Ray Agostinelli Jr. motioned to a man mopping the floor of the almost finished McLanahan's Downtown Market.

"That's the janitor. Cheap help," Agostinelli, part owner of the store, said, grinning. "He's my father."

The three Agostinelli men, Ray Jr., brother Ron and father Ray Sr. -- all owners of McLanahan's Downtown Market -- finally will see the opening of their newest store at 10 a.m. Thursday at 116 S. Allen St.

"The idea to (open a store like this) goes back about 20 years," said Ray Agostinelli Sr., partial owner of various McLanahan's stores since 1961. "It's something needed downtown -- something good for the community and ourselves."

Ray Agostinelli Sr. approached his sons last year about opening McLanahan's Downtown Market, and after getting plans approved, layouts drawn and the store constructed, it will be opening this week.

The new store occupies the space that used to contain a Rite Aid pharmacy.

"We gutted the whole place; we took everything out. The whole front is brand new," Agostinelli Jr. said, referring to the brick facade of the building.

The grocery store will offer a larger variety of products than McLanahan's Student Store, also owned by the Agostinellis, the owners said, explaining that it will have a greater selection of choices, from more brands of pastas to unusual beverages to a section of the candy isle dedicated to Pez.

Also unique to this store will be fresh meats and seafood, sushi delivered twice daily, some on-site baking

and a grill with its own chef, Shawn Brown. "We'll have the normal deli, but we'll also have the grill for cheesesteaks and other things," Ray Agostinelli Jr. said. "We'll see what people want and be creative -- Shawn doesn't want to do the same thing all the time."

"We're trying to get as many local products as we can," Ray Agostinelli Jr. said, emphasizing the tailoring of the store to the community. The McLanahan's Downtown Market reaches out to local artists for their contributions.

A side wall of the store is covered with a rotating collection of work from artists in the area. "(The wall) will feature an artist of the month, and there will be a board with the artist's name on it so they can be contacted," Ray Agostinelli Jr. said.

"It's a neat little community wall."

He said another plus side of the store is that it's part of an already-established chain.

"We have a lot more power with the vendors, which means a lot better deals -- it's good for everybody," Ray Agostinelli Jr. said. "People have been asking for a place like this. We'll give it a shot and see how it goes."

As a number of employees put the finishing touches on the store, Ray Agostinelli Sr. continued mopping the floor.

"Just don't tell my wife I'm doing this," he said.

In addition to the normal grocery store fare, the downtown market will offer a variety of international foods and some organic and locally grown produce.