Editor’s Note: The following is the second of a two-part series that looks back on some of the more memorable business-related stories of 2010. This article covers July-December.
July
• Thomaston Place Auction Galleries’ executives brought an appraisal bus to Houlton and delivered good news to those looking to discover the value of their heirlooms.
• Houlton’s Aroostook County Action Program (ACAP) celebrated the expansion to its North Street center, with a ribbon-cutting ceremony with the Houlton Chamber of Commerce. The expansion was designed for Early Head Start, a federally-funded childhood education program, serving pregnant women, infants and toddlers prenatal to age 3.
• Several large print photographs of historic Houlton, taken by local photographer Michael Clark, were auctioned by TD Bank as a fundraiser for Special Olympics in Maine as part of the bank’s national Special Olympics “Be a Fan” program. The program was an initiative designed to raise funds to support athletes and programs by the bank. TD Bank branches from Maine to Florida were participating in fundraisers for Special Olympics and hoped to raise $1 million for the cause.
• Bargain hunters were out in force as the Greater Houlton Chamber of Commerce held its 24th annual Midnight Madness event. “Midnight Madness is the one event that is truly focused on the retail community,” said Greater Houlton Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Lori Weston. “It is all about bringing folks into the community to shop incredible sales.” Market Square in downtown Houlton was closed to vehicle traffic for the event, allowing bargain hunters to roam freely through the streets. Shoppers could also find sales at many North Street businesses.
• Leigh Dow’s taxi service was enjoying steady business since opening in May. Customers hailed from as far away as Florida and New Hampshire when visiting the area and as nearby as Weston, Presque Isle, Smyrna and Sherman.
• It took about $1.4 million in grants and gifts from community sponsors, businesses and individuals to transform a once overgrown lot in the heart of Houlton into a popular destination for tourists and locals. Continuing improvements edge up the expenses for Riverfront Park as it continued to evolve into a premiere nature museum, park and recreation space. Bob Anderson, chairman of the Riverfront Committee said it was around 1999 that a vision crystallized to create Riverfront Park as 10 acres of green space along the Meduxnekeag River. “It was overrun with bushes, burdocks, weeds and even a vacant building,” said Anderson who, with the committee, is looking for additional sponsors to complete the vision.
• Aroostook County Pickers, an antique store located on U.S. Route 1 in Monticello was enjoying brisk business with new owners – Dan and Ronnie Stauffer of Houlton. The Stauffers purchased the antique business from Dave Cohen in April and have spent the past few months organizing and categorizing more than 3,000 items found in the store.
• Adam MacDonald, who has a form of muscular dystrophy known as Duchenne, traveled to Houlton to help Mardens store manager Sarah Foster and other employees sell Camp Mobiles. The mobiles were to support sending children with any of the more than 40 forms of muscular dystrophy to an MDA session of camp at Pine Tree Camp in Rome, Maine.
August
• Market Square Commons, a new 28-unit energy-efficient apartment building in downtown Houlton, was taking applications for “affordable market-rate units.” Rent for the one- and two-bedroom units included all utilities, according to Charlene Henderson, site manager, who added that “the only other [apartment related] expenses are the tenant’s telephone and cable bill.” Trash and garbage disposal are also included in the rent.
• With the economy struggling to gain traction, there was a flicker of good news for borrowers. Record low mortgage rates were available for homebuyers and even homeowners that could help spur on the recovery. Rob Faulkner, vice president and branch manager of KeyBank in Houlton, said “it behooves people to look at the rate on their bank statement and see if they can qualify for refinancing. And, obviously it’s great for people who are looking to buy a house.”
• The Daisy Boutique in Patten featured new and used clothing, handmade jewelry, accessories, seasonal vegetables and fruits and a whimsical décor inside and out.
• Job retention, sales and foreign competition were plaguing Aroostook County like many other areas of the country. And that’s exactly what small business owners conveyed during a first-hand opportunity to speak directly to U.S. Sen. Olympia J. Snowe’s (R-Maine) staff on her Small Business Committee. The Washington, D.C.-based staffers said they were in the county to learn more about the issues business owners are facing on a daily basis.
• Label Shoppers held its grand opening. The Houlton store, their 37th, was located at the Houlton Shopping Plaza on North Street. Label Shoppers is a division of New York based Peter Harris Clothes. The company was founded in 1970. Label Shoppers offers merchandise that is discounted 25 –70 percent off what you would pay in a department store.
September
• A Houlton icon returned when the Elm Tree Diner opened its rebuilt restaurant after a fire in September of 2009 destroyed the eatery. “For over 60 years, the Elm Tree has been in business on the Bangor Road,” owner Gary Dwyer said. “Sadly, the diner and we were forced to close the doors. Since then we have been focused on rebuilding.” The new diner featured many of the favorites customers have grown to love, as well as some new menu items.
• Occasional babysitting for a friend eventually turned into a new career for Jill Shorey, the owner of Giggles and Stickers, a recently licensed daycare agency in Patten. After losing her restaurant job in Island Falls to a fire there, Shorey started taking care of a friend’s 1-year-old boy a few days a week. “It turned into five days a week, 40 hours a week and it just went from there,” said Shorey.
• The S.W. Collins Company celebrated the grand opening of its new drive-through lumber warehouse marking the completion of an 11-month building process. Measuring 105 feet by 210 feet, the new warehouse gives customers an opportunity to browse inventory from the comfort of their own vehicles.
• Bethany Collins of Smyrna Mills, along with her husband Gene, opened The Fudge Farm at their 126 Smyrna Center Road residence. She planned to sell chocolate and peanut butter fudge; white, oatmeal and cinnamon swirl bread; miniature apple and cherry pies; giant iced chocolate chip cookies in round or heart shape; cream cheese mints; chocolate, plain, sugar covered and honey-glazed donuts as well as pound, peppermint and shaped cakes. Shaped cakes come as: a castle, chef’s hat, flower, giant cupcake or T-shirt. Also available are cupcakes and miniature bundts; all cakes available in white or chocolate.
October
• Jane Torres and her sister Anne Callnan established a partnership — Two Sisters located at Trendsetters — where they sell Trollbeads. In less than two weeks, about 30 women had already completed “wish lists” so that their husbands or significant others could pick out a gift from the 1,700 or so handmade beads and the several hundred chains, clasps and other accessories that will become a necklace, bracelet or earrings.
• Peggy Crane’s quilt shop started a few years ago in her bedroom. But, look at it now. Thanks to support from her husband and co-owner, Mark, and her stepson Nick, she has her own shop in an add-on to the main property, which is a beef farm.
• Mattresses, chairs and tables, even a daybed have all found at least a temporary new home in a large front window store display in downtown Houlton. But, already some shoppers are scooping up bargains making way for more furniture to move in. After some 12-13 years of doing business in various Houlton locations, Beals Variety, known for competitively low prices, settled into its new space allowing the owners to expand their familiar line of giftware and other merchandise with furniture.
November
• When the Dead River Company needed a new district manager in early October to oversee the Houlton office, officials expanded the role of Wallace (Wally) Tapley, Jr. who had been performing in that same capacity for the Millinocket and Lincoln offices. “Wally is a proven leader and the person to help us to continue to provide our customers with the quality service they have come to expect as well as grow our business in this key market,” said Robert Moore, Dead River Company president. “He is known for his commitment to the communities he operates in and for creating a positive team environment for our employees. We’re pleased that he will be managing the Houlton office.”
• Health and Human Services announced a major new investment in Katahdin Valley Health Center with grant funding of $2.9 million for capital improvement needs that will help improve the health center’s effectiveness, efficiency, quality of care and patient outcomes. Without this additional funding the projects will not have been possible. “The true beneficiaries of this grant will be the communities and the patients that we serve, especially during these times,” said Durward Humphrey, chief executive officer of the Katahdin Valley Health Center.
• High school students in Aroostook County had another avenue to find employment opportunities in their area thanks to a new website created by a local businessman. Highschoolhelpers.com, designed by Fred Grant of Houlton, went live and was working with Aroostook County high schools to get students to become familiar with the site. He is working with the state JMG (Jobs for Maine Graduates) coordinators to get the program off the ground.
• Tammy Tompkins capitalized on the holidays with traditional wreaths that she was selling and delivering from Houlton to Presque Isle. At the St. Mary’s craft fair in Houlton, Tompkins sold several of her round wreaths and candy cane shaped wreaths to very willing and contented customers.
• Location is everything when it comes to a business’ success or failure. And moving to a new location can be a high-risk, high-reward proposition. For Steve Rogers, owner of Shiretown Video Variety, moving just a couple of doors down on Main Street has resulted in the latter as in just a few short weeks he had already witnessed a big spike in his business.
December
• The number of homes sold in Aroostook County over the past three months dropped sharply, while the average price of those homes also declined compared to a year ago. The Maine Real Estate Information System Inc. recently issued its report on the state’s housing market and the numbers revealed not only had home sales slowed in Aroostook County, but they had also declined statewide.
• It took about a year for the work to be completed, but Tammy Carver’s salon, Simplify*d Family Hair, opened in New Limerick, fulfilling a lifelong dream for Carver.
• Atlantic Cinemas in Woodstock, New Brunswick announced it was adding a new 3D screen to its multiplex cinema.
• Dave Plowman, owner of P.D.Q. Door Co. said he was “pretty shocked” when he received an e-mail telling him that his Maine company received the 2011 Joseph A. Caputo Door Dealer of the Year Award.
• Rusty Watson was busy teaching young drivers the rules of the road with his new driver’s education business in Houlton.
