TOPSHAM

Despite the fact that its structure has largely been stripped bare inside and out, a window removed and the rows of shelving, hot dog steamer and coolers full of food and drink now gone — the parking lot at Rusty’s Grocery store filled with people Thursday afternoon.

Local officials, town employees and a state senator joined neighbors who came to be part of the official groundbreaking at the site, which after a three-month construction period will become the home of a new, expanded neighborhood grocery store.

Rusty Rancourt, owner and namesake of the current store, said the new enterprise will be five times the size of the old Rusty’s store at 3,150 square feet. It will be called Rusty’s Middlesex Market and its address will be 38 Middlesex Road. The store will offer three standard gasoline pumps and one diesel pump.

Wearing a Priority Group LLC hard hat, Jim Howard, president and chief executive officer of the firm building the new store, told the crowd Thursday that Priority Group hopes the store will open Nov. 1. He recognized Priority Group team members as well as Rancourt, who Howard said will be working at the new market from 5 a.m. to 2 p.m. when it opens. That news brought a round of applause.

Howard thanked the Topsham Planning Board and Town Planner Rich Roedner for helping steer the project through review. He also thanked other town officials.

And he especially thanked neighbors of the project site, “that for the next 90 days have to put up with all the noise we create,” which construction crews hope to limit to 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday to Friday.

Howard also pointed out special guest Andrew DeBiasio, 89, of Brunswick, who sat in a lawn chair with family Wednesday morning watching demolition of the houses at 34 and 38 Middlesex Road to clear the way for the new store. He grew up in the former yellow house. In 1948, he started building the blue house next door at 38 Middlesex Road. He said it took him nine years to build the residence, which came down in less than five minutes.

On Thursday, DeBiasio said he’s happy someone took on the project, noting he thinks the area will soon have a whole new look. “I’m looking forward to when Rusty’s opens its doors for business,” he said.

Also on hand were some of Rusty’s loyal customers. Howard singled out Ed Caron, the town’s solid waste facility manager, joking, “Rusty sold a million hot dogs over the years, but 950,000 of them were to Ed.”

Howard then pointed to Topsham Police Sgt. Mark Gilliam who was in the crowd: “When you see a police officer somewhere, you think they’re having a coffee. He ate the other 50,000 hot dogs. There was no coffee going on there.”

“We want to thank everybody,” Howard continued, “and we look forward to seeing you the first of November when we’re open.”

Rancourt said Nov. 5, 2011, marked the 40th anniversary of when he bought the business, currently at 2 Tedford Road, from Pete Lamarre. The store used to have two gas pumps in front. The current Rusty’s, which will come down in the next two days, was moved from the Brunswick Naval Air Station in 1945 and has had about five additions.

Rancourt added a hot dog steamer and added Italian sandwiches and pizza about a year after he bought the store, and realized he could make more money selling food than pumping gas.

Originally his sister, Donna, ran the store with him and over the years all of his six children played a part in the family business.

“I’m basically worn out,” Rancourt said when asked if he thinks the new store is a good thing for him at this point in time. “It’s too expensive for someone like me to keep up with progress. I’m glad for the neighborhood, I really am. It’s something they need.”

Howard said the new store will host a farm stand for local farmers. One man, Howard said, is reportedly growing pumpkins now because he has somewhere to sell them.

“That will be a real good addition to the community,” Howard said of the farm stand feature. He estimates the new store overall will result in seven to nine jobs, likely three of which will be full-time.

“Several years ago, the planning department came up with a plan to allow neighborhood grocery stores, and it became part of the comprehensive plan,” Howard said. “They wanted neighborhood grocery stores basically along (routes) 196, 201 and 24 because you have to be on a state road.”

This is the first such neighborhood grocery since that change, Howard said.

“It’s really nice that the neighborhood is right here today supporting what we’re doing instead of fighting what we’re doing,” Howard said. “Everybody over here can’t wait, including me.”

Echoing that sentiment, Caron passed by Howard and commented, “If you get it done before November, that would be great, because I really am starving.”