Portico Realty is now in the office on Main St. next to Asia Cafe.

Rivers Digital, formerly of Dover, is moving into the business block next to The Early Bird Cafe.

An orthodontist is moving in the Portland Street storefront that was most recently South Berwick Yoga.

The storefront that was the Little Hat Company is the temporary office for the Maine Department of Transportation Route 236 Great Works Bridge Project.  The Little Hat Company is now operating as an internet based business and from what I hear is busy selling hats all over the world.

And then there’s the scaffolding on the center part of the business block.  Owner Russell Tarason describes the project:  ”The Ballroom at Wadleigh Gardens will be sporting a brand new, smashingly wonderful roof. It will boost a heated, lower encased edge with hopes of preventing the icicles that form some years. Additionally there will be a snow fence. The shingles will be of the architectural type that will blend in nicely to the historical building.  She deserves no less.”

It’s great to see business and building owners investing in downtown South Berwick, making it more lively and more attractive.

The owner, Roxanne Roberge was there and happy to fill me in on what’s happening.  It’s going to be a convenience store that focuses on take out foods.  In addition to the usuals like milk and snacks, they will have all kinds of meals for take-out, including pizza, breakfast sandwiches, rotisserie chicken, subs and wraps, salads, and homemade entrees every day.  They will have a call-ahead drive up window so you can put in your order and drive though to pick it up.  It will be open all day, seven days a week.

The original plan was for it to open early this summer but the constant rains put them behind schedule on the masonry work they needed to do on the exterior.  The day I was there workers were finishing the work to enclose the building.  Roxanne was working on ordering materials for fitting out the interior.  She says they are working toward a mid to late August opening, but given the weather challenges it may be a little later.

It will be great to have one more local food option in South Berwick and one more business in the downtown area.  It is encouraging amidst all the bad economic news that South Berwick has entrepreneurs who are starting businesses and stepping up to provide goods and services that we need.

I don’t know about you, but I’ve been really curious about what’s been happening in the storefront on Main Street that was recently vacated by Sobo Book & Bean.  Every time I walk by lately I’ve been peeking in and seeing the transformation inside: new paint, shining floors, a new arrangement of the counter, more open space, and a new sparkle.

The other night at a South Berwick Networking meeting I got to meet Wendy Reppucci, who along with her spouse, is opening The Early Bird, the new coffee shop that is going into the spot.  It sounds like the Early Bird is a perfect addition to that stretch of Main St.

Here’s the latest update from Wendy Reppucci:

We’ve revived the cozy space at 241 Main Street with a cheery facelift.  The Early Bird will be open for business on Strawberry Festival weekend.  We’ll open with a limited menu then – our Grand Opening is planned for July with our full menu in place.   We’ll feature fresh, preservative-free Bagels, a great selection of organic, fair trade coffees (roasted in Maine) and teas, a variety of fresh Egg & Cheese Sandwiches, including our own Green Eggs & Ham specialty sandwich, Kimmi’s Best Biscotti (made right here in So. Berwick) and many other fresh and natural offerings.  Soft-serve ice cream and Root Beer floats will coming soon too!  We’ll be offering complimentary WiFi access at the Early Bird.

We’ll be open seven days a week, and yes, we will be open early!  Our hours are Monday-Friday from 6:00 am – 2:00 pm and Saturday-Sunday 8:00 am – 2:00 pm. The Early Bird will also be open Thursday evenings for Hot Summer Nights concerts, so come visit us and grab an ice-cream or an iced-coffee to enjoy during the show.  We have the best coffee in town!

Feel free to email us with any questions, comments or to just say hello at: earlybird241@yahoo.com.

This is great news for the center of the village.  Early coffee, breakfast sandwiches, and WiFi!  Best wishes to the the Reppucci’s and the Early Bird, I can’t wait to do some early morning coffee and blogging there.

• Phasing Plan (6/17/09)
• Proposed Plan (6/17/09)
• Concept Drawing (6/17/09)
• Existing Conditions (6/17/09)

Wednesday, June 24
Tri-Berwick Meeting
6:30 PM – Berwick Town Hall
Members of the South Berwick Town Council will meet with the elected officials and Managers from the communities of Lebanon, Berwick and North Berwick and our State Legislators to discuss regional and state concerns.

Based on their research, the EDC developed three guideposts for the economic development strategy for South Berwick:
1. Any strategy for South Berwick must be multi-faceted, and address all four community goals:  Reduce residential property taxes; Create new jobs and economic opportunities for residents; Make the community desirable for people to live, shop, and work; Create a sustainable community — energy-efficient, environmentally and economically sound.
2. Any strategy must not only be consistent with, but strengthen, the character of South Berwick. Whatever is done cannot take away from the residential attractiveness, the in-town charm, the historic feel, the natural beauty, the quality of schools of the existing community.
3. Any strategy must be realistic, and meet the straight-faced test. People want to see their tax dollars used effectively, no matter what the purpose.

Based on the research and input from citizens, the EDC., with the help of Planning Decisions, Inc. developed recommendations of the following strategies for economic development.

The Economic Development Committee believes that a local economic development strategy must build on the recognizable strengths of the community.

Strategy 1 – Enhance the downtown
This has several components:  1. Encouraging the clustering of professional offices in the downtown area; 2. Attracting visitors to the downtown – looking particularly at nearby Berwick Academy; and 3. Enhancing the general quality of life downtown.

Strategy 2 – Market South Berwick as a destination for tourist day trips, for student and parent activities, for weddings, and for small business meetings.
This strategy involves linking together, branding, and systematically promoting what mostly already exists in the community – namely, outdoor recreation centers, history, gardens, restaurants and lodges, and bed and breakfast inns.
The benefits of this strategy are increased spending for local businesses; and higher positive name recognition for the Town – which can have spillover benefits in business attraction, attraction of students to the schools, and attracting new residents.

Strategy 3: Be ready for the next large employer – create development-ready sites on Route 236.
There is privately-owned land on Route 236 that could be appropriate for such business development. The Town should assist interested owners to obtain state grants to bring roads and utilities to business park sites. The park should be designed to have an attractive and professional work, because it will be a gateway and image for the community as a whole, and not just the businesses within. The Town needs to be ready
for the next economic recovery.

This is a link to the full report, South Berwick Economic Development Priorities, June 5, 2009, which includes more specific details about each of the strategies.  The full report is 50 pages, however the recommendations are included in the first ten pages, with the rest collateral materials and specific information from interviews and research.

The EDC’s monthly meeting, which is open to the public, will be held Wednesday, June 17, 6:30 PM in Meeting Room 2 at Town Hall.  They will be discussing the strategies and selecting priorities on which to work.  

May 13th through June 6th

THE CAMPAIGN: The Greater York Region Chamber of Commerce is challenging all southern Maine residents to spend 100% in their own home town over the next few weeks! Below you will find a survey to complete. The Chamber wants to know what you couldn’t find in your own backyard for services and products, and whether or not you would want that business in your community. This will be beneficial for helping our towns identify possible business opportunities to fill vacant commercial buildings, as well as to promote buying local.
WIN: $250 IN COLD HARD CASH to spend in your own backyard!  Participants who return the surveys by June 8th will be entered into a drawing to win.

Click survey image for a printable pdf.

I should call this article “Price Point Eyewear saves the day.”  Last Saturday morning I was running around getting ready for the Library book sale and I had that dreaded experience that glasses wearers fear.  I took a step and felt something foreign under my foot.  It was my glasses, lens out, bow bent, and frame broken.  I left the house stressed about the inconvenience and cost of getting them replaced, wearing an old pair of glasses that make me dizzy.

While I was at the book sale I saw the open sign lighted at Price Point Eyewear so took a walk over to check it out.  I was greeted by friendly optician and owner Paul Vasapoli and pleasantly surprised by the selection of nice looking frames.  The best thing was the price; complete glasses start at $99.  Since I’m hard on glasses I always carry my prescription with me so I selected my frames and had a promise that I would have them by Monday.  Come Monday, I had my new glasses at an affordable price and no inconvenience of making multiple trips out of town.  Call me a very satisfied customer!  Last time I got new glasses I was lured by a “special” at a chain store, but ended up paying over two times the advertised price because everything was an add on.  “You meant you want two lenses?”  “You mean you don’t want to hold them on your head with rubber bands?”  It was a completely different experience at Price Point, there were lots of frames to choose from in each package price and no hidden costs for a nice pair of single vision glasses.

Paul Vasapoli, optician and owner of Price Point Eyewear

Paul Vasapoli lives in Eliot and is happy to be a part of South Berwick’s downtown.  He did a great job of sprucing up the storefront.  The neon signage adds vitality to the downtown block and the interior work that he did makes the store feel bright and new.  The lighting is good and the new wood flooring looks beautiful. Price Point is a great addition to the downtown and adds one more important service that is available locally.  Stop in and meet Paul and thank him for his investment in the town.  And get some great new glasses at the same time.

Price Point Eyewear is located at 257 Main St., South Berwick, ME.  The phone number is 207-384-LENS  .  Hours are Mon – Fri 10 am to 5:30 pm, Thurs until 7 pm, Saturday, 9 am to 1 pm. Closed Wednesday and Sunday.  www.pricepointeyewear.com

I stopped in on a recent afternoon and got to talk to Norma Dowling, Executive Director of Garvey House, inc.    Garvey House Inc. is a home for pregnant women in Berwick.  Union #79 serves as income to support the charitable work of Garvey House, as an employment opportunity for residents of Garvey House, and as a site for job training for residents.  A team of volunteers, donations, and purchases keep the store running.

Norma says the stock at Union #79 is always changing since they are constantly getting new donations.  The day I was there Norma was expecting a whole house full of furniture to be coming in shortly.  She also plans to expand the line of locally made crafts and jewelry.

Norma Dowling, Executive Director of Garvey House and one of the managers of Union Store #79, a gift/thrift store with a mission.

The name of the store, “Union Store #79,” is a reference to the history of South Berwick and the store’s historic location.  South Berwick’s chapter of the first consumers’ cooperative in the United States, Union Store Div. 79 was located in the same spot during the 1800s. (Read more about it at the OBHS website)

The store is located at 245 Main St. in South Berwick.  The phone number for the store is 207-704-0129.

]]> http://the236diner.com/2009/05/11/whats-new-downtown-union-store-79/feed/ 0 http://the236diner.com/2009/04/21/parking-chronicles-a-license-plate-count/ http://the236diner.com/2009/04/21/parking-chronicles-a-license-plate-count/#comments Tue, 21 Apr 2009 14:10:24 +0000 Molly Colman http://the236diner.com/?p=939

Wednesday, April 15, 2:09 PM.  A quiet time downtown with plenty of parking spots to choose.

Wednesday, April 15, 7:03 PM.  Back downtown again for a dinner with friends at Pepperland.  I parked in front of McIntire McCooey Funeral Home so I could have a little walk before and after dinner.  Good thing too, because I had some of Pepperland’s fabulous parsnip cake for dessert.

Sunday, April 19, 11:40 AM.  Downtown was pretty busy but there were parking spaces to be found.  I noticed quite a few New Hampshire cars so decided to take a little license plate survey.  I counted all the cars on both sides of the street from in front of Civil Consultants to Sobo Books on the west side and from the Jewett house to the Post Office entrance on the east.  This is what I found:

Total number of cars parked:  28

Maine license plates: 9
NH license plates: 17
Other: 1 Vermont; 1 Massachusetts

Stores open in immediate downtown vicinity:  Pepperlands Cafe, Nature’s Way Market, Little Hat Company, Sobo Books, Asia Cafe.

I loved seeing those NH cars coming to Maine and dropping their money in Maine businesses that employ local residents, paying Maine sales and meals taxes, and adding to our local economy.

Saturday, April 11, 2009 3:30 PM

I went into town on Saturday afternoon to South Berwick Pharmacy and Nature’s Way Market.  Cars were coming and going and there was a choice of parking spots.

Tuesday, April 14, 2008, 8:25 AM

During a quick trip to the Post Office and Nature’s Way Market I hit downtown during the morning rush hour around Central School.  There were school buses, lots of pedestrians, and turning traffic near the school but there were plenty of parking spaces near the business block.