GRAY – Gray Plaza on Route 100, which hasn’t seen a new tenant in eight years, has a new owner who is aiming to draw new tenants and buzz to the once-bustling plaza.

Dan Craffey, a Casco resident and owner of Moose Landing Marina in Naples, is also in the grocery business, having owned several stores in Maine and New Hampshire for the last 25 years. For 15 years now, Craffey has owned the Gray Marketplace Supermarket in the Gray Plaza, and just recently purchased the strip mall from Phil Cook, the retired owner of Cook’s Hardware, located in the plaza.

In addition to buying the strip of a dozen or so storefronts, Craffey has also purchased the B&R Dairy Bar building near the northern entrance to the plaza, leaving only the building in the northeast corner of the property, where The Hearth Doctor is located, out of his domain.

Craffey is also switching grocery suppliers at his supermarket, which has been competing with the new Hannaford on Route 26 for a year and a half. Craffey said the supermarket will remain independently owned but will start stocking Hannaford product on Sunday, May 8. For years, Craffey has carried Shurfine products.

“We’re an independent. It’s not a corporate (Hannaford) store. It’s owned by us. The difference will be Hannaford will supply us with product, not Shurfine,” said store manager Perry Shaw, who began passing out fliers explaining the changes to customers last Monday. “We can get better buying power by using the Hannaford product, and we’ll be able to lower a lot of our prices. We’re doing this for our customers, that’s what we’re most concerned about.”

The store will be closed Saturday, May 7, so Shaw and his team of employees can stock the new Hannaford product and change over the computer system and cash registers.

‘Exciting’ changes

Shaw said the plaza hasn’t seen a new tenant for eight years and has six vacant storefronts. Two of those have already been filled with a new martial arts/fitness studio opening June 1. And, Shaw said, the remaining four units each have generated interest from potential tenants.

While there have been losses in recent years resulting in an empty look to the strip mall, the plaza retains steady foot traffic, with anchors including Cook’s Hardware, Key Bank, TD Bank, Jess ‘n Nic’s, Maine Cosmetic Dentistry and Maine Insurance Agency.

“I think it’s very exciting to have a new owner, and they’re talking about making some changes. And it’s nice to see some of the empty spaces getting filled up,” said Cathy Morgan, who has managed the Maine Insurance Agency in the plaza for 17 years. “The plaza seems to stay pretty busy. Jess ‘n Nic’s draws a lot of people to the plaza and the banks do, but yes, this will help. The traffic in the plaza helps us.”

Wayne Pollard, owner of Jess ‘n Nic’s pizzeria, recently revamped his offerings to include wait service and a full bar.

“I think it’ll be good in the long run,” Pollard said. “He’s going to upgrade the plaza, fix the fac?ade, do the yard, clean it up, just to spark it up and get more traffic. That’s the plan. He’s got people looking at every one of them. We think it’s going to be good overall.”

Dr. Robert Beebe, who’s operated Maine Cosmetic Dentistry in the plaza since 1985, is likewise looking forward to the upgrades.

“We’ve always enjoyed the previous owner and we’re really excited for the new owners and the new businesses and we wish them all the greatest success. It is exciting,” Beebe said.

‘Great location’

Since Hannaford opened a store near Gray’s middle and high school complex on Route 26 in September 2009, about two miles from Gray Plaza, Craffey said the plaza has seen some loss of traffic. However, Craffey believes the plaza “is a great location, great property and there’s plenty of room for growth … We’re going to renovate and get new life into it.”

Craffey said the success of the plaza is directly tied to the companies featured in the plaza. He said there already are “some great businesses there,” and his goal is to add complementary ones.

“The only way to do that is fixing it up and making it attractive,” Craffey said. “It’s in pretty good shape already, but we’re just redoing the front to make it more appealing to shop and eat.”

Craffey was unwilling to disclose the purchase price, but said he is able to offer leases at a reduced price in hopes that the discounted rent will lure tenants to fill the vacancies.

“I bought it at a price that I can make it attractive for people,” he said. “I know the struggles of the small businessman and we’re offering rates that can bring in small businesses to be successful.”

In addition to revamping the shingled fac?ade, which runs the length of the strip mall, Craffey also intends to repave and restripe the massive parking lot. He hopes the renovations will bring back customers.

“The town is basically split in two areas, and we’re in the quieter side of town, which allows for easier access for customers,” Craffey said. “We’re here to fill the needs of the community. It’s a pretty good opportunity for the right business to have an impact.”

But the priority in the next few weeks is the transition to Hannaford products at the supermarket.

“I’m so excited we’re partnering with Hannaford,” Craffey said, adding that his Glen, N.H., grocery store (near Storyland at the intersection of routes 302 and 16) is also transitioning to Hannaford product beginning next week. “I’ve always thought Hannaford had great products. I especially love their produce, and their people are great to work with.”

Hannaford spokesman Matt Paul said the company is looking forward to working with Craffey and his two stores.

“We have independent arrangements with supermarkets throughout Maine and New Hampshire, and we’re really happy to have these stores on board and selling Hannaford products,” Paul said.