Post from Gifford’s Ice Cream announces the closure of its shop on Minot Avenue in Auburn for the season. Facebook photo

Gifford’s Ice Cream closed its Auburn stand Sunday due to a lack of staff, the company’s Facebook page and website announced.

The company cites “significant staffing difficulties,” with the Auburn location on Minot Avenue proving to be its most challenging, the statement reads. Several people posted comments to the Facebook page regarding hiring teens with work permits, which the company preferred to discuss privately.

In its statement on the closing, Gifford’s said it would try to host pop-ups in the area with its mobile Scoop Shack and hoped to work through its staffing issues for next year.

POLAND STORE MAKES PROGRESS

A drawing of the Poland Provisions General Store & Cafe under construction. Submitted art

Excitement continues to build for residents in Poland. Charles and Sheila Foley, who own and operate Attwood Farm & Kitchen on Poland Corner Road in Poland, are building a general store and cafe on Maine Street. It will be named Poland Provisions.

The couple purchased the property across from the Town Hall last year and had hoped to use the existing structures, but discovered they could not meet commercial codes.

Recent video posted to their Facebook page shows the foundation was being poured in late July. The two-story structure will include a covered porch and general store on the first floor, with seating for a little cafe on the second floor.

The general store will have a market space and a gift shop with specialty food items and local produce, including beef and lamb from the couple’s farm. Poland Provisions will offer what the Foleys call “useful tools” and items for the home and garden, local cheeses, high-end beers and wines. Bakery items from Attwood Farm & Kitchen will also be available at the general store, and the cafe will offer breakfast, lunch and an assortment of premade meals to take home.

It’s an ambitious project for sure. Sheila is retiring from the Army National Guard to focus on the new store and cafe, and her husband, also serving as a reservist, is pulling triple duty by also tending to the farm and working on the Poland Provisions project.

The goal and dream is to have it all open by November or December, but construction, licensing and inspection delays seem to be part and parcel of most projects.

TARGET SAYS IT’S ON TARGET

The sign for the incoming Target store on Center Street in Auburn is up, seen here on Tuesday, although plans for opening day have not been released. Andree Kehn/Sun Journal

The parking lot is paved, the red bollards are up and the signs are going up at 603 Center St. in Auburn, the future home of Target. The Buzz wanted to get an update from Target on the opening and what was planned for the inside  — whether it would have an optical department, a pharmacy and a Starbucks, as it has in other locations.

But it appears mum’s the word at corporate headquarters, which issued an email simply stating: “I can confirm Target has plans to open the Auburn Center Street store this year.” The rest of the statement was word-for-word the same as issued by the company in August 2021 and published by The Buzz, when the opening was delayed, with one exception. The new statement says the store will be 105,000 square feet, down from 110,000 square feet. No explanation was offered.

Since the email from Target, The Buzz has discovered there will be a CVS pharmacy in the new Target. On July 14, the city approved a permit to install a CCTV system inside the CVS in Target.

The last reported date for opening was “by Black Friday.”

The Buzz offers quick hits about trending area business happenings. Have a Buzzable tip? Contact business writer Christopher Wheelock at 689-2817 or cwheelock@sunjournal.com