Thursday morning, customers could be seen shopping at the store that Reed hopes can have an impact on the community.

The 720 Fairmount Ave. property was purchased from Sam’s Club about a year ago, Reed said. In January 2018, Sam’s Club shuttered its local store along with dozens of others across the country.

An official ribbon cutting ceremony was held Thursday after a soft opening in late September.

Patrick McLaughlin, Ellicott town supervisor, said he is glad a new business was able to move into the property.

“We don’t like to see empty buildings,” McLaughlin said, adding that much of the work to fill the store was done by the Reed family.

The Minnesota-based company has 45 stores and employs more than 2,200 workers across seven states. It sells a variety of sporting goods, clothing, footwear, farm supplies and outdoor equipment.

“It’s a big loss when you lose that many employees and it’s great when you get to replace them all,” Reed said of bring jobs back to the area following Sam’s Clubs departure.

Reed and his wife, Adele, purchased Runnings in 1988, though it began in 1947.

At the time of the Reed family’s purchase Runnings only had four stores in operation.

Reed said the expansion of Runnings has gradually grown since taking over.

“We came to the Northeast because this type of store is not out here and the climate’s the same as Minnesota. We understand cold and snow and trees and lakes,” Reed said laughing.

Reed estimated there are now around 12 stores in the Northeast with the nearest one in Lockport.

McLaughlin said he has already shopped at Runnings four times since its soft opening, and following the ribbon cutting he began shopping for fishing supplies.

Runnings announced in March it planned to move into the 115,000-square-foot facility, previously home to Sam’s Club for many years. The West Ellicott location began hiring employees in June.

As for how to describe the store he owns to people who might not know what to expect, Reed was at a loss for words.

“You just have to see it,” Reed told The Post-Journal due to the store’s variety of products.