Staff Writer
January
• Williams Pools in Houlton came under new ownership. Greg Cyr of Portage purchased the store from longtime owners John and Amanda Williams. The company also adopted the new name “Greg’s Home and Leisure Center.”
• A new “Women’s Wellness Center” opened in Patten. Kathy Baker’s home-based relaxation spa offered a place for women to retreat, relax, reflect and renew.
• Houlton naive Jim Chadwick put his years of experience as a landscaper to work in a how-to book, highlighting his 58-year career.
• Northern Music Supply owner Tim Humphrey introduced his own line of custom instruments, “Thumper Guitars,” to the public.
• Plans for a virtual call center progressed. The company received more than 100 responses for employment.
• Katahdin Cedar Log Homes fired up its boiler system, which allowed them to invest in green alternative energy rather than burning fossil fuels to heat mills.
• Volumes bookstore, known for its wide and enormous selection of books, makes a move from its Court Street location to Bangor Road.
• Joyce Transue, owner and operator of The Courtyard Café introduced her own line of raspberry vinaigrette dressing.
• Shiretown Video Variety opened a redemption center from its Smyrna Street location.
February
• The Raspberry Beret took root at the former Mother Hubbard’s store location in downtown Houlton. Rachael Upton purchased the store from Tracy Quint, who had owned and operated the establishment for eight years.
• Debbie’s Deli and Pizza took over from the former Downtown Deli in Patten, under the ownership of Mark and Debbie Perkins.
• Heavy snowfall in Aroostook County produced tons of business for Paul Dorward, a local business owner who rents Arctic Cat snowmobiles at his East Branch Hunting Lodge in Haynesville.
• Audrey Zimmerman was named as Maine 2007 Women in Business Champion by the Small Business Administration (SBA).
March
• Houlton artist Leigh Griffith had her work featured in the February/March issue of Portland magazine.
• Local restaurant Taste of China opened another location in Woodstock, N.B.
• McGuire Motorsports was named as Yamaha’s 2006 CSI Award recipient for the Northeast region.
• The Greater Houlton Chamber of Commerce held their annual dinner, recognizing numerous people and businesses for their achievements over the past year.
• Smyrna business owner, Kristi Brannen, of Spring Break Maple and Honey, was chosen for an award by the Maine Small Business Development Center.
• Bradbury’s Maple Farm in Bridgewater celebrated 80 years of business success.
• The East Grand Health Center’s 32-foot by 50-foot expansion neared completion.
April
• New Limerick’s Louisiana-Pacific mill earned the Governor’s Award for Business Excellence.
• Owners of the This-n-That Shop in Houlton were busy preparing for their grand opening on Bangor Street.
• A Plus Homes in Hodgdon highlighted their Maine-made quality modulars.
• Lionel Colvin introduced fine dining on the go to local residents with his mobile kitchen on wheels.
May
• High Definition hair salon came under new ownership. Heidi Miller and Sarah McLaughlin acquired the business and renamed it Infinity Hair and Tanning Studio.
• Tom and Diane Berry opened a greenhouse in Monticello called My Mother’s Garden.
• James and Heidi Watson introduced green energy to the community with the addition of a new alternative energy source. The Watson’s own Geothermal Maine, a way of taking water from the ground and using various piping systems and utilizing the temperature from the water to heat or cool homes. The unit replaces furnaces and water heating systems, which in turn eliminates the dependence on fossil fuels.
• Steven Anderson of Patten opened the Cutting Edge Lawn Care company, which offered commercial and residential lawn and grounds maintenance, bush hogging, spring clean-up and more.
• A Danforth couple opened their own antique shop called Another Time Antiques at 14 Central Street in Danforth.
• Peggy Crane of Hodgdon opened Rather-B-Quilting on Lincoln Road in Hodgdon.
• Karen and Dave Cohen opened Weathervanes antiques in Monticello. The shop is located at 641 Rt. 1.
June
• David and Vona Libby of Mount Chase opened Libby’s Mill Pond Dairy Bar.
• U.S. Cellular held a ribbon-cutting for its new kiosk location in the Houlton Wal-Mart.
• Ross Sheet Metal celebrated its 15-year anniversary.
• Houlton company Bison Pumps was featured on an episode of Maine Public Broadcasting Network’s “Made In Maine” show.
• Acott’s Custom Painting and Graphics began offering more color to their customers. The business had begun using “The Edge” program making bicentennial decals, which they donated to the town.
July
• Mae’s Coffee Pot opened under new ownership in Danforth. Sherri-Mae and Tony Almeida took over the restaurant, which has been located there since the 1940s.
• The Addison Point Children’s Services moved to a new location at 98 Bangor Street.
• Dick Stewart and Nancy Krantz reopened the Lake Road Market and Deli on the Drews Lake Road in New Limerick. The business offers sandwiches, wraps, pizza and Gifford’s ice cream, as well as grocery items, snacks, drinks and more.
• Country Girl Fitness Center reopened its doors following a pull-out from the Curves’ franchise. Employees joined together to get the facility back on its feet.
• East Grand Health Center held an open house for its 30-foot by 52-foot facility, which had been under construction for the past year.
• York’s of Houlton expanded its employee base with 12 new staff members.
August
• FedEx announced plans to relocate their station from North Street to Ludlow Road.
• RC Logging celebrated the expansion of its Smyrna store. The business added 1,000 square feet to its Main Street facility.
• Canadian shoppers began filtering into local businesses after the loonie rose higher than the U.S. dollar for the first time in more than 15 years.
• The East Grand Health Center accepted a donation worth more than $37,000 from the Health Services Foundation. The funds were used toward the purchase of a state-of-the-art examining chair, as well as other equipment.
• Acadia Medical Supply announced its plans to open a location in Houlton.
September
• Leonard Wild opened a new business called Hodgdon Hot Wheels.
• The Greater Houlton Chamber of Commerce reached its membership goal. The Chamber had set out to have 200 members in celebration of the town’s 200th birthday.
• Dunn’s Furniture announced its plans to redesign its store.
• Jackett Enterprises announced the winner of their Back To School essay contest. Eight-year-old McKenley Pierce was given a $100 prize. The little girl spent $16 on herself and donated the rest toward snack supplies for the Wellington Elementary School in Monticello.
• The Tanning Plus business on the B Road added a collection of formal wear to its services.
• Houlton Regional Hospital’s nuclear medicine department received a donation of $500 from the Houlton Federal Credit Union to be used toward equipment.
• Bob and Helen Cadigan held their grand opening for their new business Home Accents, located on North Street in Houlton.
• The Cigaret Shopper opened on North Street offering customers tobacco products of all varieties and prices.
October
• Town and Country Clothing in Market Square Houlton kicked off their holiday campaign “wrap it up.” The business collects donations, which will be given to the Houlton Humane Society.
• The Katahdin Trust Company became a leading contributor to the American Red Cross Pine Tree Chapter Branch with a $4,200 donation.
• TD Banknorth presents the Health Services Foundation with a $20,000 donation for the hospital’s nuclear imaging camera.
• County Physical Therapy began offering cancer rehab programs.
• The Varney Agency relocated its services to Katahdin Lane, just off North Street.
November
• Carpenter’s Custom Cabinets turned 20 years old.
• The Hollywood Pet Salon began organizing a fund-raiser for the Houlton Humane Society.
• The book, “When Rock and Roll Rocked Maine,” featured the Houlton-based Eldorados, as well as other Maine musicians.
• Wayne Dwyer, owner of Dwyer’s Barber Shop, celebrated 50 years in business in Houlton.
December
• The Walk In Closet located in Oakfield put out a call for help in finding a new location. The non-profit store provides various items for families in need. Its current location, the Oakfield Grange, wasn’t suitable for winter habitation.
• The Houlton Community Arts Center received a $30,000 donation from the Katahdin Trust Company. The money will be used toward the construction of the new arts center at the Houlton High School.
