Bull Moose to close Sanford store, start new chapter in Biddeford
Photos / courtesy Bull Moose
Bull Moose will close its Sanford store, at left, and open at a larger space in Biddeford (right) formerly occupied by Nubble Books.
Bullish on Biddeford, Bull Moose will bring new life into a storefront formerly occupied by a bookstore that went out of business in 2020.
The music and entertainment retailer plans to close its location on Main Street in Sanford and relocate to 403 Mariner Way, at the former home of Nubble Books. The bookstore closed in July 2020 after 20 years in business, blaming a 10-week shutdown at the start of COVID.
Portland-based Bull Moose is targeting a February opening for Biddeford. At around 5,500 square feet, the store is nearly three times larger than the Sanford store, which dates back 25 years. The new Biddeford Bull Moose will include an expanded vinyl section as well as a full-sized book section.
"I think it's a fantastic spot," said Garrison Nein, Bull Moose's district manager, who highlighting attributes that include easy parking and highway access and a shopping plaza that's "always bumping."
"Biddeford is a cool city," he added.
Earlier this year, Shawn Nichols succeeded Brett Wickard, the company's founder, as president and CEO. Wickard sold the company to employees at the start of 2022 but remains involved as Bull Moose's board chairman.
Bull Moose plans to keep its Sanford store open through the end of the year and into early January as the move is finalized. Eight people are employed in Sanford, and all will go to Biddeford, company spokesman Mick Werkhoven told Mainebiz.
She also said the company plans to hire additional staff for the new location but could not yet give an exact number.
While no major remodels are planned in Biddeford, Bull Moose is getting all-new fixtures, putting up a slat wall and making minor repairs, she added, nothing that the location is close to being a clean slate and essentially an empty book, Werkhoven said.
On a more general note, she said the outlook for business in 2023 is good, adding, "Biddeford will further expand our books category, and we're focusing on bringing more vinyl into this and other locations."
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