VERC Enterprises purchases Mayflower Food & Spirits

Plymouth, MA VERC Enterprises, the New England-based convenience-store chain and Mobil/Gulf operator, has purchased Mayflower Food & Spirits. Known in and around town for its assortment of prepared hot foods, deli selections and homemade pastries. Mayflower’s location, 164 South St., originally operated as a gas station, and evolved into what the company dubbed a "superette," with six aisles of grocery staples, a full deli counter, an in-house butcher and baker, and a range of beer, wine and liquor. “Some people come regularly for the daily specials and homemade soups,” said Tom Protasewich, the new manager of Mayflower Food & Spirits.  “Chef Tony Andrews has been here for 13 years and has quite a following.” Mayflower Food & Spirits includes a Mobil gasoline outlet, and is open between 5 a.m. and 11 p.m. daily. The store is staffed by 32 employees. In the next several months, Mayflower will undergo “significant capital improvements,” said Leo Vercollone, CEO of VERC Enterprises. “We will update with new equipment, refrigeration units and a new customer transaction counter but will not change the homey feel of the place,” said Vercollone. “We’re excited to own an establishment with unique characteristics,” he said. “Fresh is the current buzzword in the food industry, and with its own chef and baker turning out signature homemade dishes like calzone and fried chicken, Mayflower Food & Spirits has freshness at its core.” Based in Duxbury, Mass., VERC Enterprises is a regional independent chain of convenience stores and gasoline stations, with locations throughout eastern Massachusetts and New Hampshire.