May 31, 2019 By Meghan Sackman

The Butcher Block, Sunnyside’s Irish supermarket, has opened its new entrance on Queens Boulevard after nearly three years of stop-start construction.

The locale, located at 43-46 41st St, has a new entrance at 40-15 Queens Blvd, which opened yesterday to customers, according to co-owner Michael Roche.

The expansion, Roche said, which incorporates the space once occupied by Pure Spa & Salon, will nearly double the 3,500 square-foot space.

The construction, which began in July 2016, was expected to finish in November 2018. However, the project was delayed, Roche said, due to issues with the Department of Buildings that the landlord had to rectify.

The main 41st Street entrance area is closed off to the public as the original store space is being revamped. That section should be completed in about three weeks.

The expansion of the store comes with a new kitchen, a meat smoker, and a new deli department.

The Butcher Block will be able off a broader selection of hot food items, as well as more vegetables and groceries, Roche said.

The store is best known for offering quality Irish meals, such as shepherd’s pie, corned beef, blood sausage, chicken pot pies, house-cured bacon, spare ribs and sausage rolls.

Roche and his business partner Noel Gaynor initially opened the establishment in 1995 on the south side of Queens Boulevard (between 41 and 42 Streets) until a massive fire in 2003 destroyed the store along with a number of restaurants.

Gaynor and Roche were able to find the space they are in now just months after the fire.

The duo are excited to expand and be to able to accommodate a greater number of customers.

“We’re happy to be of service and are looking forward to greeting our new customers,” Roche said.

The current store hours are 8 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday through Saturday and 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Sunday.