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V O L . X X I X N O. X I I I J U N E 1 2 , 2 0 2 3 16 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 Lewiston's 'vroom' service Western Maine's small-business boom isn't limited to rural areas. In Lewiston, Abdirahman Saeed and Abdinur Mohamed run Black Diamond Detailing, the city's first Black- and Somali-owned car-detail- ing business. e longtime friends launched Black Diamond as a mobile operation in early 2022 before opening a garage last November at 409 Sabattus St., about a mile from City Hall. Prices range from $35 for an exterior hand wash and tire clean to $145 for a two-hour deep clean of SUVs, trucks and vans. e duo, who also offer regular price promotions, set out to be affordable to everyone in the community and report that business is going well. Mohamed's background is in nonprofit health care management, while Saeed was pursuing general studies at Central Maine Community College in Auburn and seeking new momentum during the pandemic. In November 2021, they brainstormed ideas for a commercial venture and decided on car-detailing, with a name meant to evoke the process of applying pressure and heat to carbon to create a precious gem — and Black Diamond Detailing was born. ey self-financed the operation and enrolled in Top Gun, a 12-week startup accel- erator program run by the Maine Center for Entrepreneurs that gave them a handle on vari- ous aspects of running a business from budget- ing to marketing. ough the duo had looked at various other locations during a fruitless 30-day search before jumping on the sudden Sabattus Street opportunity, they are happy to be in their hometown. "It's shown me that with the right team and an open mind mentality, anything is possible," Saeed says. Echoing that sentiment, Mohamed says he finds fulfillment "in knowing I am making a positive impact in this community, particularly by inspiring the youth to believe in themselves and realize their own potential." Later down the road, they hope to expand else- where in Maine. Renee Cordes, Mainebiz senior writer, can be reached a t r c o r d e s @ m a i n e b i z . b i z a n d @ r s c o r d e s » C O N T I N U E D F RO M P R E V I O U S PA G E R EGI ONAL S PONS OR S PR ES ENTI NG S PONS OR Make new connections with the Brewer business community HORS D'OEUVRES / CASH BAR / NETWORKING WITH AREA BUSINESS EXECUTIVES S PACE IS S PACE IS LIMITED LIMITED, BE S URE TO , BE S URE TO REGISTER! REGISTER! Please register ahead at mainebiz.biz/OTRBrewer23 BREWER T U E S DAY, J U N E 2 0 / 4 – 6 P M / M A S O N ' S B R E W I N G C O M PA N Y, 1 5 H A R D Y S T. , B R E W E R F O C U S Abdirahman Saeed, left, and Abdinur Mohamed, owners of Black Diamond Detailing, at their Lewiston business. P H O T O / T I M G R E E N WAY

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