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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 M AY 1 7 , 2 0 2 1 From the Editor I n the past year, small businesses in Maine weath- ered quarantines, shutdowns, mandates of all kinds. Many dealt with a loss of revenue and an even more significant loss of employees.ey adapted their business to online ordering and curbside pickup, often investing dollars they didn't necessarily have to spend. ey scrambled to apply for Paycheck Protection Program relief. Yet if those businesses survived 2020 — if they're still standing today — they're likely stronger than they were a year ago. is focus on small business has a range of sto- ries not only of survival, but change and growth. In a round-up looking at different businesses, Laurie Schreiber talks to the captains of a tall ship whose home port is Rockland, the owners of a general store in Machias, the partners in a Cape Elizabeth lumber yard that started during the pan- demic and others. See "Small businesses keep their cool," which starts on Page 14. Food trucks have seen growing popularity in recent years, but Maine is seeing a particular surge, with restaurant owners and entrepreneurs seeing the trucks as an affordable alternative to brick- and-mortar eateries. See Renee Cordes' story, "Hot wheels," on Page 20. Like the businesses they represent, chambers of commerce have had to get creative to overcome the loss of events revenue in the past year. Jessica Hall talks to chamber heads around the state to see how they've responded. See "Chambers shift focus to stay relevant" on Page 24. A lifeline for startups and small operations, Maine's Small Business Development Centers, more than doubled its client list last year, as Maureen Milliken reports. See Page 28. is issue also has lists of SBA loans (Page 27) and FAME loans (Page 38). 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 most popular content for the two weeks from April 26 to May 10. 1. In an about-face, Sherman's now bullish on the retail market 2. Falmouth mulls building cap change as Cumberland County towns hit growth limits 3. Quality medical office building in Portland sells for $7.2M 4. UMaine System trustees will consider interim location for Maine Law 5. Passive house construction moving from groovy niche to mainstream 6. Will this summer's tourism industry in Maine near the highs seen in 2019, before the pandemic? 7. Will the power of unions increase in the near future? 8. Maine home sales, prices again up by double digits; Portland prices jump $54K in a month 9. Ware-Butler deals expand its lumber, building supply footprint into 3 Maine towns 10. Ahead of Mother's Day, 6 Maine execs reflect on motherhood, business leadership P H O T O / C O U R T E S Y S H E R M A N ' S 1 bernsteinshur.com Be innovative. BE SHUR. Meeting climate change head on. With feet to the fire, small businesses get stronger If those businesses survived 2020 — if they're still standing today — they're likely stronger than they were a year ago.

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