Mainebiz

V O L . X X I V N O. X I V J U LY 9 , 2 0 1 8 22 F O C U S S O U T H E R N M A I N E Eagle Outfi tters — on Howard Place, at the lower end of the retail district — has sat empty for several years. It's 4,750 square feet and listed at $20 a square foot. Mackenzie Simpson, a broker, developer and attorney with Portland's Porta & Co., took over the listing in December "because the landlord liked my energy and positivity about Freeport," he says. So far he's gotten no off ers for what he sees as an ideal spot for an eatery, craft brewer or clothing retailer. "I've worked hard to get the word out about the space and Freeport," at both regional and national real estate conferences, Simpson says. With Greater Freeport Chamber of Commerce, Simpson also hosted a kind of social brainstorming event where attendees shared ideas for the space, from yoga studio to juice bar — but still no tenant for the spot off the main drag. " e biggest obstacles are the seasonality and tenants wanting their storefronts on Main Street," he says, adding: "I always try to think outside the box when I have a diffi cult listing." Boulos has had to do the same on pricing, saying, "Ten years ago we were maybe getting $50 a square foot and now it's down to $25 a square foot." On the plus side, Boulos says that there's now an opportunity for local retailers to get into downtown Freeport as national retailers clear out, and sees the current readjustment as healthy. "It's not all doom and gloom," he says. Kevin Fletcher, president of Northeast Commercial Brokers at Keller Williams Realty in Portland and president of the Maine Commercial Association of Realtors, takes a similar view. "Maybe there are some landlords that are worried," he says, "but what we're seeing is a cycle that can be healthy for everybody." Why so many vacancies now? Keith McBride, executive director of the Freeport Economic Development Corp., says that while his offi ce can do nothing to off set macroeconomic trends aff ecting retail, it is working with Freeport Planning Board to update and improve the parking ordinance. e topic was discussed at the June 27 plan- ning board meeting. "We're getting close to a proposal," he says, explaining that supply is not a problem but rather the hefty expense for business and property owners. McBride also says that while vacan- cies are never good, he's encouraged by new businesses starting to pop up downtown, like Homage Restaurant at 9 Mechanic St., Grand Gourmet Food & Gifts at 32 Main St. and a new clothing shop called Bella coming to 32 Main St. in a space previously occupied by e Body Shop. "People are going to take advan- tage of the chance to jump in when rents go down," McBride says. "We're seeing smaller local retailers capitalize on the opportunity to be in Freeport, which remains to be a premier place for shopping in Maine." Three million cars a year on Kittery's Route 1 It's a diff erent scene in Kittery. ere is ample parking for the estimated three million cars a year that pass the outlets on Route 1. Yet there is a handful of empty stores at the Kittery Premium Outlets, which is owned by Simon Property Group of Indianapolis. Existing stores include Lindt choco- late, Coach, J.Crew Factory, Aeropostale and Nike Factory Store. In an emailed response to Mainebiz, Simon Property Group underscored that investment in Kittery is for the long term. "We have been invested in Kittery Premium Outlets since the early 2000s and the property has performed very well during our tenure," it said. "We are committed to Kittery over the long term and are confi dent it will remain a strong destination for consumers." Adam Causey, the town's director of planning and development, is also not bothered by the vacancies along Route 1. "Retail is changing, but we have a good group of property and business owners there," he says. In the longer term, town offi cials would prefer to see less of a shopping- centered mindset and more of a focus on development in the Foreside area and the creation of aff ordable housing, as laid out in a fi ve-year action plan set to go to voters this November. "Kittery is already shifting its iden- tify to more of a destination for people who enjoy good food, want to be on the waterfront and want to be in open spaces," says town manager Kendra Amaral. " at's important. We can't just be the outlet location." at jibes with recommenda- tions from consultant Daphne Politis, a Massachusetts-based town planner with Community Circle who worked on Kittery's comprehensive and action plans. Recommendations called for making Route 1 more pedestrian- friendly, with open spaces and housing. "Retail is being re-envisioned," she says. "In order for it to survive it's more about being an experience." Back in Kittery Foreside, Gregory Gosselin of Gosselin Realty Group in York couldn't be more enthusiastic about that neighborhood, where he says the housing market is red-hot. "In the last fi ve years this has become the new Portsmouth," he says. He's speaking over coff ee at Lil's Café, in a building owned by Michael Landgarten who also owns Bob's Clam Hut on Route 1. "We really focus on Lil's being for locals," says Landgarten. "It's about Kittery neighbors meeting neighbors and networking and having fun together. It's always been a town that really cares about itself and the quality of life." R C , M a i n e b i z s e n i o r w r i t e r, c a n b e r e a c h e d a t @ . a n d @ » C O N T I N U E D F RO M P R E V I O U S PA G E We're seeing smaller local We're seeing smaller local We're seeing smaller local We're seeing smaller local We're seeing smaller local We're seeing smaller local We're seeing smaller local We're seeing smaller local We're seeing smaller local We're seeing smaller local We're seeing smaller local We're seeing smaller local We're seeing smaller local We're seeing smaller local retailers capitalize on retailers capitalize on retailers capitalize on retailers capitalize on retailers capitalize on retailers capitalize on retailers capitalize on retailers capitalize on retailers capitalize on retailers capitalize on retailers capitalize on retailers capitalize on retailers capitalize on the opportunity to be in Freeport, which remains to be a premier place for shopping in Maine. — Keith McBride Freeport Economic Development Corp. P H O T O S / T I M G R E E N WAY Keith McBride, Freeport economic development director, near Homage Restaurant in downtown Freeport. Mackenzie Simpson, a partner at Porta & Co., is the listing broker for the empty 4,750-square-foot property that once housed the Baby Gap in Freeport.

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