Brewer Farm and Garden store closes doors

BREWER – In an effort to spur economic development, the owner of the Brewer Farm and Garden closed the business’s doors Saturday.

“I closed the Agway [known also as the Brewer Farm and Garden],” said owner Joe Muner. “We closed it in anticipation of some of the real estate development that’s going on.”

About eight weeks ago, Muner, along with two partners, purchased 300 acres of land behind his outer Wilson Street business, which is located at the point where Interstate 395 intersects with Wilson Street and extends back toward Eastern Avenue.

The land includes Pickard’s Sport Shop, located at 802 Wilson St., which also may have to close its doors in the long run. Pickard’s, which has been open at that location for 30 years, has a lease agreement and has not been asked to leave.

“Muner’s preparing the site so he can move more quickly on land development,” Economic Development Director Andrew “Drew” Sachs said. “He’s basically clearing the slate so it’s ready to go. It will dramatically shorten the timeline to develop that property.”

Muner now owns 83 acres with 1,200-1,400 feet of frontage on Wilson Street opposite the Brewer Professional Center.

“It’s all the land between the power lines and Interstate 395,” Sachs said. “The other 220 acres is attached at the back corner of that property and extends basically to the east from there and reaches up to the back of properties on Eastern Avenue.”

The property shares a traffic light with the Brewer Professional Center.

“The good news is that it’s making that property more attractive to larger developers,” Sachs said.

He said a large portion of the land is considered upland and is highly developable.

“That property is one of many significant opportunities in Brewer, but it’s one of the most significant ones in term of broad development,” Sachs said.

“We’re in the process of getting proposals from developers,” Muner said. “We’ve had a number of people approach us.”

A developer from Rhode Island and one from Nashville, Tenn. have been talking with Muner, but he would not give any details on what types of developments the two had offered.

“It’s the perfect site for another shopping center,” he said. “I would love to see shopping with entertainment and recreation. Ultimately, what the community needs will be built there.”

The site also could include hotels but would probably not involve manufacturing.

“Manufacturing is waning in this country,” Muner said. “We’re more consumers and I think we need to capitalize on that.”

Muner said he is currently looking for a place to relocate the Brewer Farm and Garden Store.

“I’d like to keep my business in Brewer,” he said.

Construction of Wilson Street added to the demise of the store, Muner said.

“It was a tough year because of the road construction,” he said. “It was the worst year in 30 years.”

The decision to move the store was “inevitable,” said Muner, but added, “It was a difficult decision.”

He cited employee loyalty and dedication as reasons the decision was difficult.

Muner owns three other garden centers: one in Brunswick and two out of state.