By Renee Cordes, Mainebiz
Less than three months after Renys opened a store in Waterville, the discount retailer is aiming for a bigger footprint in central Maine with a 32,174-square-foot store in a former Big Lots.
In its new home at 152 Western Ave., the Newcastle-based business will join Dollar Tree, Planet Fitness and other consumer businesses at a shopping center anchored by Shaw’s
“We wanted to be in Augusta for a long time,” John Reny, the company’s president, told Mainebiz by phone on Monday.
Ben Spencer, a senior vice president at Portland commercial real estate agency CORE, brokered the lease between Renys and the property owner, NNM Realty Trust. Spencer said the lease is for 10 years with several renewal options.
“The space was only vacant for three to four months since being vacated by Big Lots,” he explained. “I reached out to Renys directly as soon as Big Lots vacated as I believed they would be a great fit. We had offers from other retailers but Renys was the right choice.”
CORE also recently renegotiated a lease for Renys in downtown Gardiner.