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Updated: November 30, 2020 On the record

On the Record: For Adam Reny and Renys stores, COVID isn't stopping the 'Maine Adventure'

Photo / Tim Greenway Adam Reny, left, vice president of Renys, and John Reny, president, in the Renys Underground store in Damariscotta.
By Maureen Milliken

R.H. Reny opened the first Renys in 1949, in Damariscotta. The company now has 17 stores across Maine and is considered a state institution. Mainebiz caught up with Vice President Adam Reny and the rest of the family.

Mainebiz: How’s Renys coping with the pandemic?

Adam Reny: When the pandemic started, we decided to close the stores even though we were considered essential. With so little known about the virus, we wanted to make sure our employees were safe while we figured out how to move forward.

The first thing we did was institute new safety and cleaning measures. We had to continue to operate with limited staff in our office and warehouse, bills had to be paid and merchandise deliveries continued to arrive. We then turned our attention to reopening, starting with curbside pickup. We created signs and plexiglass dividers, but, more importantly, new store policies and procedures.

Renys already had a safety committee to review and develop safety procedures, so our infrastructure was in place. We also had to turn our attention to sourcing PPE products. We have great relationships with our vendors, and that really helped us get what we needed fast. One great partnership that came out of this is with Topher Mallory at Split Rock Distilling. He wanted to produce hand sanitizer, but couldn’t source hydrogen peroxide. We found some for him, and now we have his hand sanitizer available in our stores. It’s a great example of how Mainers come together in a time of need.

MB: What’s the philosophy behind the strict COVID-19 measures? How have customers reacted?

AR: It’s pretty simple — we are following the executive order, which every business should be adhering to, and most of the science points to the fact that masks are one of the most effective ways to stop the spread of the virus. While not 100% effective, we felt it necessary to do everything we could to keep everyone safe — not just our employees, but our customers and communities. We want to be part of the solution. That’s why we require all customers and everyone employed at Renys to wear a mask.

Overall, the response has been positive. Of course, there are people who disagree with us and it can be very challenging for our staff, but in the end, we feel we’re doing the right thing.

MB: How has your staff fared?

AR: We kept everyone on the payroll when we closed, keeping their job once we opened or when they were able to come back. Retail has changed so much and so fast, and it has been hard to keep up with demand with all the challenges we face, so we’ve continued to hire. It’s been stressful for all of us, and retail was already hard enough pre-pandemic, but we have fantastic people at Renys and they have been amazing. We owe any success we have to our employees and our loyal customers.

MB: Has business changed?

AR: Sourcing products has been especially hard due to the breakdown in the supply chain. We source goods from all over the world and a lot depends on our vendors’ ability to stay open, produce goods, or even get the product to us. But we have amazing buyers that have worked very hard to get the products Mainers need during this crisis. We’ve also noticed a significant change in the way customers shop. People are buying more at one time because they want to make the most of their trip and reduce their exposure to the public. They have also become more flexible, buying the next best thing if their favorite item isn’t available.

MB: How is the holiday season shaping up?

AR: We aren’t sure exactly how the shopping season will unfold, but we’re hopeful it will be a good one. We just had our “not so early bird” sale, and it was a great success. so that’s a good sign people want to shop. We have great items shipping to our stores every day and have plenty of options for customers.

MB: Tell us about the Renys Charitable Foundation.

AR: Our mission is to help our communities flourish, focusing on education, conservation, and community development. Throughout the year we get requests from all over the state, and at the end of each year we go through all requests and make a determination, depending on how each organization lines up with our mission and values.

MB: A great part of your brand is people singing the jingle …

AR: We have very creative people here at Renys, and all of our marketing is developed internally. Mary Kate Reny came up with the logo, and with help from David Melville at Dirigo Marketing, it’s become a great success. We get requests regularly throughout the year.

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