Salvation Army to build retail store in Leicester after purchasing site for $650K

The Salvation Army is planning on opening a 14,000-square-foot retail store in Leicester after purchasing the proposed site for $650,000.

The site, located at 1606 Main St. and adjacent to an existing Walmart location, was purchased for $650,000 on Nov. 4 by the Salvation Army from Phyllis Carey of Spencer, according to Worcester District Registry of Deeds records.

The purchase comes after the organization won approvals on Oct. 15 from the Leicester Planning Board to construct a Family Store at the site, a thrift shop where donated goods are sold to raise money for the London-based global charity. 

The Salvation Army’s plan for the site includes the construction of a 58-space parking lot and a driveway connecting the property to Soojians Drive, the road providing access to Walmart from Main Street. Construction of the store is expected to be completed by the end of September 2025, according to documents submitted to the Leicester Planning Board. 

Bohler Engineering, a Virginia-based firm with an office in Southborough, led the application efforts for the Salvation Army.

When opened, the Family Store will join Salvation Army-owned retail outlets in Central Massachusetts operating in Gardner, Webster, and Worcester. 

The existing single-family home at the site will be demolished to make way for the new store. The property was given a tax assessment value of $318,200 for 2024, according to Town of Leicester property records.

Eric Casey is a staff writer at Worcester Business Journal, who primarily covers the manufacturing and real estate industries.