Hundreds of people stood outside in the rain and snow Friday morning to be the first customers to walk through the doors of the new Bangor Renys.
As customers filed inside following a brief ribbon cutting ceremony at 10 a.m., at least one broke out into the Renys jingle. Most shook the hand of John Reny, the son of the business’ founder and current president, to thank him for bringing a location to Bangor. Some said they’ve been waiting for one for years.
Polly Peach of Bangor arrived at 8:30 a.m. to be the first person in line and lead the crowd through the doors. She came because visiting every Renys location in the state is on her “retirement bucket list” because “it’s a Maine adventure,” she said, quoting the store’s tagline.
The new Bangor location of the popular Maine department store is Peach’s 17th location. Now, she’s only missing the Bridgton store.
The new store at 46 Springer Drive in Bangor is the first new Renys location in eight years. It’s in a 31,000-square-foot space that last housed The Christmas Tree Shops, which closed in August 2023 after the company went bankrupt.
Renys was planning to hold the Bangor location’s grand opening on Thursday, but pushed the event back one day due to an early spring nor’easter that brought more than a foot of snow to much of the state on Thursday.
Prior to Bangor, Renys’ most recent new location was Windham, which opened in 2016. The other locations are in Bath, Belfast, Bridgton, Camden, two stores in Damariscotta, Dexter, Ellsworth, Farmington, Gardiner, Madison, Pittsfield, Portland, Saco, Topsham and Wells.
Alisha Randall of Hampden said she and her mother, Lisa Patten of Brewer, were “stoked” to hear Renys was coming to Bangor, as they take monthly trips to the Ellsworth location. They said they return to the store because of the low prices and variety.
Founded in Damariscotta in 1949 by Robert H. Reny, the company is still family-owned and boasts more than 500 employees, according to the store’s website. The chain is known for offering discounted name brand clothing, shoes, dry goods, toys, outdoor equipment, kitchen items and Maine-made gifts.
Ryan Rush and Jerry Copan of Lisbon Falls came to Bangor on Thursday to stay with friends when they lost power in the storm. When Rush heard of the Renys grand opening, he insisted the couple go.
“You can get everything here,” Rush said. “This new store is also an opportunity for new employment and economic growth for Bangor.”
John Reny said he has received requests from customers to open a Bangor location, but struggled to find the right location.
When The Christmas Tree Shop announced its impending closure, Reny said the landlord reached out to the company.
“This is wonderful and shows how much people love our store,” Reny said as he shook customers’ hands while they filed into the store. “My father always said if you treat people right and give them a good deal, they’ll remember and keep coming back.”
