The Limestone Planning Board has approved plans for two new businesses to operate in town in the coming year.
Officials from the Dollar General national chain store told Planning Board members at their Dec. 5 meeting that they plan to begin construction on a new store in mid-spring 2018.
The store will be located on Access Highway in front of the Rising Hill assisted living center and finished by early summer, they said.
Limestone Economic Development Coordinator Dennis McCartney said Wednesday that he expects Dollar General to employ eight to 10 people and to give residents more shopping options. Currently there is only one grocery store in Limestone, Mike’s Family Market, but McCartney emphasized that Dollar General will be different enough so that the two businesses can offer something for everyone. Despite their name, Dollar General sells items that cost more than one dollar and carries all foods except meat and produce.
“They sell items such as frozen foods, ice cream, milk and loaves of bread, but no meat or produce. It gives the local stores a shot to have something that they (Dollar General) don’t have,” McCartney said.
Unlike many other chain companies that bring in their own construction crews, who often travel across the country building stores, Dollar General plans to hire Aroostook County contractors to supply building materials.
The economic development coordinator indicated that Dollar General had agreed to go with a brick facade and more plantings out front to better fit the area.
He hopes that the new business venture will spark a “renaissance” in Limestone in which more businesses open and more people choose to live in the town because of the economic growth.
“I can tell you that I will be going after the national chains to bring them to Limestone,” McCartney said. “I hope that since one company has decided to come here, others might think that the town is a good place to open a business, too.”
The Planning Board will host a public hearing sometime in early 2018 to share information with residents and answer questions about the project, according to McCartney.
Limestone also will soon have a new laundromat that will open in late winter or early spring. White As Snow Laundry will be owned by Julie Weston, who also owns Manaus Books and Coffeeshop. The laundromat will be located at 30 Main Street in the basement of the bookstore, but will have a separate entrance. Weston plans to hire someone to manage the laundromat in the near future.
Weston, who also is the chairman of the Limestone Development Foundation, said that many apartment buildings in town might not have enough laundry facilities for all tenants, which leads some to travel to Caribou for those services. She hopes that White As Snow Laundry can save people time and allow the economy to grow in Limestone.
“When you have someone who goes to Caribou to do their laundry, then they might as well go shopping there and go to the restaurants and get their errands done in the same area,” Weston said. “Hopefully with the laundromat and the Dollar General more people will want to stay in Limestone and support the businesses that are already here.”
