PARIS — Just two days after the sudden closure of Paris Autobarn, owner Tony Giambro said it was not for financial reasons, but rather the convergence of unforeseen events that forced his hand, and he hopes to see the business re-open soon.

A death in his immediate family and the resignation of his manager on short notice put him in an untenable position, Giambro said in a phone interview Thursday. He said he is still pursuing leads for potential buyers of the company, and several people have reached out in preliminary conversations with him.

Finding a qualified manager to run the business who has an automotive background in electric and hybrid vehicles, and the same environmental stewardship focus that Giambro has developed was a daunting task — let alone on one week’s notice, he said.

The two technicians employed at Paris Autobarn have secured other jobs. One was removing his tools Thursday to take to Westbrook.

According to Giambro, the company he founded in 2014 is the only sales and service center specializing in electric and hybrid vehicles not just in Oxford County but in the entire state. There are a few shops that offer repairs and service on electric and hybrid vehicles in Bangor, Augusta and Herman, but they do not deal exclusively with electric and hybrid vehicles. Nor do they operate on a model similar to the one adopted by Giambro.

That includes a solar array which provides 100% of the shop’s electricity needs, a zero-sort recycling program for waste, use of nontoxic cleaning solutions and lubricants, recycling all oils, transmission fluid and anti-freeze. These and other environmental practices are recognized for four consecutive years by the Maine Department of Environmental Protection, the Sierra Club of Maine, the Governor’s Award for Environmental Excellence and the Natural Resources Council of Maine.

That specialization is one element that contributed to the closure but is also one he hopes will attract the right kind of buyer for the business, Giambro said. He said it is still possible that he will resume the role of active manager, but he indicated that was not the most feasible alternative for him at this time.

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