By CRAIG FREILICH

POTSDAM – Billy’s Deli has opened on Main Street and plans a grand opening May 1.

The shop, which will focus on quality products and delivery, has been auto dealer Con Mahoney’s dream since his sub shop in Canton burned in 1974.

The new Potsdam shop occupies the space where The Fields coffeehouse was. All the fixtures have been taken out and a new counter has been put in. Mahoney says the shop will have a 1960s and ’70s decor.

Mahoney, owner of Mahoney’s Auto Mall on Rt. 11 south of the village, has teamed up with Ryan Mauch, who will be handling most of the duties in the shop.

They are emphasizing quality sandwiches, with Boar’s Head cold cuts and cheeses, breads from Alteri’s in Watertown, potato chips from Malone producer Sustain Products, and cookies from the Potsdam Co-op’s bakery.

“Everything will be the best, the freshest we can get,” Mahoney said. “We’ll be getting product from local growers as much as possible. That’s really important to us.”

In addition to sub-style and other sandwiches, they will have wraps and salads such as a parmesan-encrusted chicken salad with champagne dressing.

Hours of operation aren’t firmly set, but are tentatively to be from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m., and probably later on weekends

Deliveries are what Mahoney says he will be focusing on, since he had such success with the from his Canton store. That will start May 1.

They plan to hire about 15 part-timers.

Mahoney’s Billy’s Deli on Main Street in Canton opened in Canton in 1970, not long after he graduated from St. Lawrence University.

“We were doing 90 percent deliveries and 10 percent walk-ins,” Mahoney recalled.

“It was very successful, but we lost everything in the fire.” The store was roughly where Jreck’s Subs is now on Main Street.

“So I’ve wanted to do this for a long time, but I waited until I found the right person.”

That person is Ryan Mauch, who worked in auto sales for Mahoney for three months before he went to North Carolina. He came back to the North Country and went to work for Pete Richardson, owner of Subway shops in Potsdam and Canton, for three years.

Mahoney says they are applying for a beer and wine license.