Evans Wines & Liquors offically opened this week after about a year of construction. Its location is the site of the former Alfie’s Restaurant at 986 Fairmount Ave., and is just down the road from the previous store at 1013 Fairmount Ave.

Owner Dan Evans could not be reached for comment on the new store’s opening. In a message posted Wednesday to Facebook, the business stated: “Please be patient as all our employees are learning the new layout and stocking as fast as possible.”

Meanwhile, renovations remain ongoing at the former Kmart next to Wegmans that will ultimately turn the vacant 117,000-square-foot building into one of Target’s larger stores.

Target first confirmed in November 2021 it planned to set up shop in the town of Ellicott. While no opening date has been announced, the company is listing job openings for the store on its website.

Evans Wines & Liquors’ opened at its new location on Fairmount Avenue. P-J photos by Eric Tichy

As of this week, applications can be submitted for a variety of positions, including general merchandise, fulfillment, food and beverage, cashier, cart attendant and specialty sales. Starbucks is mentioned along with other general merchandise and food-related jobs as the popular coffee chain will be located inside the 975 Fairmount Ave. store.

On several occasions, a Target spokesperson said the company would announce an opening date and worker numbers closer to completion of the construction work.

Target Corp. previously filed a petition in state Supreme Court in Chautauqua County against the town of Ellicott to have the assessed value of the property be reduced. In its petition, the company claimed the $3.4 million assessment was higher compared to similar properties.

Target has been seeking a valuation of $1.7 million, half the current assessment, that would significantly reduce its property tax bill.

The town, through its attorney Marilyn Fiore-Lehman, filed an answer to the petition at the end of August in 2022. In her response, Fiore-Lehman noted that Target Corp. purchased the former Kmart property in October 2021 for $3.15 million and had obtained a building permit for improvements estimated to cost $4.5 million.

Ellicott has asked the court to dismiss the petition. No further documents related to the petition have been uploaded online.

In other Fairmount Avenue news, advertisements on social media indicate work may soon begin to turn a former resale car lot into a Blue Buffalo Car Wash.

Developer Joseph Spino spoke to Lakewood Village Board members last August after submitting site plans. The project calls for the removal of the former Spacc Lakewood Resale at 373 E. Fairmount Ave. and construct a new 3,150-square-foot structure.

Spino told trustees last year the car wash would be drive-thru and include vacuums along the sidewalk near the property. The facility would not be open 24 hours, he said.

Blue Buffalo Car Wash stated on its Facebook page that construction would begin at the Lakewood location this spring. Posts sponsoring Blue Buffalo Car Wash and its new locations have been popping up on social media.