Mainebiz

V O L . X X X I I N O. X I M AY 1 8 , 2 0 2 6 32 S M A L L B U S I N E S S F O C U S Last year, a Main Street build- ing that formerly housed a Mexican restaurant became available. Renovations included new paint, fur- niture and signage. e restaurant employs 28 and is looking to hire more for the summer. "We really appreciate the support of the Ellsworth community," says Tyrell. Elsewhere on Main Street, the Sweet Spot showcases baked treats like cream horns and chocolate croissants. An attached candy shop has shelves and walls lined with buckets and jars of sweets, including a "fill a box for only $5" candy buffet. Owner Carolyn Corro started the business at her house in 2016, eventu- ally moved to another location, then to Main Street. "We have people come in who play chess a couple of times a week," says Corro, who was recently unpacking a shipment of candy. "We have moms with little kids. We had a day camp come in yesterday, 12 kids. A couple of veterans come in a couple of times a week, sit here, get their coffee and their breakfast." With brick-and-mortar sales, online ordering and deliveries, the business is busier than ever. "I've done so well that I'm ready to retire," says Corro. 'Purradise' cooler Back at Chloe's Café, Conners has boxed up some baked scones and is get- ting ready to put more in the oven. e café is named after her first cat, the sign has a cat outline on it and she keeps a cat adoption board on the wall. "It was a nice name and it sounds good with café, so we went with it," she says. "And we do cat themes like catnip cooler and 'purradise' cooler." Conners grew up in Machias but moved to Ellsworth 12 years ago and managed a local restaurant, working mostly nights. When she started her family, she wanted to be her own boss and have a better schedule. With Chloe's, she has a hit, offering a breakfast and lunch menu and bringing in customers such as the professionals from nearby offices, as well as robust delivery orders. She rents out the space and caters for events like baby showers. "It's been great," she says. "We've done really well." Laurie Schreiber, Mainebiz senior writer, can be reached at lschreiber @ mainebiz.biz » C O N T I N U E D F RO M PA G E 3 0 r u d m a n w i n c h e l l . c o m BANGOR 84 Harlow St. (207) 947.4501 ELLSWORTH 140 High St. (207) 374.5833 We're more than attorneys — we're your partners in success. Drive your business forward with confidence Expert legal guidance with a Maine touch At Rudman Winchell, we specialize in providing tailored legal solutions that help businesses grow and thrive. Whether you're navigating real estate, contracts, or complex regulations, our experienced team is here to guide you every step of the way. C O U N S E L O R S A T L A W Jason Fowler, left, and Clive Tyrell started Acadia 876 Bar and Grill, a morning-to-midnight spot featuring familiar dishes from lobster to omelets along with Jamaican flavors. P H O T O / L A U R I E S C H R E I B E R P H O T O / L A U R I E S C H R E I B E R P H O T O / L A U R I E S C H R E I B E R The Sweet Spot's owner Carolyn Corro says her bakery and candy shop are busier than ever. Cara Romano, executive director of Heart of Ellsworth We're leaving phase one and entering phase two. Phase 1 was about events, place-making and identity-creation. Now we're working with the city on real structural change, like housing and space inventory, marketability, capital investments and land use. — Cara Romano Heart of Ellsworth

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