LISBON

With the demolition of some mainstays in Lisbon and the closing of the “Moxie Store” earlier this year, it is the end of an era in the town.

Saturday, however, people can bid on their own piece of history.

The Moxie collection of “Moxie Man” Frank Anicetti and other items from his store, Kennebec Fruit Company, go to auction Saturday at 1 p.m. at Daniel Buck Auctions at 501 Lisbon St., in Lisbon Falls. The auction was scheduled for the same time Moxie Festival returns to town.

Auctioneer and appraiser Daniel Buck Soules worked steadily in his gallery Tuesday, organizing all of the Moxie items and memorabilia, getting ready for the auction. Against a wall was a large Moxie sign; next to that — a giant and rare Coca-Cola button. The Coca-Cola memorabilia Soules expected would draw a lot of interest from collectors. He guessed items could draw a wide range of bids, from $5 to hundreds of dollars.

There were stacks of unused ice cream boxes, store calendars, a candy scale, milk shake mixers, candy dispensers and even the original soda fountain taps from the store.

And of course, two 1920 sera cash registers, of which Anicetti said parting with is like giving up family.

The story of Anicetti’s life has always been intertwined with that of the Kennebec Fruit Co. store his grandfather opened in 1913 at the corner of Main Street and Route 196. The 1901 building was built in the same footprint as the building that stood there before a fire destroyed two dozen buildings in town.

At one time there were 13 Kennebec Fruit Co. stores in the state, all independently owned. Anicetti said the first was in Bath, the second in Brunswick and his grandfather opened the third.

“I’m the last one,” Anicetti said.

He reached the point that the stress of keeping the store going was damaging his health, Anicetti said, and knew he had to let the store go. After more than a century serving as a landmark and tourist attraction, the Moxie Store doors closed in February.

The building is up for sale and being handled by Haggerty Realty. Anicetti said he’d like someone to buy the store, refurbish it and use it again as a store. But he will accept whatever goes into the space, he said.

Cheryl Haggerty said the asking price has dropped to $99,000 for the 3,900-square-foot building. The structure and base of the building is in surprisingly good shape and she noted the new owner could get up to $20,000 from the $150,000 facade grant the town landed to make facade improvements as long as they match it. With the Worumbo Mill coming down, there could be a river view from the second floor, she added. There is someone interested in the property who is working on financing.

“It has burned me out and I want to cross the street and see what’s on the other side of the road,” Anicetti said. “I’ve had a lot of fun, I’ve met some wonderful people from all over the world, but it has just reached that point.”

It’s time for change, Anicetti said. Still there have been days he’s left home to go somewhere, got as far as the store, and had to turn around and go home. Now he plans to travel and sit in on some area college senior lectures. He recently visited Popham Beach for the first time since the 1950s.

Despite the enthusiasm many New Englanders have for the unique, somewhat bitter soft drink, Anicetti has worried that Moxie could soon be off the market. He has fought for years to keep that from happening.

Moxie is owned by Coca- Cola Bottling Company of Northern New England, but has been around more than a century. According to the official Moxie website, Moxie was created as an “elixir” in 1885 by Dr. Augustin Thompson, “and was originally called Moxie Nerve Food.”

According to the site: “In the mid-1980s, the major thing which prevented the Moxie brand from falling off the face of the earth was a spontaneous effort in tiny Lisbon Falls, ME, starting with a book-signing, which developed into the annual Moxie Festival which today attracts 30-40k attendees.”

The Moxie Festival kicks off Friday and will feature fireworks, a parade, music and more over three days. Go to moxiefestival.com for more information on the festival.

A fan himself — he said he likes his flat and sugarfree, Anicetti noted Moxie can be used to make everything from cheesecake to baked beans and ham glaze.

Emptying the store brought with it good memories of Lisbon — times when there were three supermarkets on the same street, a movie theater, four barbers and a shoe shop. With three shifts working at the mills in town, the store would open at 6 a.m. and close at midnight.

Times have changed. Opposite Route 196 from the store, the Worumbo Mill is being demolished. Another Lisbon landmark on Route 196, Graziano’s Casa Mia Restaurant, closed in 2012 and the building was demolished in 2013.

Anicetti said he’s heard from people all over the country who plan to go to the auction, which he also plans to attend.

Friday there is a special preview with Anicetti from 5:30-8:30 p.m., as well as a preview Saturday from 10 a.m. to the start of the auction. Boxing photographs and artwork from the restaurant will also be available at the auction Saturday.

Go to danielbuckauctions.com for more information and to view available items.

dmoore@timesrecord.com