CountryMax store opens in Manlius

MANLIUS - A former Agway garden store is now home to the Syracuse-area's first CountryMax farm and garden center.

The 15,000-square-foot store, located at 7031 Manlius Center Road in the Fremont Plaza, carries a variety of home, pet, wild bird, and agricultural products. T & C Halpin Inc. formerly operated an Agway store franchise in the same location.

CountryMax signed at 10-year lease with Fremont First Associates, LLC last month. Dylan Bruns of J.F Real Estate handled the transaction for Fremont First. Landlord Fremont First Associates is headquartered at 217 Montgomery St. in the office of Kelly & Dutch Real Estate, Inc.

The Manlius CountryMax is the 10th store for the company, says Donald Payne, vice president of CountryMax. The Payne family owns CountryMax. The family store began as an Agway franchise in 1984 and became independent in 1986.

"Customers will find it very similar to the old Agway formula," says Payne.

CountryMax is the trade name of Farmington Farm and Garden, Inc., a 21-year old, family-owned business headquartered in Farmington, N.Y., outside Rochester. The company adopted the brand identity in 1999. CountryMax also has Central New York stores in Seneca Falls, Cortland, and Norwich. Five of its stores are in the Rochester market. The company began opening new locations in the early 1990s, says Payne.