GARDINER, Maine — The Hannaford Supermarket in Gardiner is set to reopen next week after closing in mid-December due to historic flooding.
The store will open its doors to customers at 7 a.m. on Wednesday, March 27, according to a news release from the company.
During the December storm, floodwaters rose well over a foot above the base of the store's door, enough for two people to be seen canoeing across a nearby footbridge and into the shopping center's lot.
The store will continue to offer a full-service pharmacy, the release stated. In an effort to reopen as quickly as possible, areas of the store will feature temporary cases and shelving at the reopening, which will be replaced by permanent fixtures in the coming months, according to the release.
"We extend our deepest gratitude to the entire Gardiner community for their patience, understanding and loyalty while we prepared to reopen our doors," Rob Meader, the store's manager, said in the release. "Reopening the store this quickly would not have been possible without the unwavering support of the many associates and community members who contributed to the effort, including the tremendous partnership of the City of Gardiner. We very much look forward to welcoming customers back to the store."
In celebration of the reopening, Hannaford said it is donating a total of $5,000 to two local food pantries that serve the Gardiner community: Faith Food Pantry and Gardiner Food Pantry. Each pantry will receive $2,500 in Hannaford gift cards to support their hunger relief efforts, the release stated.
The Gardiner store's hours of operation are Monday through Saturday from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. and Sunday from 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. Pharmacy hours are Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.; Saturday from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.; and Sunday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.