By JIMMY LAWTON

Former Sugarcreek Stores in Heuvelton and Potsdam are now Stewart's Shops, according the company's real estate representative Charles Marshall.

"This week the changes are very light," Marshall said of the Potsdam location. "Next week we will bring in Stewart's ice cream and some of our other products."

He said ice cream is already available at the Heuvelton location.

Marshall said the Stewart's Shop recently acquired five new locations including the Maple Street Potsdam and State Street Heuvelton Sugarcreek stores.

The others shops are located in Watertown, Lake Placid and Keeseville.

Marshall said all of the new stores were in great locations and are welcomed additions to the chain.

Marshall said the Maple Street store in Potsdam is the second Stewart's Shop in the Potsdam area, and both shops will remain open.

"We do plan on maintaining both locations," he said.

He said Stewart's recently began accepting college payment cards including the "Bear Express."

"We realized that having a bigger presence in the village, we needed to allow students to use that service," he said.

Marshall said about half of the former Sugarcreek employees were retained during the switch in Potsdam, but all had the opportunity to interview for positions.

"There were no arbitrary cuts," he said.

While the interior of the new stores will resemble a Stewart's Shop in the coming weeks, he said exterior changes will take place over the next year.

The first Stewart’s Shop convenience store opened in 1945. The chain now operates more than 300 stores across upstate New York and southern Vermont.