Portland television station WCSH 6 reported Thursday that landmark downtown Portland grocery Paul’s Food Center has been sold.
The local NBC affiliate cited sources close to the sale, reporting that the food store near Congress Square has been sold to the owners of Portland Flea-For-All, a Kennebec Street antique store and indoor flea market. According to WCSH, Paul’s has been open at its 585 Congress St. location since 1975, and a grocery store of some form has been operating at that site for more than 150 years.
Paul Trusiani, who founded the food store and was an active member in the local business community, died in September at the age of 81.
Calls placed to Portland Flea-For-All and Jim Trusiani, Paul’s son and the current manager of the grocery store, were not immediately returned.
Jim Trusiani told the Portland Press Herald he will close the longstanding grocery store as a result of the sale, which may also affect the restaurant Vinland, Yes Books and upper floor apartments in the same Congress Street building. The terms the deal were not released, but the property has an assessed value of more than $1.3 million.
