CARIBOU — Travelers on Route 89 between Caribou and Limestone are no doubt familiar with Dodo’s Market; the convenience store has been around since 1965. What they may not know is the store has a new owner.
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Contributed photo New Dodo’s Market owner Paul Morgan stands next to fuel pumps at the iconic store between Caribou and Limestone, which he purchased last month. |
Paul Morgan of Fort Fairfield purchased the market last month, with assistance from the Business Finance Division of Northern Maine Development Commission (NMDC).
Morgan has already made significant changes to the business, including adding a meat cooler with a number of different cuts of meat. He also has brought back the redemption center towards the far left of the building by popular request.
Morgan said Dodo’s will still offer Roadies chicken but will have a wider variety of food items for sale as well, including subs, sandwiches, pizza and wine. The business is now open earlier in the morning and offers breakfast sandwiches.
“NMDC was a tremendous help in this business acquisition,” said Morgan. “They are a great asset to The County and I look forward to working with them again in the future.”
Morgan said he started working in the grocery business about 25 years ago when he was just a teenager. His first job was as a bagger and stocker, from which he quickly progressed into the front end manager role that he held for approximately six years.
His next job trained him as a meat cutter, where he learned the trade for about three years and then moved on to work as Hillside IGA’s meat cutter and produce manager. In 1994, Morgan went to work for a cleaning company, keeping both jobs simultaneously until he opened up his own cleaning business in 2004, called BP Cleaners.
Morgan continued to cut meat during the day while working his cleaning business at night and on the weekends. His cleaning business has grown over the years and about two months ago Morgan left the grocery store to pursue his dream of working in his own business full time.
“Paul was a pleasure to work with,” said loan officer Julie Corey. “His experience, business knowledge, people skills and determination are all strong qualities Paul possesses. He is an extremely hard worker, and the acquisition of Dodo’s Market comes very well deserved. NMDC looks forward to working with Paul and both of his businesses in the future.”
For more information about free small business counseling and small business loans, contact Josh Nadeau, Small Business Development Center Director at NMDC at 493-5754 or by email at jnadeau@nmdc.org.
