Moving to Maine during the winter...... (Lewiston, Bangor: vehicle registration, transfer, shops)

[moughie]

Made 2 trips to Reny's in Saco last week.

Love that store!!

It has taken over 1st place from Marden's in my book!
I can't even begin to list all the wonderull items we purchased and lugged back to AZ!

[Elcarim]

Are Reny's & Marden's like Walmart or more like Family Dollar? I can't quite get a picture of what you're all talking about. Oh, do they have a website?

[island mermaid]

More like Walmart except they carry name brand items for much less. At Reny's, clothing like Carhart, Columbia and Sorrell but you also find cleaning supplies like family dollar. Plus stationary, bedding... kids games & toys.

At Mardens, it's hit or miss. Sometimes you can find decent stuff but IMO you have to search harder. I have bought carpet and furniture for a rental unit I had there.

I haven't checked for websites. Both places usually carry 'seconds'. Scratch & dent items and the like.

[mollysmiles]

My favorite Reny's buy: a KING size down comforter for $39.99! Love it

I like Reny's so much better than Mardens.... I'm not a "shopper", so I don't want to spend time wandering and going through things--it's not worth it to save $20 on kids clothes if I have to paw through racks and racks. And when I leave, I always feel like I want to wash my hands! I love the furniture and rug sections at Marden's though... it's hit or miss, but the markdowns are big. Reny's to me is better organized, easier to browse, and cleaner

[Maine Writer]

I'll go to Marden's furniture and flooring store but the other store in Calais is so dirty I feel grubby when I leave. My sister is a champion bargain shopper. She finds the best buys at Marden's. If we had a Reny's I'd definitely shop there.

[BacktoNE]

Waterville has a nicer Mardens. They took over an old Wal-Mart so the store is big and well lit.

Mardens is great if you are a quilter. They have a huge selection of cottons. We have also had good luck with carpeting and we did find a nice vinyl for a small bathroom there once. This was all in the WTVL store.

El, the thing with Mardens is they are liquidators. They travel all over the country buying inventory from stores going out of business, or that sustained storm/water damage, etc. You frequently have to pick through stuff very carefully to find the good from the damaged. I never bother looking for clothing there, although they frequently get in designer stuff. I have a friend who has severel DKNY items from Mardens at ridiculous prices.

[mollysmiles]

We actually have two Mardens here in Calais. The main store is at the former Rich's dept store, and the other is their flooring and furniture store in the old Ames building.

[BacktoNE]

Originally Posted by mollysmiles

We actually have two Mardens here in Calais. The main store is at the former Rich's dept store, and the other is their flooring and furniture store in the old Ames building.

That sounds like the set up Waterville used to have. When Wal-Mart decided to abandon their almost new store on one side of town, to build a Super Center on the other side of town, Mardens jumped at the chance to move everything under one roof. Plus, the old stores were in absolutely ancient buildings that desperately needed upgrading but weren't worth the effort.

[corgis]

I love Renys - wish there was one close to Eastport - their prices and selection of brand name clothing is great.

[AlisonL]

I got a Gucci leather purse at Marden's for $16! We bought our pillowtop mattress set there for less than $600. Loved their $1/pound book sales. I'm not a shopper but its fun poking around there to see what one can find. Miss the store alot, as have yet to find anything out here similiar.