TOPSHAM — The Topsham Fair Mall will be home to three new businesses in the coming months.

Smitty’s Cinema, Lamey-Wellehan Shoes and Day’s Jewelers are all coming to the regional shopping center off Route 196.

Smitty’s and Lamey-Wellehan will occupy part of an approximately 73,000-square-foot building formerly leased by Village Candle. Renys now occupies about 32,000 square feet of that space. About 12,000 square feet will remain vacant between Renys and Lamey-Wellehan, according to John Larson, a local owner of the mall.

Percy’s Burrow, a book and toy store that closed earlier this year, had used part of that space.

Smitty’s, which has theaters in Biddeford, Sanford, Windham and Tilton, New Hampshire, will offer six screens and occupy almost 25,000 square feet in the rear of the building. Lamey-Wellehan – which Larson said plans to open in early December – will take up nearly 6,000 square feet at the building’s southeast corner.

Smitty’s calls itself a “cinema pub,” offering dinner and movies. The theater is renovating the space and plans to open next May or June; a 135-space parking lot will be built in front of its entrance.

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Tucker Smith, whose family owns the theater chain, said he has been interested in expanding the business to Topsham for several years.

The site’s proximity to Interstate 295 was a big draw, Smith said, adding that the population, the demographics and the space that was available all played a part in the decision to expand.

“Guests can come out and enjoy a movie with us, and enjoy a nice pub-style dinner,” Smith said Nov. 21. “… Sometimes you just want to go out and do everything at once, and it makes it really convenient and fun for the whole family.”

“We’re thrilled to have Smitty’s,” Larson said. “… It’s a wonderful use, it’s a first-run cinema … it’s sort of dinner and a show. People are interested in going in, having dinner and watching a movie at their leisure, and it’s just a great facility.”

He added “we believe that it brings … an entertainment aspect to the mall that doesn’t exist currently, so it just … broadens the diversity of appeal to the mall area.”

Day’s, which plans to open in February 2015, will occupy about 5,300 square feet, replacing the former America’s Mattress and Furniture store, Larson said.

Day’s has locations in Brunswick, South Portland, Auburn, Bangor, Waterville, and Manchester, New Hampshire. Lamey-Wellehan has stores in Brunswick, Falmouth, Scarborough, Auburn, Augusta and Bangor. Both businesses are celebrating their 100th anniversaries.

In a Nov. 21 email, Larson said “we are very pleased to have such highly respected Maine-based firms as Day’s Jewelers and Lamey Wellehan joining the Topsham Fair Mall tenant ‘family,’ given their name recognition and reputation for quality and service.

“We think it is particularly notable that they will be joining our highly successful Renys and Hannaford as well as several other Maine-based stores and businesses to create what we believe is the highest percentage of Maine-based stores and businesses found in any shopping center of our size in the entire state of Maine,” he said.

Alex Lear can be reached at 781-3661 ext. 113 or alear@theforecaster.net. Follow him on Twitter: @learics.


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