Issue link: https://nebusinessmedia.uberflip.com/i/1280195
V O L . X X V I N O. X X A U G U S T 2 4 , 2 0 2 0 14 G R E A T E R B A N G O R / N O R T H E R N M A I N E F O C U S Typically, Canadians would come to Houlton to make a day of it. ey'd go to Marden's. On a Saturday afternoon, half of the discount store's parking lot is could be Canadian license plates. "ere are people from Woodstock, just 15 minutes away, who would come over two or three times a week," says Folsom. Gas and some goods like poultry and milk are cheaper in the U.S. "ey gas up their cars and buy frozen turkeys in droves," says Torres. "ey're bargain hunters. And you'd see the same people every week." At the co-op, Canadian visitors enjoy buying certain kinds of candy and honey, as well as Maine-grown meats, Torres adds. "We weren't really aware of how much they impacted us until they were gone," she says. Vehicle crossings plummet In February, 13,596 personal vehicles crossed the border into Houlton, says Robert Clark, executive director of the Northern Maine Development Commission in Caribou. In May, that number was 679. ose were vehicles driven by essential workers. » C O N T I N U E D F RO M P R E V I O U S PA G E A healthy smile can make all the difference. Protect yours with dental insurance backed by the nation's largest network of dentists. NortheastDeltaDental.com STAND OUT IN A SEA OF SAMENESS WITH YOUR SMILE POWER! NEDD_1_2 PAGE_ MAINEBIZ_consumer V2.indd 1 8/19/19 8:03 AM Pandemic drives tiny-home demand D uring the pandemic, Houlton's Tiny Homes of Maine orders have doubled, and the small, custom houses — under 400 square feet and built on a trailer — are being used in new ways. The company is hearing from cus- tomers who are losing their homes and need a place to live quickly; or their job situation is changing and they can't afford their homes. Others want alternative workspaces, like a mobile dental unit, says founder Corinne Watson. Many residential orders are from people moving to Maine — leaving pan- demic hotspots and working remotely. Some plan to park on friend or family property. Others are buying land. The company is building a larger facility and growing its workforce. P H O T O / C O U R T E S Y T I N Y H O M E S O F M A I N E Tiny Homes of Maine, a manufacturer in Houlton, is seeing increased demand from a growing variety of users due to the pandemic.