Blue Duck Owner Hopes to Open Shop in Riverhead by Mid-June

Though no contract remains signed as of Thursday,  owner Keith Kouris confirmed on Thursday that he's planning on coming to downtown Riverhead, right next to Ralph's Italian Ices.

"We're very excited," Kouris said. "We really believe in the downtown area, and we've been looking for a little over a year. We were looking for a larger space to make a production facility, but there are some landlords in the middle of town that are just crazy. Plan B was to get at least some retail location downtown."

Kouris said the only reason he has yet to sign a contract is because he hasn't received one, after just agreeing to move downtown on Monday. Herbert Israel, whose family owns the building, was quoted in an article on Wednesday stating that Blue Duck was filling space in his family's building at 309 East Main St., though when approached on Thursday, did not confirm reports that Blue Duck was coming to town.

Kouris said he has no plans on backing out the space, which will serve as his company's third location, in addition to the Southold and Southampton bakeries.

"It can be a little bit of a process to get a contract written up and sent over, so there are no surprises there," he said. "The Isreals are upfront people, as are we. We both want to do what's best for each other, and for Riverhead as well."

Kouris, who lives in Aquebogue, said the Riverhead location — which will be roughly 2,000 square feet in size — will resemble the more than the Southold one, simply because it will be bigger, allowing for more space to sit down and spread out.

He said he's hoping to open sometime in early June.