GRAND OPENING

Mohawk Army Navy celebrates its grand opening in Rensselaer County

NORTH GREENBUSH, N.Y. » Mohawk Army Navy celebrated the opening of its first Rensselaer County store on Thursday with a ribbon- cutting ceremony and grand opening event.

Local officials and Rensselaer County Regional Chamber of Commerce representatives gathered at the new store, located in Van Rensselaer Square shopping plaza in North Greenbush, to welcome Mohawk Army Navy to the community.

This latest store is the fourth location for Mohawk Army Navy, a family- owned business that has been supplying the Capital Region with work boots and outerwear for more than 30 years.

The stores are the largest supplier of Carhartt workwear and boots in the region and additionally carry Timberland Pro, Keen, Wolverine, Merrell, Dickies and Red Wing brands.

This location brings eight employees to the area, and the owners are looking to hire additional employees.

Mohawk Army Navy was founded in 1985 by Arno Reihs, Sr. and Arno Reihs, Jr. Their first location was a small 1500- square-foot store in Niskayuna.

Since then, the business has expanded in Schenectady County and opened three other locations in Saratoga County, Albany

“We’ve been looking at the area for about five years now and are very happy to finally be settled in. We are real happy with the store and the way it came out.”

— Arno Reihs, Jr., co- owner and operater

County and now Rensselaer County.

Today, it is owned and operated by Arno Reihs, Jr. and his brother Derik Reihs. Their main focus is to supply the needs of the area’s workforce with the best quality and selection of safety shoes, work boots and clothing at the best prices possible while offering unmatched customer service.

In addition to workwear, Mohawk Army Navy carries military clothing and surplus as well as camping items.

The entire store is currently discounted 20 to 70 percent off for the grand opening celebration. This sale runs through Sunday.

“We’re looking forward to doing business in the area,” ArnoReihs, Jr. said onThurs- day afternoon during the ceremony. “We’ve been looking at the area for about five years nowand are very happy to finally be settled in. We are real happywith the store and the way it came out. This is a perfect spot for us.”

Since the soft opening in December, the owners can al- ready predict that the store will be a success.

“It’s going to be a good location for us,” Arno Reihs, Jr. said. “It will be our number one store.”

Looking ahead to the future of Mohawk Army Navy, he continued, “We’re always looking at new places to grow.”

Mohawk Army Navy at 102 Van Rensselaer Square in North Greenbush is open seven days a week, from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday and Tuesday, 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. Wednesday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Saturday and 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Sun-

LAUREN HALLIGAN — MEDIANEWS GROUP A ribbo- cutting ceremony is held for Mohawk Army Navy’s newest store in North Greenbush.

A ribbon-cutting ceremony is held for Mohawk Army Navy’s newest store in North Greenbush.

LAUREN HALLIGAN — MEDIANEWS GROUP The new Mohawk Army Navy store in North Greenbush features two floors of merchandise.

Mohawk Army Navy owners Arno Reihs, Jr., left, and Derik Reihs, center, are presented a certificate from Joe Bott, right, of the North Greenbush town board at the store’s grand opening event.

Rensselaer County Regional Chamber of Commerce president Kate Manley, right, speaks during a ribboncutting ceremony for the new Mohawk Army Navy store in North Greenbush.