Issue link: https://nebusinessmedia.uberflip.com/i/1481630
W W W. M A I N E B I Z . B I Z 15 O C T O B E R 1 7 , 2 0 2 2 F O C U S M I D C O A S T / D O W N E A S T T he coronavirus pandemic transformed life as we know it. Between 2020 and 2021, schools closed, people were confined to their homes, small towns were left wonder- ing how they would make it without the help of the tourist season, and main streets were quiet without the usual hustle and bustle of weekday life. For the town of Castine, on the Blue Hill Peninsula, the shutdown seemed especially hard. e two life lines for the economy — summer visitors and students from the Maine Maritime Academy — were gone. Some businesses that intended to close tempo- rarily eventually closed for good. But by 2022, the town started to see signs of life. Two mainstays in town had new owners — giving the town a new outlook. "Dan Leader told me that Castine was really in trouble restaurant-wise. ey weren't going to have any restaurants in 2022," says Max Katzenberg, who took over ownership of Dennett's Wharf, a longtime waterside restaurant that had been closed down in recent years. He sprang to action, working with a team to get the restaurant open for the early summer. At the same time, a couple acquired the Pentagoet Inn, one of two inns on Main Street in Castine. "When Dennett's reopened this year after a few years of false starts, we felt the impact in very positive ways," says Johanna Barrett, owner of the Compass Rose Books on Main Street. "People came to town to eat there, and on their way down, they stopped at the bookstore, or they stopped by after a great meal for an espresso and a piece of chocolate cake. So, cooperative competition is a good thing, diversity in a small business community, and a willingness to work together builds more resilient econ- omies, and makes a small town like ours a destination." A dream becomes a reality Castine, a coastal town in Hancock County, is pictur- esque, and its residents have ensured to keep it so for centuries. e town is steeped in history that predates the American Revolution and is considered one of the oldest towns in New England. Castine is home to Maine Maritime Academy, Dyce Head Lighthouse, a host of historic sites and homes and a scenic waterfront. Ware-Butler Industrial will supply prod- ucts to earthwork and concrete jobs, roads/bridges/construction jobs, grow businesses, storage units, livestock farms, health centers and commercial buildings of all types, infrastructure projects such as sand-salt sheds and municipal buildings, etc. WAREBUTLER.COM CONTACT US for your non-residential and commercial construction needs statewide in Maine. Put our statewide buying power and experienced sales team to work for you! industrial@warebutler.com Fabric / Pipe / Culverts / Styrofoam insulation / Construction lumber Sheet goods / Millwork / Metal roofing and siding products PRODUCTS OFFERED: AND MORE! C O N T I N U E D O N F O L L OW I N G PA G E » After a pandemic shakeout, a new wave of owners is rebuilding key businesses B y A l e x i s W e l l s When Dennett's reopened this year after a few years of false starts, we felt the impact in very positive ways. — Johanna Barrett Compass Rose Books