All of Sam’s Italian Foods in Maine were bought by a New York company…but don’t cringe.
According to MaineBiz, the company out of New York, Teamshares, wants to keep Sam’s Italian the same! Richard Michaud owns the chain and is retiring. Well deserved since he and his wife have been at this since 1988. Michaud is very happy with the buy and thinks it’s good news for employees.
Sam’s Italian Foods/Facebook
It’s a big deal. I mean that literally, there are 13 Sam’s locations in Maine and that includes the original Sam’s in Auburn. According to Richard, you can still see the cement foundation on the corner of Minot Avenue and Elm Street from 1939! We should get a plaque or something to memorialize that! There are two in Auburn, five in Lewiston and then one in Augusta, Brunswick, Dixfield, Lisbon Falls, Rumford, and Topsham.
That’s where it’s kind of a brilliant idea to transition Sam’s to employee-owned. A lot of the staff at Sam’s have been there for years and some even decades. They’ve been part of the growth of Sam’s and Teamshares doesn’t want that to end. In fact, they see employee dedication as a plus!
Last year they had to close the Freeport location because of staffing issues. But the new owners want to bring that back to life this summer! See? I know you had the same reaction I did when I heard a New York company bought out Sam’s…it just had bad news written all over it.
William Ridgell
Maine loves Sam’s! It’s the kind of story that makes Maine Maine. Even the story of Richard becoming the owner is the kind of story that is often no longer told. He started with Sam’s back in 1988 as a shift leader in training. He then climbed the ladder until he became the sole owner in 2003. Yes, he deserves to retire.
Sam’s Italian Foods/Facebook
Here’s the great news for Sam’s and the employees. The new company Teamshares knows that the restaurant business is struggling with staffing. That’s where it’s kind of a brilliant idea to transition Sam’s to employee-owned. A lot of the staff at Sam’s have been there for years and some even decades. They’ve been part of the growth of Sam’s and Teamshares doesn’t want that to end. In fact, they see employee dedication as a plus! The new leadership takes over on February 1.
Here’s to Sam’s being around for 100 more years!
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