By Gail Geraghty,Staff Writer

OXFORD – Lampron Energy Inc. of Gorham plans to build a gas station and convenience store at the site of the former 3-D Qwik Stop on Route 26.

Dennis Dillon, president of Lampron Energy, confirmed Monday that his company had signed a purchase and sales agreement with the Knightly family, owners of the fire-damaged property. Dillon said he’s buying three acres, including the former store, gas pumps and surrounding land.

The property was most recently run as the Cozy Cat Store & Redemption Center, and Kall-Us Antiques, until it was damaged in a fire last May. It is jointly owned by siblings Darrell, Dana and Diane Knightly.

He said a big box retailer has expressed interest in the remaining 40 or so acres, which includes the big flat field between the Qwik Stop and the NAPA auto parts store.

“I kind of brought some other people into the picture,” said Dillon, who declined to name the retailer. He said he introduced those people to the Knightlys, and they talked.

“You could safely say that further expansion of that field is anticipated” over the new few years, he said.

Members of the Knightly family could not be reached for comment.

Dillon plans to tear down the existing building, including the barn and ell, and build a convenience store with new gas pumps. The company has two gas station convenience stores, called Lampron’s Lil’ Marts, in Gorham, and one each in Windham, Falmouth, Scarborough and Bridgton. They own another store in Dover, N.H.

“We certainly hope to be a good neighbor, and so far, the reception is very welcoming,” Dillon said. “We’ve had a lot of people give us a lot of warm comments.”

Oxford Code Enforcement Officer Rodney Smith said he met with Dillon on Friday about the plans. The new construction will not require approval by the Planning Board, Smith said, because it doesn’t represent a change of use.

Smith said it is his understanding that the remainder of the land will be leased by the Knightlys to an unnamed big box retailer.

Lampron Energy has served Southern Maine for more than 20 years and is currently in an expansion mode on its retail end of operations, Dillon said.

“We’ve got an ambitious and busy summer planned, and Oxford is certainly at the top of our list,” Dillon said.

The announcement by Lampron comes a month after a major retail developer announced plans to build a 180,000-square-foot shopping center on land just south of the Knightly property. The shopping center, now under review by the Oxford Planning Board, would be anchored by The Home Depot store.