Fort Fairfield to Buy Back

Parking Lot from T&G LLC

By:  David Deschesne

Fort Fairfield Journal, August 25, 2015

   A public hearing was held on Wednesday, August 12 at 12 noon to receive comments on the Town of Fort Fairfield purchasing some commercial property on Main Street.  The property includes the parking lot, currently owned by T&G LLC, from the Strid building, which houses the A Hair Above and Sisters Bakery businesses, over to the mail box in the old municipal parking lot.  This is better known as the location where St. Paul's Episcopal Church sets up for their chicken Barbecue during the Potato Blossom Festival.

   Around June 19, Terry Greenier, owner of T&G LLC approached the town of Fort Fairfield to see if there was any interest in acquiring the property.  A selling price of $5,000 was then  negotiated.

   “If successful and the transfer of property goes forward the net proceeds are being obligated to structural improvements to support the business of ICare Pharmacy,” said Paul Towle, from T&G LLC, during the comment period of the public hearing.  “There are obviously some things that can be improved in that old building.  It will be nice to get a little cash infusion to help with some of those projects.” 

   According to Tony Levesque, Fort Fairfield's Code Enforcement Officer, it's been close to sixty years since that lot had been used for anything other than parking and snow removal.

   T&G LLC purchased the former fire station and town office building, along with the parking area all the way to the Strid building in 2007.  They refurbished the building for their phone-based pharmacy business.  

   Contrary to rumors, ICare is staying in business in Fort Fairfield and are not planning to move.  They recently were licensed to sell in New Hampshire, which currently represents a small percentage of their overall sales.

   The Fort Fairfield town council voted unanimously to adopt the ordinance establishing the purchase of the land at their August 19, 2015 town council meeting.