As one tractor and farm equipment company is seeking to build a new store in Ellsworth, another one also is hoping to expand to the city.
Next week, Ellsworth’s Planning Board is scheduled to review both proposals. On Sept. 3, it is expected to review final plans from Union Farm Equipment, and to separately review preliminary plans submitted by Ellsworth Tractor & Equipment.
Ellsworth Tractor & Equipment, if approved and constructed, would be affiliated with Topsham Tractor & Equipment. The Topsham business has two other locations, Manchester Motors in Manchester and another store in Norway, which would make Ellsworth its fourth location.
The store would be located on a 10-acre lot on upper High Street, near the Trenton town line on Route 3. Winthrop resident Michael Saucier, who also owns the three other affiliated businesses, purchased the lot in 2023 for $175,000, according to city records.
Saucier did not respond Tuesday to a message left for him at the Topsham store.
The Sept. 3 meeting will be Union Farm Equipment’s second appearance before Ellsworth’s Planning Board, which reviewed that business’ preliminary construction plans in early July. Union Farm Equipment hopes to construct a 12,000-square-foot retail sales and service building on a 13-acre lot on Route 1 near the Hancock town line.
If both stores are built, it would increase the number of tractor dealerships in Ellsworth to three. Greenway Equipment Sales, which has a store on Route 1A and a second location on Outer Hammond Street in Hermon, has been operating in Ellsworth since the early 1950s, according to that company’s website.