NEW PHILADELPHIA (WJER) - Shoppers and New Philadelphia city officials have a lot of positive things to say about the new Menards. 

The home improvement store had its long-awaited grand opening Tuesday morning off Bluebell Drive at the former K-mart site. Those who had a chance to go through there were happy with the experience.

“I think it’s nicer than Massillon, I really do, and I heard it’s bigger and they’ve got more variety,” one customer remarked during his visit to the new store. 

“They have a little bit of everything for everybody,” said another.  

Joel Day says this has been the most anticipated business opening during his time as mayor of New Philadelphia.

“It’s exciting to see a story of that magnitude located in New Philadelphia, the jobs it brings, the shopping opportunities it brings to the community. Whenever you can create those kinds of situations, it’s good,” he says.

And Day says construction should resume in August on crosswalks so pedestrians can safely cross West High Avenue at Bluebell Drive, and the intersection will be re-signaled to better handle traffic.

“Sure, initially, there’s gonna to be more traffic congestion but then it’ll even out,” he says. “When people bring that subject up to me I ask them, ‘Well, do you go to the Canton, Summit County area to shop and to eat?’ ‘Well, yeah,’ and I say, ‘This is gonna be no different.’”

Day attended a board-cutting ceremony, rather than a ribbon cutting ceremony, held at Menards Monday evening.