Mainebiz

W W W. M A I N E B I Z . B I Z 11 D E C E M B E R 1 5 , 2 0 2 5 F O C U S M I D C O A S T / D OW N E A S T Support from the city keeps storefronts full A recently adopted fit-up grant program will be instrumental in helping busi- nesses seeking to open or expand, by providing matching funds up to $12,500. Parker said it's modeled after Freeport's downtown grant program. Maine Street Design Co.'s Brett Johnson plans to apply to assist in his full-blown refit of the street-level space at 66 Front St., which is owned by Benjamin St. John. e House of Logan clothing shop vacated the spot last spring and Johnson, whose interior design business, furniture and home hardware business is down the street, snapped it up. "What's been happening here in Bath is almost better than what Portland's Old Port became when it was being developed," Johnson says. Maine Street Design will have a new neighbor in the building, when local clothing maker Peace House Studio moves into the lower level space, which had been vacant for years, early in 2026. Co-owner with his wife Kate, Nick Bergmann is excited to open the company's first retail space and is bullish on Bath. "We moved here from Oakland, Calif., and Bath has a similar feel; it has an artist feeling to it. And with the community events, the civic pride and the political diversity here, this is a good place for our kids, too." Change of ownership was well-managed Benjamin St. John purchased the prominent Front Street building in 2021 for $1.3 million, from the Sagadahock Real Estate Association; one of several he now owns. e asso- ciation was run by the Morse family, which has a long history in the region C O N T I N U E D O N F O L L OW I N G PA G E » We're employee-owners, who believe Maine projects should be solved by people who live here, build here, and stay here. Engineering, environmental, survey, landscape architecture— real Maine solutions for real Maine challenges. Let's talk. Visit us today to learn what we can do for you. SEBAGOTECHNICS.COM O F F I C E S I N S O U T H PO RT L A N D, B R I D GTO N , SA N FO R D, A N D B R U N SW I C K, M A I N E Over 40 Years Serving Maine. Finally, a Midcoast Address. Hello, Neighbor. C M Y CM MY CY CMY K SebagoTechnics_MaineBiz_Downeast_F.pdf 1 12/3/25 4:59 PM S.W. Cole Engineering wanted to add a new business line which was capital intensive. CFO Jason Richard called Bar Harbor Bank & Trust to finance their new drilling business. With our understanding of the company, we helped them expand into this new line, grow their geographic reach and streamline their cash management. To see this and other success stories, go to www.barharbor.bank/success-stories. Member FDIC Equal Housing Lender Additional terms/fees may apply for some services. All applications subject to approval. Want to grow your business? www.barharbor.bank • 888-853-7100 Over 60 locations across northern New England We can make it happen. Together. Call 207-669-6811 today to connect with our Commercial Banking team. With the bank's help, our growth has been a success. —Jason Richard, CFO, S.W. Cole Engineering P H OTO / C O U R T E S Y O F R E B E C C A C O N L E Y BO C O V I D E O P RO D U C T I O N Vanessa Mayer (left) and Heather Fear own Now You're Cooking, an anchor shop on Bath's Front Street for 25 years.

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