Mainebiz

W W W. M A I N E B I Z . B I Z 21 J U N E 1 6 , 2 0 2 5 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 e store sees approximately 1,100 customers per day. "It appears the local economy is very robust and growing and we're happy to be part of the community," he says. "e people here have been very good to us. I think it's been a great fit." 'Moving the needle' Joe Christopher is a Brunswick native and long-time entrepreneur whose firm, Upward Management Group, has a portfolio of businesses in outdoor recreation and hospitality in western Maine and elsewhere. During the pandemic, his other businesses closed, but business at a grocery store he owned in Kingfield, near Sugarloaf Mountain, grew significantly and did well. So he and his business partner Ryan Rother and nephew Ben Christopher bought a long-time supermarket at 72 Main St. in Bethel, performed renovations, renamed it Mainely Provisions and brought in more organic and local provisions. e store is often packed, he says. "We plan to continue to invest in Bethel, whether that's expanding operations we have now or new operations," says Christopher. Like Gangi, Christopher credits Sunday River's development of year-round activity, such as golf, trail races and conferences, as a benefit for the area. "eir event schedule continues to grow," Christopher says. "I'm in grocery and hospitality. When you have one of those events, your sales increase significantly. at moves the needle and makes a big difference." L a u r i e S c h r e i b e r , 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 l s c h r e i b e r @ m a i n e b i z . b i z Ben Christopher, left, and Joe Christopher upgraded an older supermarket in Bethel and renamed it Mainely Provisions. P H O T O / T I M G R E E N WAY F O C U S

• Cover