Albertsons, finally, is open.

The store officially opened to the public Saturday — alongside a soft opening the day before — completing a journey more than two years in the making.

For one longtime clerk from the Cody store, it’s a chance to cut her commute from more than 20 miles to just a few. For the former assistant store manager of the Cody Albertsons, Joe Wesen, its a chance to lead a new store.

“I feel quite blessed to run this store,” he told a large crowd from a podium between self checkout registers, in front of a large lettered sign over the front of the store saying, “Serving Powell with pride.”

For nearly 100 employees, it’s a job in Powell, and Kathy Holland, regional spokesperson for Albertsons, said all of the hires were made in the local area, mostly Cody and Powell.

Before the store fully opened, family and friends of the employees and representatives of a number of Powell organizations were welcomed Thursday for the official ribbon cutting. Wesen also handed out $3,000 checks from Albertsons to the American Legion, Backpack Blessings, the Park County School District 1, the Powell FFA and the Powell Police Department.

Wesen said his goal and that of his staff was to be a part of the community. The employees have been awaiting the store opening by training at the Cody store, which Holland said has given them a leg up in training.

The opening was the end of a lengthy process that has been delayed by the COVID-19 pandemic and supply chain issues. The store, first announced in late 2020, was finally set to open in November until key electrical equipment was delayed. Workers already hired for the Powell store have been able to work at the Cody location in the meantime.

The grocery store, which includes a liquor department, pharmacy and Starbucks, is replacing the former Shopko on U.S. Highway 14A. The roughly 29,000 square foot building on Powell’s west side became vacant when the Shopko chain went bankrupt, with the Powell store closing in June 2019. Albertsons purchased the facility in January 2020 from a private investment firm that bought up 78 Shopko properties amid the bankruptcy.

In October, Albertsons representatives asked the City of Powell for an exemption to be able to keep their liquor license despite not yet being operational.

At the ribbon cutting ceremony, Mayor John Wetzel made a quip about the store needing another extension, before expressing his thanks for the store helping to add jobs and business to town.