Issue link: https://nebusinessmedia.uberflip.com/i/1381718
W W W. M A I N E B I Z . B I Z 19 J U N E 1 4 , 2 0 2 1 L E W I S T O N / A U B U R N / W E S T E R N M A I N E being downtown where, even during the pandemic, there has been a lot of energy. "There are 100 working professionals on this island," O'Keefe says. "They need services like this." 8. 65 Canal St. Next door to Western Maine Machines, 11-room Hotel Rumford, which has a restaurant on the first floor, has been undergoing a renovation. Owner Melissa Carrier and her partners fully renovated the restaurant last year, and have renovated about half of the upstairs rooms so far. They plan to start taking bookings soon. O'Keefe says such projects "May be small, but they're vital. Small businesses are what makes us." 9. 60 River St. The three-story brick building that long housed the Elks Lodge opened June 7 as Munchkin Manor, a daycare center. The 10,500-square-foot, 120-year-old building has been empty since the Elks closed three years ago. "We're very pleased to be expanding child care here," O'Keefe says. "If we want to be attractive to young families, we have to have child care." 10 Rumford Falls The town is working with Brookfield Renewables on three studies relating to the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission relicensing the dam on the falls that are at downtown's south end. FERC directed Brookfield to look at a possible whitewater park at the falls, which have a 100-foot drop. O'Keefe says that such a project would be a boon for the town, which already has a variety of outdoor recre- ation. Because of the configuration of the falls, a feature wouldn't mean a lot of construction or money. O'Keefe can list a bunch of things the town still needs: a craft brewery, a car rental agency, a kitchen good store. But as he stands on the bridge with the falls to his right and the busy commercial district to his left, he says. "Look at this, we have so much to offer here." M a u r e e n M i l l i k e n , 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 m m i l l i k e n @ m a i n e b i z . b i z Improve comfort. Reduce energy costs. Upgrade to a heat pump that can meet both your heating and cooling needs. Enhanced incentives available for Maine's smallest businesses. Incentives up to $4,800 and financing available. Find out more at efficiencymaine.com 866-376-2463 F O C U S P H O T O S / M A U R E E N M I L L I K E N 7 9 9 6 8 10