The patriarch of Reny’s department stores died Friday after a long illness.
Robert H. Reny Sr., who began his retail career selling shirts out of his car, built a 14-store chain recognized by Fortune Magazine in 2004 for its shrewd positioning in a market increasingly dominated by big box retailers, according to the Morning Sentinel. The chain, whose flagship store opened in1949 in Damariscotta, emphasized local ownership, an eclectic mix of inventory and bargains.
Reny was in his early 80s, according to the paper.
