delay has been the freight elevator, which will be used to bring deliveries upstairs. While the shaft has been built, installation of the elevator itself is underway.

Later this week, work on the exterior will start, including sidewalks, parking lot and drainage. Siding on the new addition is about halfway finished.

“It’s making it look like it’s going to start to look when it’s all said and done,” Webb said.

The co-op’s current location on Ethel Avenue will shut down about three days before the new one opens, to be able to get the point-of-sale system up and running.

“I had originally hoped it would be a little shorter gap, but we worked through the plan, and that seems very realistic,” Webb said.

The store is planning a “festive atmosphere” with giveaways for the soft opening, but is planning the grand opening for three or four weeks later, Webb said, “where we really kind of do it up, after we’ve tested all the systems for a little while.”

“We’re just really just looking forward to being able to better serve the community in a more spacious store, better convenience, more parking and be able to offer good food for everyone,” he said.