BRUNSWICK, Maine — Rusty Lantern Markets has purchased the four-store Mallard Mart convenience chain, the owners of Oxford Mills, Maine-based Mallard Mart announced on Facebook. The stores are in Livermore, West Paris, Bethel and Norway in western Maine.
“The Michaud family announces the retirement of the Mallard Mart businesses in all locations beginning on August 15th and welcome new operations to Rusty Lantern Markets. We wish them great success and know they will enjoy being in these great towns,” the post said. “It has been a wonderful 26 years within these communities, and we are very thankful to all our patrons, dedicated staff and various vendors over the years.”
“Ed and Nancy will be enjoying retirement nearby with their family and grandbaby,” it added.
It was important to retain Mallard Mart’s 50 employees. “The Michauds built a good team and we want to keep that in place,” John Koch, CEO of Brunswick Maine-based Rusty Lantern Markets, told the Sun Journal.
The gasoline brand will transition from Sunoco to Irving, said the report and will add Irving’s rewards program.
Koch said another change will be the coffee. The stores will be stocked with self-serve Coffee by Design, based out of Portland, Maine. Menu items will not see much change, although he said the stores will add Rusty Lantern sandwiches, such as Reubens, and customers can expect to see more fresh foods. There will also be a larger selection of groceries.
Rebranding, cleaning, reorganizing and painting will occur over the next few months, said the report.
With the addition of the four Mallard Marts, Rusty Lantern Markets now operates 22 stores—16 in Maine, four in Massachusetts and two in New Hampshire.
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