Hatch’s Package Store and gas station on Orange Street is in the process of being sold to Island Energy Services.
Longtime owner Judy Brownell, who has operated the package store and gas station since 1979, confirmed this week that she is selling the business and the property at 133 Orange Street, but declined to comment until the sale closes.
Todd Boling the president and CEO of Island Energy Services, said customers of the package store and gas station likely won’t notice the change of ownership when it happens.
“We’re really excited about the opportunity to work with Judy so literally nothing changes there except for the ownership,” Boling said. “Hopefully we can be as successful as she’s been.”
Hatch’s longtime employee Bob Grangrade will take over as manager of the package store, as the Select Board last week unanimously approved a request to transfer its liquor license from Brownell to Grangrade.
Island Energy Services is the parent company of Harbor Fuel, Yates Gas, and Airport Gas. Acquiring Hatch’s was a logical extension of the business, Boling said.
“Hatch’s is one of Harbor Fuel’s longest running customers as a Mobil-branded gas station, and we’ve been distributing gas to them for decades,” Boling said. “It seems that when it was discovered that Judy was not interested in operating the business on a day-to-day basis, we wanted to pursue it. Our goal is to continue in the way Judy has run that business for so long. Bob has worked there since he was 16 years old, and we’re excited to work with him also.”
Boling emphasized that the new ownership group is not technically Island Energy Services, but rather Hatch’s Package LLC, a company that lists him as the sole manager, according to state’s corporate database.
The sale is expected to close before the end of the year, but the purchase price was not disclosed. The property is assessed at $2.7 million, and includes new underground fuel storage tanks and pump stations that were installed earlier this year.
