By Carol Coultas,Business Writer

LEWISTON – The old VIP auto parts store on Lisbon Street will have a new tenant this summer.

Aaron’s Sales and Lease for Less, a store selling and leasing furniture and appliances, plans to leave its space at the Promenade Mall for a more visible location at 810 Lisbon St. Work is under way now to convert the garages and former parts store into suitable retail display space.

“It’s a great spot,” said George Davis, Aaron’s general manager. “You can see the store from East Avenue, as well as Lisbon Street.”

Davis said despite being at its mall location for five years, the store is still hard for people to visualize.

“We get calls all the time from customers who ask where we are,” said Davis. “I tell them behind Tim Hortons.”

Davis doesn’t anticipate having the same problem at the new location. Among the modifications to the old VIP building are big windows that can be used for advertising. The construction permit on file at the Lewiston City Building estimates about $100,000 worth of interior work will be done there.

Aaron’s will occupy all the former VIP space, with the exception of the two bays to the far left. Negotiations are under way with a sandwich shop to lease that space, although nothing is firm as yet.

VIP left the 810 Lisbon St. location last year to move into a new, revamped building in the city’s renovated Southern Gateway. The $1.8 million store is one of the anchors in the city’s downtown revitalization efforts.

When the renovation is complete, all Aaron’s inventory will be moved from the mall to the new location. The store carries full lines of kitchen and home appliances, electronics and furniture. Davis said Aaron’s customers typically own the items they lease within a year. The store offers a 90-day, no-interest lease and guarantees the lowest prices whether a customer is leasing or purchasing.

The Lewiston franchise is part of 1,000-store national chain that is particularly strong in the South. There are three other Aaron’s stores in Maine. Plans are to expand more in the Northeast.

Davis expects the store will be up and running by August, perhaps earlier if the renovation work goes smoothly. There will be a grand opening and special promotions to announce the relocation at that time.