The Dresden Take-out, on Route 27, opened this past week with a new owner and a new face-lift. Wiscasset businessman Greg Lemar purchased the store at auction Dec 10, 2013 for $43,000. Since that time he has invested about $200,000 refurbishing the building and stocking the store.
Lemar has spent nearly seven months preparing the store to open. The interior of the building has been completely renovated with new refrigeration, new stainless steel kitchen appliances, and sandwich bar, and new tables and chairs for customers to sit and enjoy a cup of coffee and a quick lunch.
Saturday, June 28, a grand opening is planned to include Lemar’s other business, Greg’s Used Cars and Service in Wiscasset and the Dresden Take-Out. 99.9 Wolf radio will be live between the two businesses from 11 a.m. until 1 p.m. announcing the special deals being offered.
One of those deals includes up to 20 gallons of gasoline at $1.99 per gallon per customer while the supplies last. In order to get in on this offer, a person must first go to Greg’s Used Cars and Service on Route 27 in Wiscasset, and visit Rick McKusic, sales manager, and pick up a voucher to take to the Dresden Take-Out. At the Dresden store customers will be offered free coffee and donuts, and pizza.
The menu at the new business will include deli sandwiches, hot sandwiches, pizza and more.
“We will also offer daily specials in the future,” Lemar said. “We want to see what our customers want from us, Then we can move forward with more services. We are a convenience store, and our goal is to make it as convenient for our customers as we can.
The Take-Out also offers the sale of gasoline, kerosene, and will sell diesel fuel during the summer months, according to Lemar. Future plans will also include a bottle redemption center on the site. Lemar pointed out the Dresden Take-Out is the only gasoline station between Wiscasset and Randolph on Route 27.
During an interview with Lemar and his wife Wanda this week, Wanda said, although her husband owns a gas and a car repair service it didn’t help either of them one day last week when they were both running errands in preparation of opening the store.
They each had a rather embarrassing event. Wanda ran out of gas in less than a mile from the Dresden-Take-Out and Lemar had a flat tire in Damariscotta. “It just goes to show you even though these necessities are close at hand, you still need to pay attention to things like checking your gas gauge and the air in your tires, which we have been too busy to do.” Wanda said with a chuckle.
Although Lemar and Wanda have been working to get the store ready, they will not be managing the store. Paula Beckett, a 27-year veteran of retail management with CN Brown of Belfast, has been hired to manage the store. Currently there are five employees at the store.
Lemar said his goal is to hire his employees for a 40 hour week, instead of have several part-timers. “I don’t want my employees to have to work two or three jobs to make a living. I don’t want them to have to think of scheduling from one job to the other,” Lemar said. “I want good employees that will give this business 100 percent, 40 hours a week. I don’t expect them to work for minimum wage either.”
The Dresden Take-Out will be open seven days a week. The hours include: Monday through Thursday, from 6 a.m. until 8 p.m. Friday and Saturday, from 6 a.m. until 9 a.m., and Sunday, from 7 a.m. until 7 p.m.