Staff Writer
LIMESTONE — When Michael Cyr purchased the former Limestone Grocery from Val and Craig O’Neal on April 1, one of the first things he did was reduce prices and increase inventory.
Community support was abundant on May 13 when the Greater Limestone Chamber of Commerce (GLCC) held a ribbon-cutting ceremony to welcome Mike’s Family Market to downtown Limestone. Present for the ceremonious ribbon cutting were, from left, Limestone Police Chief Stacey Mahan, Limestone Parks and Recreation Director Jamie Labreck, Mike’s Family Market butcher Fred Jamieson, Limestone Town Manager Donna Bernier, Mike’s Family Market cashier Kim Cullinan, GLCC members and Limestone business owners Jamie Albert and Randy Brooker, GLCC Vice President Joe Lapierre, GLCC President Scott Caldwell and owner of Mike’s Family Market Michael Cyr. Mike’s Family Market employees, not pictured, include cashiers Keely Beauchamp, Becky Robey, Betty Longlais, Chelsea Elliot, cashier and deli worker Brenda Crain, deli manager Tabatha Lunney, stockers Caleb Brennamen and Nathan Sirois, office manager Erica Cyr and public relations specialist Emily Cyr.
Cyr slashed prices across the board at Mike’s Family Market while putting an extra almost $60,000 worth of items on the shelves within a month at the same time; he even had to do a bit of remodeling in order to accommodate all the changes.
There’s a new two-tiered meat case, extra refrigeration space toward the back of the store that expands on the dairy selection, a deli with ready-to-eat sandwiches and salads and a bakery — all of which has been well received by customers.
“People have been surprised to see how many items there are in the store,” Cyr said, adding that some people have even told him that they can now forgo their routine trips to other towns for groceries because everything they need is at Mike’s Family Market.
Even with the drastically diversified inventory, all the prices have been reduced since the change in ownership.
Cyr knows that the customer is willing to drive a town or two over in order to save money on their grocery bill, which is why the prices at Mike’s Family Market are competitive even when compared to the big chain stores.
Cyr has also given Canadian shoppers extra incentive to stock up at Mike’s by lowering the exchange rate from 12 percent to 5.
“I’m a firm believer that if you treat the customer with the right prices, they’ll shop with you,” he said. That belief has worked for Cyr before when he owned the first Mike’s Family Market in Easton from 2002 through ’08.
With the success of his first market, Cyr brought many of the customer-pleasing practices from the old Mike’s to the new one, including the in-house bakery-made peanut butter squares that Limestone apparently can’t get enough of.
Bakery treats are just one facet of the in-town conveniences Cyr has brought back to Limestoners; community members have been expressing their interest in a dollar store for months and with this in mind, Cyr has already incorporated many dollar items into his inventory and plans to add more. He has also made Blue Rhino propane available at his store so that barbecues at Trafton Lake don’t have to be interrupted with a trip to other towns just for fuel.
“If you’re grilling and you have to drive to Presque Isle or Caribou to get your tank, that’s kind of a pain in the neck,” Cyr said, “so now we have Blue Rhino which is very popular and the price is right.”
Mike’s Family Market is also striving to carry a limited supply of hardware by the end of summer so that when customers need a two-by-four or a picture hook, they don’t have to leave town. Speaking of home improvements, Cyr will be further improving the store’s aesthetics with new siding and some fresh paint. Not only did he see a lot of potential in the grocery store, Cyr sees a lot of potential in Limestone.
“So far, the people have been wonderful and I really think they want Limestone to be a better place to live with more businesses,” he said. “I think the town is really goal-oriented and I’d like to be a part of that.”
Mike’s Family Market is located at 5 Main Street in Limestone and can be reached at 325-4767. They are open from 7 a.m. until 8 p.m. Monday through Thursday and Saturdays, 7 a.m. until 9 p.m. on Fridays and 7 a.m. until 7 p.m. on Sundays.
Cyr encourages individuals to come in and check out the market; they just might be surprised at how much the store has to offer.
