McHenry Riverwalk Shoppes close to completion, July now eyed for grand opening

McHenry’s Riverwalk Shoppes will now open next month, not in June as originally scheduled.

The construction schedule was very optimistic, McHenry Chamber of Commerce President Molly Ostap said.

“It was super aggressive” and originally had a three-week schedule with hopes to be open by early June, she said.

“There was no way, with how we had to leap-frog with site construction at Miller Point Park,” Ostap said.

Construction at Miller Point Park – adding public bathrooms, a spray pad and an outdoor music pavilion – also is ongoing. That work began in March and is set for completion in late summer or early fall.

On Saturday, Ostap and Amy Humbracht, Riverwalk Shoppes manager, were moving lumber from one of the 10 almost-complete shops to another, so that one shop could start getting its final touches. Ostap has been at the site at Riverside Drive and the McHenry Riverwalk footbridge nearly every day since before construction started on the tiny shops on May 1.

While the vendors will likely move into their stores before then, Ostap hopes for a grand opening celebration by July 21, with a ribbon-cutting during McHenry Fiesta Days, July 13 to 23.

Once completed, vendors who won one of the tiny shop spots are expected to move in and begin selling from the stores. Once open, plans are for the shops to remain open on weekends through the Christmas season, Ostapsaid.