WEST PARIS – The landmark Trap Corner store in West Paris, vacant for several years, is being marketed by a local real estate agency.

“We’ve had a lot of activity, but no one’s made an offer on it yet,” said Brett Doney, president of Western Maine Finance, the real estate arm of EnterpriseMaine.

Brenda Birney of Mainely Properties is marketing the property at an asking price of $119,000.

Western Maine Finance acquired the log-sided one-story store after Oxford Bank and Trust foreclosed on it earlier this year. The bank held an auction, but the winning bidder, Mary Seilonen, failed to close on the property.

Western Maine Finance was the third bidder, and purchased the property when the second bidder chose not to step forward, Doney said. He did not disclose a sale price.

Doney said Western Maine Finance bid on the property in order to recover a $35,000 loan it had made in 1996 to the former owners, Bart and Priscilla Hutchinson.

“We have two goals: to recover the money from the loan, and to see the store back in private hands, operated as a successful business that will be of benefit to the West Paris community,” Doney said.

Doney said Western Maine Finance is well aware of the controversy that ensued several years ago when there was a proposal to lease the property to someone who wanted to turn the business into a topless bar.

Strong opposition from the community contributed to that proposal’s demise.

“It’s another motivation for us controlling the property,” said Doney. “It’s a nice property, and a very visible location, and we’d like it not to be a detriment.”