Work has begun on the new retail development at East Front and Garfield that will bring Traverse City’s first freestanding Starbucks location to town.

 Rite Aid will operate a 11,185 square-foot store, replacing its current location on Eighth and Garfield. Team Wireless/Verizon will operate a 1,250 square-foot store. And Starbucks will operate a 2,200 square-foot shop. Both Starbucks and Rite Aid will have drive-thru windows. Starbucks will also have a patio along Front Street with seating and a fireplace.

Traverse City’s Michael Niedzielski is owner and developer of the project.

The development does not affect Bardon’s Wonder Freeze, which has served ice cream right on the southeast corner since 1950.

According to Niedzielski, all construction should be complete by early November; stores would presumably take some time to move in with furnishings, fixtures and inventory in the weeks after that.

Traverse City-based Molon Excavating is at work on-site now.