Koroit should have a new supermarket by the end of the year as one of the town's biggest ever construction projects remains on schedule.
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The new Koroit IGA supermarket is expected to open by the end of November or the start of December.
Koroit IGA director Peter Daly said while there was still lots to do, the build was progressing well.
"We are certainly on track for our aim to open later this year," Mr Daly said.
"There is still some external work to do, such as painting and cladding, and the completion of the car park.
"The weather has been good but will obviously start to get wetter from here so that could cause some delays."
Mr Daly praised the efforts of MM Hearn Constructions from Port Fairy, who are undertaking the build.
He said both the construction company and their associated trades had been highly efficient and had stayed on schedule, even through a number of COVID lockdowns.
While the outside of the supermarket continues to progress rapidly, the internal fit-out will provide just as big a challenge.
Mr Daly said because Koroit cannot go any time without a supermarket, the old building will need to remain operational right up to the day of the new one opening its doors.
"To open one and shut the other without missing a day is a fine balancing act," Mr Daly said.
"It is a tough juggle with stock to make sure we don't run out in the old one but are fully stocked in the new one.
"The internal fit-out will be a big job, we have 10 semi-trailers of refrigeration to come as well as the shelving, which all needs to be filled with stock."
The supermarket will come with a 68-space car park, as well as public toilets and baby changing facilities.
Stage two of the redevelopment of the site will include the conversion of the current supermarket into an arcade, which will include specialty shops.
Mr Daly said the development of the arcade had been put back to a stage two of the project after originally being part of the main build.
"We made the call 12 months ago to put the arcade on hold," Mr Daly said.
"With the pandemic and the knock it has delivered to small business we thought it was the best option to delay the plans for now."
Mr Daly said when the arcade does go ahead it will contain four specialty shops, which will be located in a revamped version of the current building.
This building first opened as a Daly family supermarket in 1917, having had two previous owners, dating back to the late 1800s.