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All is quiet Thursday morning on the second floor of the former Sam’s Italian Foods at 268 Main St. in Lewiston where, starting in 1939, an average of between 4,000 and 6,000 rolls were produced most nights and over 9,000 during holidays. “Finding parts and people to fix the ovens and equipment is a challenge,” President John Boyan said. He plans to reopen the business as a bakery Tuesday, after being closed less than a year. Russ Dillingham/Sun Journal
READ THE STORY: Sam’s Italian Foods to reopen Main Street shop as a bakery store
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A giant pizza crust oven seen Thursday at the former Sam’s Italian Food on Main Street in Lewiston is fired up about twice a week to make pizza crust for their stores and other outlets. “It takes a lot of energy to fire this oven up and it really heats the place up,” President John Boyan said. Russ Dillingham/Sun Journal
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All is quiet Thursday morning on the second floor of the former Sam’s Italian Foods at 268 Main St. in Lewiston where, starting in 1939, an average of between 4,000 and 6,000 rolls were produced most nights and over 9,000 during holidays. “Finding parts and people to fix the ovens and equipment is a challenge,” President John Boyan said. He plans to reopen the business as a bakery Tuesday, after being closed less than a year. Russ Dillingham/Sun Journal
![](https://www.sunjournal.com/wp-content/plugins/lazy-load/images/1x1.trans.gif)
Balls of bread dough are loaded into each hopper at the former Sam’s Italian Foods on Main Street in Lewiston. Fashioned like a big revolving rotisserie, at the end of each rotation, the baskets tip and each ball rolls into the next basket until it eventually is placed on a baking tray and into the oven. Russ Dillingham/Sun Journal
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Two of the three giant ovens are seen Thursday at the former Sam’s Italian Foods on Main Street in Lewiston. The ovens bake the Italian and finger rolls. Russ Dillingham/Sun Journal
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All is quiet Thursday morning on the second floor of the former Sam’s Italian Foods at 268 Main St. in Lewiston where, starting in 1939, an average of between 4,000 and 6,000 rolls were produced most nights and over 9,000 during holidays. “Finding parts and people to fix the ovens and equipment is a challenge,” President John Boyan said. He plans to reopen the business as a bakery Tuesday, after being closed less than a year. Russ Dillingham/Sun Journal
![](https://www.sunjournal.com/wp-content/plugins/lazy-load/images/1x1.trans.gif)
A scale to measure ingredients is seen Thursday at Sam’s Italian Foods on Main Street in Lewiston. Russ Dillingham/Sun Journal
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Sam’s Italian Foods President John Boyan stands in the original storefront at 268 Main Street in Lewiston that closed about a year ago but will reopen two days a week as Sam’s Bakery Store next week. Russ Dillingham/Sun Journal
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A name plate is shown on an oven at the former Sam’s Italian Bakery at 268 Main St. in Lewiston. Russ Dillingham/Sun Journal
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Sam’s Italian Foods at 268 Main St. in Lewiston, which closed less than a year ago, will reopen Tuesday as Sam’s Bakery Store. Russ Dillingham/Sun Journal
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