SOLON — The parking lot at the Solon Corner Store was full on Wednesday. There was a line at the checkout counters, and the smell of homemade pizza and crispy baked chicken wafted through the aisles of the market.
It was the first sign of life since August for the grocery store, the only one in the town of 1,000 and one of the few north of Skowhegan.
“I did a glory hallelujah dance when I heard (the store was reopening),” Joni Cates, 58, said as she pushed a shopping cart full of wine, bread, chicken, tortilla chips and other items out the door Wednesday with a big smile on her face. “God has answered our prayers.”
The store, at the corner of Main and Ferry streets and a fixture in the community since the mid-1950s, closed in August after the building, was foreclosed on, according to town officials and new owner Randy Wright. The store at the time was owned by Carrabasett Group LLC, which is owned by Brian Nelson.
Wright, who also owns George’s Banana Stand, a small grocery store in Skowhegan, bought the building at auction in November.
“I know the area and I know people really needed this store,” said Wright, 57, of Cornville. “I felt it was the right thing to do. Yes, there are risks associated with taking over a small store, but there are also rewards.”
The store’s reopening will put 18 people to work, including some who had worked there before.
“I’m glad to see it come back,” said cashier Andrea Howard, an employee of the store for 13 years. “I really didn’t want to travel to another job. There’s a family feeling here. You know everybody.”
“It’s like that bar on TV where everybody knows your name,” said Sherry Moulton, another employee, who lives about 20 minutes up the road in Moscow.
“Cheers!” said Howard.
“Yes, that’s it. It’s like Cheers,” Moulton said.
As the two worked to tackle a growing line of customers, selectwomen Mary Lou Ridley, Sarah Davis and Elaine Aloes waited to pay for their lunch and took in the scene.
The three elected officials hold office hours on Wednesday afternoons at the nearby Town Office, though they might as well move them to the store.
“We always come here for lunch on Wednesdays,” Ridley said. “They used to fax us over the specials.”
“We’re just thrilled that they’ve re-opened,” Davis said. “There are definitely a lot of people who come here on foot.”
“It’s also kind of an important meeting place in town,” Ridley added. “It’s where you meet people.”
Wright, who has owned George’s Banana Stand since 2005, said he hopes to focus on quality meat in Solon, just as he has in Skowhegan. Owning both stores will be an advantage because it means he can buy more products in bulk and sell them at lower prices.
“We’re really looking forward to serving the people of this area,” Wright said. “Really, we’re just tickled to death.”
John Dayhoff, who ran the store for years before selling it to the last owner, also has agreed to help Wright get the store running; and Wright’s son, Brent Wright, also helps his father at both stores.
Aside from canned goods, frozen food, produce and other items, the store sells prepared food and DVDs. Wednesday’s specials were cheesy broccoli casserole and a pastrami sandwich.
At the deli counter, resident Steve Ouderkirk looked over a selection of corned beef, bologna, ham and other meat before settling on turkey breast cold cuts.
Employee Jen Booker asked him how he would like his meat cut, and Ouderkirk broke into a smile.
“I’ll take whatever it is,” he said. “I’ve been waiting a long time for you guys to open back up.”
This story has been clarified to include the name of the corporation that previously owned the store.
Rachel Ohm — 612-2368
Twitter: @rachel_ohm
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