Blockbuster Video mum on possible Bangor store

Blockbuster Video isn’t confirming it, but city officials in Bangor have seen a sign that the world’s leading video store chain has set its sites on Bangor for a new store.

Although the Florida-based company has yet to file the necessary application with the city, the company that builds the signs for the chain’s Maine stores has been given approval from the city to put up a Blockbuster Video sign in Bangor.

According to the sign application by Bailey Signs Inc. in Westbrook, the video store would locate in what is now a 4,800-square-foot vacant store at the Maine Square Mall on the Hogan Road. The store previously housed the Ski Rack. Sign company owner Bruce Bailey said he’s been told the store is scheduled to open in December at the Maine Square Mall.

Code Enforcement Officer Dan Wellington hasn’t received an application for a certificate of occupancy from Blockbuster, however. Wellington said Monday that such a certificate is necessary before Blockbuster can move in.

For now, Blockbuster isn’t confirming whether it will be moving into the Maine Square Mall location. Company spokesman Wally Knief said that no lease had been signed and that company policy prohibits him from commenting on any location until a lease has been signed.

Although Blockbuster has 4,500 stores worldwide, including 3,053 in this country, Maine has been an unexplored frontier for the video store giant. Knief said Blockbuster has four stores in Maine, in Lewiston, Westbrook, Windham and one scheduled to open in December in South Portland.

Blockbuster Video is a division of Blockbuster Entertainment Group which in turn is a unit of Viacom Inc.