RUMFORD – Marden’s 14th store will open here in April.

Paul Lepage, general manager of the popular discount retailer, said a multi-year lease was signed with Jay Wise, owner of River Valley Crossing Shopping Center, a few days ago.

The newest store in the Maine chain that sells clothing, furniture, household items and just about everything else, will employ between 40 and 50 people, most full-time.

“We sell anything we don’t have to feed,” Lepage said.

He added that the company buys merchandise from all over the country from close-outs, insurance losses and weather disasters.

At 43,750-square-feet, the former site of the Ames Department Store is about mid-size for a Marden’s, he said.

“They would have taken more if available,” Lepage said.

He said the number of applications for jobs was “unbelievable” after word got out that the store was coming here.

“We’ve had a lot of calls and hundreds of applications,” he said.

Interviews are expected to begin later in the week, now that a manager, who was promoted from within the company, has been hired.

Wise could not confirm that an Olympia Sports store may join Marden’s and The Dollar Tree.

“We’ve been talking with three potential tenants and we may know (which will come) by the end of February, Wise said.

He said two food-related businesses are among the potential tenants.

Wise, owner of WRE Commercial brokers, bought the virtually vacant former Abbott Farm Plaza from the town nearly two years ago. Since then, two other discount stores have opened and closed at the site.

Lepage said contractors are looking at the future Marden’s site, conducting inspections and seeing that whatever work needs to be done will be completed.

He said a grand-opening will eventually be held, although he’s not sure when.

The first Marden’s opened in Waterville in 1964.