Mainebiz

V O L . X X I X N O. X X V O C T O B E R 3 0 , 2 0 2 3 6 Home sales flag even as prices rise e Maine Association of Realtors reported that 1,410 existing, single- family homes sold in September, down 25.4% compared to September 2022. e median sales price increased 14.17% over the previous year, from $330,000 to $376,750. For-sale inven- tory in September ticked up 2% from the August level and was slightly more than a year ago. However, the num- ber of homes for sale, 3,855, was 57% below the pre-pandemic level of 9,026 in September 2019, noted Carmen McPhail, 2023 president of the Realtors organization and associate broker at United Country Lifestyle Properties of Maine in Bangor. e Maine Association of Realtors is advocating at the state and local levels to boost production of additional housing units. "Whether through new construction or adaptive reuse, we are focused on creat- ing a more balanced market in regard to supply and demand," McPhail said. PUC: Plenty of '207' numbers left Maine will remain a one area-code state for another decade. Maine's utilities regulator says it won't need to call time on the state's 207 area code for nine years or maybe even decades after that. A semiannual review by an arm of the Federal Communications Commission has found there are enough unused phone numbers with the state's single area code to last until September 2032. at buys the Hallowell-based Maine Public Utilities Commission another 3.5 years before the need to introduce a second area code. e previous expecta- tion was that the 207 area code would be exhausted by early 2029. e new end- date projection is also seven years later than the original prediction that the iconic digits would be used up by 2025. Higher labor force participation in September Maine's unemployment rate ticked up to 2.7% in September from 2.5% in August while still hovering near record lows, according to the latest monthly data from the Maine Department of Labor. e agency noted that the slight increase in the seasonally adjusted rate was a reflection of higher labor force participation and not a result of decreased employment. e state's jobless rate has been below 4% for 22 B U S I N E S S M A I N E Business news from around the state S T A T E W I D E B R I E F Halloween sales boom typically bypasses local artisan chocolate makers B y A L E X I S W E L L S E ven as supermarkets stocked the shelves for Halloween, Maine candy shops geared up for just another holiday. According to the National Confectioners Association, Halloween is often referred to as the candy industry's Super Bowl. But that's not necessarily the case for specialty candy shops in Maine, where Easter, Valentine's Day and even Christmas are what ring the register. What's handed out at Halloween is more frequently super- market trick-or-treat sized candies from major manufacturers like Hershey and Mars Wrigley. Maine-based candy and chocolate makers say it's busi- ness as usual and the spooky holiday is one of their slower holidays. Halloween shoppers are more likely to buy gifts for family members, grandchildren, co-workers and office parties. At Len Libby Candies, at 419 U.S. Route 1 in Scarborough, the busiest seasons are Easter, Valentine's Day and Christmas. "Halloween is not one of our busier holidays, as we don't sell many of the typical 'bite-size' candies that people usually buy for trick-or-treaters," said Gisele DeGrinney, co-owner of Len Libby Candies, which is known for its life-sized chocolate moose. "That said, we have seen our sales increase year over year as the holiday has increased in popularity among adults, especially for parties, such as office parties or gatherings in their homes, or maybe for their children's classmates or teachers. Events more suited to buying specialty treats in smaller quantities seem to be growing in popularity for Halloween, especially since COVID," she said. Retailers like Len Libby seek out novelty items. "We have come up with some really cute products, such as Ding Dong, the Witch ISN'T Dead!, which are Hostess Ding Dongs that we've coated in our chocolate and then topped with a little icing witch," said DeGrinney. "Or we have the Devilish Dog, a Drake's Devil Dog that we've coated in our chocolate and decorated with hand-piped white chocolate dyed orange and yellow, and then we packaged each one with a little red plastic pitchfork." Len Libby also carries a variety of chocolate pops in the shape of ghosts, pumpkins, mummies, bats and tarantulas. And, of course, candy corn, foiled chocolate pumpkins and Halloween gummies. It's a similar story at Haven's Candies, a specialty candy maker with locations in Portland and Westbrook. "The candy store is mostly for gift giving and not a place where but candy to give out to trick-or-treaters," said Allison Holt, retail director of Haven's Candies. Holt told Mainebiz that even though the other holidays are her busiest time, the store still has Halloween and fall items like caramel apples, candy boxes, nutter-butter mummies, ghost chocolate pops, chocolate "coffins" full of eyeballs and worms, and more. Heather Barter, manager of Sweetz & More in Wiscasset, says that the pumpkin-shaped Reese's peanut butter cups have sold the most, along with ghost-shaped chocolates, candy corn and caramel apples. Chocolate still rules Nationally, candy is a $42 billion-a-year industry, according to the National Confectioners Association. The trade group reported that Maine's candy industry generated $119.1 mil- lion in economic activity, including $22.2 million in wages. The industry accounted for direct and indirect employment of nearly 2,000 jobs statewide. According to the national trade group, this year's most popular Halloween treats are chocolate, No. 1; gummy candy, No. 2; and candy corn, No. 3. What's handed out at Halloween is typically supermarket trick-or-treat sized candies from manufacturers like Hershey or Mars Wrigley. P H O T O / A L E X I S W E L L S Halloween trick or treaters usually receive mass-market candy treats, not artisan chocolates.

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