MIDDLEBORO — The iconic Benny’s sign in downtown Middleboro was removed on Wednesday Jan. 3, but the new occupant of the building, Lauren Downey, says that she aims to preserve the history of the store while revitalizing the abandoned building. 

“We are going to have an ‘Ode to Benny's’ wall along the back side of the store,” Downey said. Her business, Spectators Eyewear, will occupy part of the 85 Centre St. location that used to house the Middleboro location for Benny’s, a chain store known for discounts, prior to the store’s closure in 2017.

Many longtime Middleboro residents have nostalgia for Benny’s, and the store is a frequent subject of posts on Facebook commemorating its existence even to this day. 

Tim Sullivan still has fond memories of the old store. “You could get anything you wanted there,” he explained. “It was one of the best stores ever.”

But still, Sullivan said he was excited that the building would be getting a new occupant. “That building needs to be redone… it’s an eyesore,” he said. “All these empty buildings that were once empty are going back to doing something.”

As a Middleboro resident herself, Downey also remembers the charm of the old store. “Everything was super cheap,” she said. “Everyone was always very very nice.”

But Downey said that she was also excited to be a part of a revitalization in downtown Middleboro, which has seen new businesses opening at a fast pace. 

“When I first moved to Middleboro, I honestly would say there wasn't really anything happening downtown. It seemed like a lot of things were closed or empty,” she said. Now, after living in Middleboro for about nine years, Downey says that she’s noticed an uptick in new businesses. “The town has seen such a huge revival,” she said.

Spectators Eyewear sells glasses and sunglasses, and Downey said that one thing that helps her business stand out is she sells eyewear that is made by small businesses, which helps her provide glasses that are more unique than those available at other stores.

Spectators Eyewear will only occupy one half of the old Benny’s building, and the other half will be leased to a different occupant in the future. Downey said that renovating the building was a huge undertaking, and that removing the sign had actually revealed an additional part of the building that needed to be repaired.

“It turns out underneath the old Benny sign is really old rotted copper and wood,” Downey explained. 

Downey said that she was excited to give the building a “second wind.” In one wall of her business, she plans to commemorate Benny’s with an “Ode to Benny's wall” that will feature photos of the old store along with other Benny’s related objects. 

But Downey said that she is also excited to open the Middleboro location for her business, and that she plans to cater to families with children who need glasses in particular. Her current location in Plymouth is “geared towards adults,” she explained, but the new Middleboro store has enough space to create a kids section.

“I am sad that [my store is] not a Benny’s,” Downey said. “But I would rather give [the building] some life than no life at all.”