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V O L . X X X I N O. X I I I J U N E 1 6 , 2 0 2 5 20 says. "We'll work with other companies in any way we can. ere are a couple of campgrounds [that] we run their river business for." Challenges With tourism in Bethel mainly a weekend occurrence, running a business can be challenging, she says. "e summer really kicks off around July 4," Sloan says. "When people come, they tend to come for a long weekend. So Bethel is pretty quiet on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday." at said, the company is very busy on week- ends and it's diversifying to run children adventure camps on weekdays. It provides retreats for visit- ing groups, such as a yoga group that's coming from New Hampshire. She had hundreds of customers last summer, including groups booking ahead of time and week-of bookings and even walk-ins. "We're very small, trying to not become a large outdoor outfitter that's pumping people down the water," she says. "I want to stay a small business that offers a more catered experience." Sloan credits the local chamber of commerce for its support through advertising. "And the draw to Sunday River in the winter sparks people's interest in the sum- mer," she says. "ere's a connection people already have because of Sunday River, and that brings people back." Youthful investment At 32 Parkway Road, Maya Taylor bought Black Diamond Nutrition about a year ago. She was 20 and had worked for a bit at the store, which offers goods like smoothie bowls and teas. Her grandpar- ents helped out with the loan. "It's fun," says Taylor, a Bethel native. "You get to see a lot of people. And it's a good investment." Typical customers are local employees and high schoolers. Taylor simplified the menu; her mother paints the windows with cool designs. "I've had a lot of people come in that I've known my whole life," she says. "e community is amaz- ing and very supportive." At home in smaller communities In 2022, a Brunswick-based chain called Rusty Lantern Market acquired another chain called the Mallard Mart, whose locations included one at 33 Mayville Road. After a rebuild, the convenience store and gas station reopened in January 2024 as Rusty Lantern. e chain, which started in 2015, has 28 stores in Maine, New Hampshire, Massachusetts and Rhode Island, with two more expected this year in [the towns of ] Cumberland and Oxford, says CEO John Koch. "We feel at home in smaller Maine communities like Bethel, and do well in them," Koch says. He continues, "We went through an exercise to identify other communities in Maine that we thought would be a good fit for us and Bethel was identified as one of the communities we should take a look at. A few months later we were presented with an opportunity to acquire the Mallard Mart chain and Bethel was part of the package. We pur- sued that opportunity, largely, because Bethel was part of the mix and fit our profile." Sustainable Impact Program Start Investing Now Our Sustainable Impact Program offers a range of deposit accounts designed to align your financial strategies with your sustainability goals. These accounts provide the same convenient features and security you expect from traditional banking products, with the added benefit of knowing your funds are directly fueling positive change right here in Maine. » C O N T I N U E D F RO M P R E V I O U S PA G E F O C U S P H O T O / C O U R T E S Y O F B L A C K D I A M O N D N U T R I T I O N Maya Taylor of Black Diamond Nutrition

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