Mainebiz

V I E W P O I N T S W W W. M A I N E B I Z . B I Z 3 A U G U S T 1 9 , 2 0 1 9 From the Editor O ur focus on Bangor and northern Maine led us on an unexpected journey. We get used to the same storyline about the down- trodden areas of northern Maine, the towns that have lost paper mills and shoe manufacturing. Mainebiz is based in southern Maine, and we're often reminded by readers to actually get out and see what's going on in the rest of the state. We heeded the call, and are glad we did. In June, we visited Millinocket as part of our On the Road series. I was pleasantly surprised to see that the clichéd storyline — that of the "woe- ful" town that lost its paper mill — is more cliché than reality. e downtown was livelier than some more "pros- perous" town centers we've been through. Business leaders there have big ideas. Very qui- etly, some 3,500 vacation proper- ties are being used, rented and renovated. Not the usual story. Such is the case with Piscataquis County, which is larger than Rhode Island and Connecticut combined with just 16,773 people. Now, if you believe the storyline, Piscataquis is a poor county with few people to change its prospects. If you go up there, you'll see aspects of that. But you'll also see areas of growth. We had the opportunity to visit the Appalachian Mountain Club's Medawisla Lodge. AMC has invested $50 million in the county, focusing in rec- reation. To get there, we passed through Monson, where Libra Foundation has invested $15 million on an arts community to spark economic activity. ere are galleries, shops and the Monson General Store, which has a strong Pineland Farms feel to it. As Maureen Milliken reports in our cover story, manufacturing is alive and well in Piscataquis County. She visited Puritan Medical Products, Hardwood Products Co. and JSI Store Fixtures, which among them have 750 employees in the county. And they're investing in their businesses and hiring people. You don't hear that story about Piscataquis County every day. Coverage starts on Page 13. Peter Van Allen pvanallen@mainebiz.biz Featured @ Mainebiz.biz For a daily digest of Maine's top business news, sign up for the Mainebiz Daily Report at mainebiz.biz/enews Get Maine's business news daily at mainebiz.biz and on Twitter (@Mainebiz). Below is our top content from between July 29 and Aug. 12. 1. 10 leaders for Maine's economic future 2. 3 Maine hospitals earn high ranks in U.S. News survey 3. Key piece of 58 Fore St. project goes back to Portland preservation board 4. York-based Stonewall Kitchen purchased by Boston investment firm 5. 10 Maine projects will benefit from $3.2M in rural economic development grants 6. Construction begins on over-55 apartment complex in Bangor 7. Developer plans up to 750 workforce apartments for Lewiston, Augusta, Biddeford 8. Waterville Lockwood Mill plan moves forward 9. TD Bank's new regional chief focuses on growth, hiring 10. Deal for Portland wharf has potential for DiMillo's brokerage expansion 1 Be smart. BE SHUR. bernsteinshur.com When you want a law firm t hat puts your interests before [h]ours. Is Piscataquis County Maine's sleeping giant? In Monson, there's a visitor center appealing to through-hikers from the nearby Appalachian Trail (top) and the Monson General Store (below), which has a Pineland Farms connection to it. P H O T O S / P E T E R VA N A L L E N

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