RUMFORD — Excavator operator Andy Levesque was busy Thursday digging out the site of the new Amato’s restaurant between Waldo and Cumberland streets beside Route 2.

The two-story project got the green light from the Planning Board on Aug. 3, when it approved the site plan review for Gateway Plaza LLC, co-owner Dave Duguay of Byron said early Thursday afternoon in Jay.

Following Wednesday’s groundbreaking ceremony, Levesque, who owns A. J. Levesque Excavating LLC of Poland, began work.

Amato’s is expected to open in November and hire 15 to 20 workers, Duguay said.

He said they will seek a four- or five-year tax increment financing plan, the details of which have yet to be determined by selectmen. Once that’s complete, it’s up to townspeople to approve it.

“For a couple of small private businessmen, it’s quite a large undertaking,” Duguay said.

Gateway Plaza LLC is composed of Duguay and his wife, Patricia, and Steve Roderick of Oxford, the general manager and owner of Amato’s in Norway, and his wife, Sandra.

Each own 25 percent of the new Amato’s, Duguay said. He is also the manager of Hannaford in Jay and an Oxford County commissioner.

He and his wife are new to the restaurant business, but have owned and operated a trailer park and apartments. They also own percentages in three NAPA auto parts stores, one in Bridgton, and the other two in Conway and Woodstock, N.H.

Roderick, who has worked in the restaurant business all his life, sold his Norway restaurant to Amato’s, and then went to work for them. He said he opened new franchises and served as the company’s district manager for nine years before buying back the Norway Amato’s and franchising it himself years ago.

Duguay, of Byron, and Roderick said that 10 months ago, Rumford Selectman Jeremy Volkernick reached out to Roderick, hoping to generate some economic development.

“The town wanted to know what it would take to get an Amato’s up there for a sit-down” restaurant, Roderick said.

Intrigued, he checked the area, found a site, developed a business plan and approached Duguay in April, Duguay said.

“I knew I couldn’t do it alone and I wanted to help Rumford out,” Roderick said.

The Duguays owned a 100-by-100-foot lot on the corner of Lincoln Avenue (Route 2) and Cumberland Street and Rumford had a tax-acquired lot on the Waldo Street corner.

The block is known as the Gateway Parcel and is one of Rumford’s new TIF districts.

Following an executive session on May 19 with selectmen, Town Manager Carlo Puiia, town lawyer Thomas Carey, interested parties and Economic Development member Jim Rinaldo, the board unanimously sold the town lot to Gateway Plaza for $22,000, according to the meeting minutes.

Following a second closed-door session that night, the board then approved a request by Gateway Plaza for a U.S. Department of Agriculture loan for $45,000 for a 10-year term at 6.25 percent interest.

Duguay said they also got a loan from the Androscoggin Valley Council of Governments and he and his wife transferred their property to Gateway Plaza.

And then, last week, Duguay said Gateway Plaza closed on a small L-shaped lot between the two bigger lots.

He said the restaurant will have 40 seats and at least 15 parking spots.

Roderick said they will have a banquet room downstairs and offer catering and delivery services. He said they could easily cater to 400 or 500 people.

Phase 2 of the project is to build an ice cream shop next year that would overlook the Hosmer Field Complex ball fields and employ another 8 to 12 people.

But for now, they’ve hired local contractors such as Jim Knight who will construct the building, Roger Arsenault of Community Energy for plumbing and heating, and electrician Bob Susbury, owner of Mountain Stream Electric Co. of Byron.

Roderick will be general manager of the Rumford Amato’s, which will initially seek employment help through the Rumford CareerCenter, Duguay said.

“We’re pretty excited,” he said. “Hopefully, others will follow us.”

tkarkos@sunjournal.com

Copy the Story Link