Business

Costco announces June 26 opening date

(Credit: News-Review)
(Credit: News-Review)

While Costco’s opening had been thought to be postponed until July, the company announced today that its opening date will indeed move on as originally scheduled, shooting for a June 26 opening. 

“We are thrilled to be bringing Costco’s low warehouse prices to the residents of Riverhead,” said warehouse manager Jon Jovel in a statement. “They have been asking us to open here for a long time, and we already have made an impact on the local job market. We look forward to contributing to the community in many ways.”

The Riverhead location — opening at 8 a.m. that Thursday — will be Costco’s 16th warehouse in New York, the 465th in the U.S., and 658th worldwide.

The Costco site will feature a gas station after the developers persuaded the Riverhead Town Board in 2010 to change its zoning to allow fueling stations. Costco had threatened to bail on Riverhead unless the gas station was allowed.

The store has been under construction for just over a year and the job has been marked by one controversy after another. The developers, Brixmor Property Group, recently received an amended site plan after officials, neighbors and the developers hashed out a compromise aimed at making all sides happy.