Latest news, weather, high school sports for Michigan’s Upper Peninsula

HOUGHTON -- A new Houghton supply store struggled to completion during the economic downturn and now that it's open, the plan is to help customers save money.

For Dan Riutta, the whole idea behind the Riutta Sales store is to offer more products to a different customer base.

Since opening earlier this year, the shelves have been stocked with farm supplies, home improvement parts, and aisles of clearance construction items.

Riutta buys factory direct as much as possible to cut costs and says his staff has plenty of experience to share with customers.

"We encourage people to do things on their own," said Riutta.  "The way the economy is now, it's more important that people do whatever they can for themselves as the economy chugs along here."

The new store also has longer hours than Riutta's original store in Calumet.  It's located just off of M-26.