Mainebiz

W W W. M A I N E B I Z . B I Z 21 S E P T E M B E R 2 2 , 2 0 2 5 F O C U S A U G U S TA / WAT E R V I L L E / C E N T R A L M A I N E "e people here are the kindest," she says. "If your car broke down, you'd have someone stopping to offer you a ride, a second person calling AAA and a third person calling their brother who owns a garage." Evolving retail mix e mix of shops has changed over time; four new restaurants and stores opened in the past year. Some of the many antiques shops have given way to cafes and gift shops, and a favorite grocery store, Boynton's Market, closed. But the market's former location is now home to Rusticators Emporium, Sam and Lexi Joyall's eclectic antiques, home decor and collectibles shop at 151 Water St. Sam Joyall heads up Vision Hallowell, one of the primary organizations along with the Hallowell Board of Trade, that works to keep the downtown vibrant. "ere is a lot of community spirit here," he says. "We have a lot of fun." Annual events include Old Hallowell Day in July and the Fall Festival, which features a city-wide display of hand- made scarecrows. Parades for Pride Day in June and the Mardi Gras Festival in March draw big crowds. e Kennebec Valley Chamber of Commerce also helps spur visitation, having relocated to Hallowell from Augusta last year, and the Maine Tourism Association is in town now, too. Tony Cameron, the association's CEO, says Hallowell is becoming more popular for visitors who seek "the less busy side of Maine. It's a bit off the beaten track." The Augusta draw e capital city is just a five-minute drive north, so close in fact that some locals walk or bike to work in Augusta along the 6.5-mile Kennebec River Rail Trail, a riverside parkway that runs from Gardiner all the way to Augusta's waterfront park. Hallowell's own waterfront park, Granite City Park, is a popular spot for sunbathing and fishing — or just watching the sturgeon jump — from a boardwalk lined with colorful Adirondack chairs. e venue also hosts concerts and other events. e Kennebec River has wreaked havoc on Hallowell though over the years, devastating the downtown with floodwaters, most recently in December 2023 with the so-called Grinch Storm. State and federal funds helped facilitate repairs and businesses were able to func- tion again but no one is confident they've seen the last of the river's rise. get to know joe > Portland, ME | 207.773.7100 | dunhamgroup.com Entrepreneurial Roots. Real-World Insight. With a background in the retail and restaurant industry, Joe understands first-hand what it takes to run a business — making him a natural partner for entrepreneurs and small business owners navigating commercial real estate. Whether you're leasing your first storefront or expanding into your next space, Joe brings energy, insight, and a results-driven approach that gets deals done. GET IN TOUCH! In 2025, Augusta ranks as one of the 5 Cities to watch Keith Luke Economic Development Director Keith.Luke@AugustaMaine.gov AUGUSTAMAINE.GOV The Bangor Daily News Ranked Augusta one of the 5 Cities to Watch for Housing in 2025. Here in Augusta, we've approved and built hundreds of new housing units — workforce housing, senior housing, market-rate housing, award-winning housing. Don't just watch us, join us. If you're ready to invest in new housing construction, you can build it here. Welcome to Augusta — Maine's Housing Capital™. C O N T I N U E D O N F O L L OW I N G PA G E »

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