The new Family Dollar store in the Meadow Mall on Townsend Avenue, Boothbay Harbor, opened for business today, Thursday, Sept. 5.

The shelves were fully stocked and the grand opening flyers featuring several sale items were readily available.

At 2 p.m., curious shoppers trickled through the doors. Several lines formed, three to four people deep, carrying laundry detergent, hair products, groceries and candy.

Duane Lewis of Boothbay Harbor perused the grocery aisles, scoping out the deals.

“It's a wonderful layout,” Lewis said. “I'm very impressed, and I think it's going to benefit the region because a lot of people will come here to do their shopping.”

Two aisles away strolled Diane Crocker of Boothbay Harbor. “I think it's nice there's something like this here. I think the prices are better, there's a nice variety and there's less driving to get here,” Crocker said.

One customer, Ralph Reeve of Boothbay said he walked through the doors with skepticism, but left the store with a different disposition.

“I thought it would be junky and reflect bad on our little lobstering town, but it looks pretty good. I'm pretty satisfied and I think it will fit into our little mall here just fine,” he said.

Store manager Tim Noel said that nine days ago the place was just an empty box. It took about 10 people to set up shop, including all the supplies to build the store’s inventory.

“I'm running a store that most of the other (Family Dollar) managers are jealous of right now,” Noel said.

Noel hired five full time employees to staff the Boothbay Harbor Family Dollar and all of them either live in the Boothbay region or in Wiscasset. Noel commutes daily from Sebattus.

Noel said some of the most popular items sold are laundry detergent, pet food and Family Value brand bagged candy.

“We sell tons of candy,” Noel said. “That movie theatre is going to hate us because we sell movie theatre candy boxes at less than half their costs.”

Opening day so far had generated a lot of positive reception, Noel said. “Everybody is excited that we're open finally.”

The store hours will be Monday through Saturday, 8 a.m. to 9 p.m., and Sunday, 9 a.m. to 9 p.m.