Changes are coming to Buddy’s Store in New Gloucester with the arrival of a new owner.

Donna Young, of Sabattus, purchased Buddy’s from longtime owner Debbie Richardson early this year, and took over Feb. 1.

Since then, Young has been experimenting with additions to the kitchen menu, and is offering new delivery services to residents within a four-mile radius.

“(Buddy’s) is well supported by the regulars, but if we’re going to survive, we need to reach out,” said Young.

Young said the construction of the Route 26 bypass a few years ago caused the business to suffer, but she hopes that a fresh set of eyes will help the store recoup some of the losses.

Breakfast time is always bustling at Buddy’s, with customers stopping in for a bite to eat before they start the work day. But Young hopes to attract more families to the store for sit down dinners. With high definition television and a relaxed atmosphere perfect for children, people can come taste home made baked beans and a new favorite, haddock fish chowder without stress.

Young does much of the cooking herself, and she has added some new options to the old favorites, including shepherds pie and corn chowder. Also, Young is expanding the bakery menu to include homemade pies and biscuits.

Hot meal and grocery delivery are options that Young hopes will “shut-ins” who may have difficulty getting out of their homes. There is a $15 minimum for deliveries, but Young hopes that elderly people especially will take advantage of the service. Young delivers between 4 and 8 p.m., and encourages customers to call earlier in the day to place orders.

One thing New Gloucester residents can bid farewell to is the sign that reads “Eat Here, Get Gas” because Young does not like the tone. She has also done away with the sale of shirts that were decorated with less-than-palatable text.

David Anderson, a New Gloucester resident, has been eating his early morning breakfast at Buddy’s daily since he moved to New Gloucester four years ago. Although Anderson likes Buddy’s Store fine as it is – he calls it a “nice little neighborhood gathering place” – he has noticed that Young is making an effort to get acquainted with people like him.

“It makes it more enjoyable,” said Anderson.

Customers, like Anderson, can expect Buddy’s Store to keep the small-town feel about it, while at the same time look forward to new advantages, said Young, who owned Young’s Market in Bath in the late 80s.

“I’m not afraid of work or the hours. I love it. I love the people. We’re almost like family already,” said Young.

Donna Young, the new owner of Buddy’s Store in New Gloucester has added doughnuts to the menu and deliveries to the services offered by the store that has been a fixture in New Gloucester since