DAMARISCOTTA, Maine (AP)   A Maine man says he hopes to keep his 96-year-old grocery store open with a possible sale to another local business, but its current status is in flux.

In a statement, Damariscotta’s Yellowfront Grocery announced they intend to keep the store open despite rumors that they would close. The Bangor Daily News reports co-owner Jeff Pierce said in the Dec. 26 statement that he feels the community would suffer without the grocery store.

Pierce says Yellowfront Grocery will remain open this week and he says he hopes to keep the store open in the following weeks “until we figure this out.”

Yellowfront Grocery celebrated its 95th year in business in 2016.