Area residents will have a chance to get up close and personal with local professional athletes and coaches this weekend at the grand opening of the new Dick’s Sporting Goods along Route 228 in Cranberry.

Located in the Cranberry Crossroads plaza, the two-story, freestanding store opens its doors Wednesday Oct. 17. An official launch, including a ribbon cutting ceremony, will be held at 8 a.m. Friday, Oct. 19.

Special extended store hours also will be in effect for Friday (8 to 10 p.m.), Saturday (8 to 10 p.m.) and Sunday (9 to 8 p.m.)

There also are a variety of special athlete appearances and giveaways scheduled throughout the weekend to celebrate the relocation. Dick’s is moving from the space it occupied for years in the Cranberry Square retail plaza on Route 19 to the new location on Route 228.

A spokeswoman for Dick's said she could not comment a new retailer for the former location.

On Friday, Pittsburgh Steelers linebacker Larry Foote will be meeting and greeting customers at the new store from 6 to 8 p.m. There also will be a Mystery Gift Card Giveaway for the first 100 adults in line. Participants will receive unmarked Dick’s Sporting Goods gift cards ranging from $5 to $500. Only one person will win the $500 card.

Saturday’s schedule features an appearance by Jamie Dixon, men’s basketball head coach for the University of Pittsburgh. Dixon will be at the store from 10 to 11:30 a.m.

Additional appearances on Saturday include professional bass angler Skeet Reese (from noon to 5 p.m.) and fly-fishing author and lifelong Pennsylvania resident Charles Meck, who will be at the store from 10 to 2 p.m.

Pirates professional second baseman and Pine Township native Neil Walker will round out the week’s festivities with an in-store appearance from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Sunday.

Pittsburgh Penguins mascot “Iceburgh” also will be mingling with customers from 10 a.m. to noon Sunday.

Throughout the weekend, customers will be able to enter for the chance to win an Epic A35T Treadmill and a Nishiki Kinzua29 Limited Edition bicycle.

There will also be opportunities for customers to meet with certified bike and lodge technicians and PGA/LPGA professionals, as well as additional activities throughout the store.

“We’re pleased to be opening an expanded and enhanced Dick’s Sporting Goods store in Cranberry Township, which will enable us to better serve the needs of athletes in the community,” said Lauren Hobart, Dick’s Sporting Goods chief marketing officer. “With our unsurpassed customer service and the best equipment in the industry, we look forward to continued success in Cranberry Township and welcoming customers to this new location.”

The Cranberry Township location will be the retailer’s 36th store in Pennsylvania and its 506th store nationwide.