Saturday marked the official opening of the newest BJ’s Wholesale Club in Flushing, the company’s third Queens location. The new 120,000-square-foot store at 131-07 40th Road is the first to open in the under-renovation Sky View Center.

“BJ’s is excited to open in Flushing, and we look forward to serving this community,” said Artie Ferro, general manager of BJ’s Flushing. “Area residents now have an even more convenient location to purchase everything they need from groceries to general merchandise all in one stop.”

Among the offerings of the new Flushing Club are a BJ’s optical boutique, a full-service delicatessen, a bakery, Verizon Wireless center, and even regular sized items.

“It’s a good opportunity to capture a lot of the foot traffic in Flushing. Some people come through here with their push carts. We’re giving walkers an added convenience,” said Kelly McFalls, manager of public relations for BJ’s.

She added that the tenants of Sky View Parc’s luxury condominiums would also benefit because, for example, if they need a gallon of milk, they could just go downstairs and buy it.

BJ’s charges a yearly membership fee of $45 for basic membership and $90 for a rewards membership that earns 2 percent back on select purchases.

“BJ’s has been a long supporter of community events and we welcome BJ’s to Flushing,” said newly elected Flushing Councilman Peter Koo.

To emphasize his point, BJ’s presented a $2,500 check to the Boys Club of New York’s R.E.A.D. program and presented a garden shed to P.S. 20, the elementary school it is partnering with under its Adopt-A-School program.

Koo added, “You are creating job opportunities and it will be very convenient for the local residents to come over here to buy stuff. Now we don’t have to drive over to Whitestone and have a big traffic delay at Exit 20 there.”

His reference was to the BJ’s Wholesale Club on 20th Avenue in College Point, less than three miles from the Flushing location, but BJ’s Zone Vice President Jay Breslin was confident that despite charging a fee for parking at the indoor garage, BJ’s Flushing would flourish.

“We’re so busy in College Point, we’ll have enough members to take care of both buildings. They’ll both grow,” said Breslin.

Not to mention that BJ’s Flushing offers merchandise that caters specifically to the predominantly Asian population of Flushing. Expect to find items like packages of taro cream wafers and bean thread noodles, cans of bamboo shoots and lychee and several different brands of dumplings.

Construction of Sky View Center is expected to be completed in Summer 2010. The other stores scheduled to open are Best Buy, Marshall’s, Staples, Bed Bath & Beyond, Target, Applebee’s, Chuck E. Cheese’s, Famous Footwear, Old Navy, Bob’s Discount Furniture and Sky Foods.