Hannaford Bros. Co. is looking to build a large shopping center, which would include a 36,000 square foot grocery store, in Buxton.

Buxton selectmen learned about the proposal late Tuesday afternoon after meeting with Hannaford representatives.

Selectman Bob Libby said the Hannaford project was being proposed for the intersection of Route 202 and Portland Road on the same side of Portland Road as the Buxton fire station.

Hannaford’s proposal includes a 36,000 square foot grocery store including a pharmacy, a Nature’s Place, Hannaford’s natural and organic food department, as well as a butcher shop, produce and seafood departments, bakery and a deli. Hannaford spokeswoman Caren Epstein said the 13-acre site could potentially be developed in the future to include a bank and several small shops, though no prospective tenants other than Hannaford have been identified.

Selectman Jean Harmon said for now, the initial phase of the project is limited to a grocery store. “It’s great for the economy of Buxton,” Harmon said. “It’s a commercial business coming to Buxton that can serve a lot of people. It’s huge for us.”

Libby said the next step would be for Hannaford to take the proposal to the Buxton Planning Board. It could be on the agenda in February.

Epstein said the project depends on the company securing the necessary permits from local and state boards and agencies. “We’re very excited at the prospect of developing a shopping center in Buxton,” she said. “It’s a great community and we’re looking forward to becoming part of it.”

“We’ve been looking at Buxton for many years,” Epstein said, noting that the company has owned property in town since 1984.

The store would employ about 100 full and part time workers.

Harmon said testing had been going on at the site for several months but selectmen didn’t know what would be going there. “We knew it would be something big,” she said.

Libby said he hadn’t seen plans for the project yet. But he thought that the store proposed in Buxton would be smaller than Hannaford stores in Gorham and Waterboro.

“With Buxton residents patronizing our stores in Waterboro and Gorham, the time is right for Buxton to have its own Hannaford store,” Epstein said.