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V O L . X X I N O. X I J U N E 1 , 2 0 1 5 32 S M A L L B U S I N E S S F O C U S Unlike neighboring towns, Machias maintains a stable population of 2,200 to 2,500 residents. e hospital, university and, at last count, 12 restaurants, are key employers that keep residents in town. "Without those, we would see a reduction," says Loughlin. "We're bucking the trend for a lot of the county. A lot of other towns have seen huge decreases in population" over the decades, primarily due to the loss of inxdustry such as sardine-packing plants. Like many towns in Maine, population growth has been static. ere's not much spare land for new home construction. And property taxes higher than surrounding towns might scare off prospective new- comers, Mack says. "As a service center community, 43% of our businesses and agencies are tax-exempt — the hospital, the courthouse, the jail, the univer- sity. So to provide the services that people want — police, fi re, transfer station — the taxes run a little bit high," Mack says. Unemployment here runs higher than the rest of Maine, says Loughlin. If the state unemployment rate is at 5%, then Machias might be at around 7% to 8%. For median household income, Machias in 2012 was $34,725, signifi cantly lower than the state's median of $46,709. In the downtown, residents and business owners lament the loss of several businesses, including an offi ce supply store and a computer repair shop, as well as the temporary loss of Helen's. But others have opened and survived. A core of specialty shops and artisan galleries includes e Beehive Collective, an artists' cooperative; the French Cellar, a wine and cheese shop; Columbia Falls Pottery; and Whole Life Natural Market, the only health food store within 65 miles. No one expected the French Cellar to succeed when it opened in 2011, says owner Betsy French, a retired chef from Maryland. She and her husband landed in neighboring Cutler because its coastal property was "the fi rst ocean we could aff ord." "It's a hard area to come into and open a busi- ness," French says. "It's not booming. But I have a decent customer base. It wouldn't be enough money to raise a family. But for a retiree, it works. My shop has a bit of posh, and people are surprised there's something like that in this area. You think of it for Bar Harbor, but not Machias." Next door, Columbia Falls Pottery opened its store in 2013. "I saw the wine and antique stores were successful, so it looked like it was the right time to come to Machias," says Columbia Falls Pottery owner April Adams, whose customers are predominantly summer residents. " e area is viable enough to make a go of it. It's tough sledding up here. But there are niche markets." Adams plans to close the fl agship Columbia Falls store, which is about 20 minutes south on Route 1. at would free her to put 100% of her eff ort into the Machias shop and fully participate in the town's revitalization committee, which sup- ports municipal and chamber projects in order to support and attract businesses, and reverse the town's physical and economic decline. A slow reversal is in process, says Adams. In the meantime, Machias hopes to attract more visitors and keep them in town for more than a meal, says Loughlin. "It's hard to get people down to this end of the state," Loughlin says. "We don't have the traffi c going to Canada that we used to have. Since 9/11, that's dried up because of border restrictions and having to have a passport to get back into the United States." Parker says Americans traveling to Eastport and Canadians going to Bar Harbor view Machias as a great stop. " ey might be starving and they need to stop and eat, and they say, 'Wow, we love this place.' But they don't stay," Parker says. "We're working with ideas to change that, so Machias isn't just a drive-through town." e chamber and individual businesses are working on initiatives to promote the town as a destination for history, culture, scenic and recreational opportunities. ese include development of a brochure advertising attractions, tourist publication ads and participation in joint promotion initiatives such as Maine and New Brunswick's "Two-Nation Vacation." "You have, for example, a beautiful working water- front in Jonesport, but no sit-down restaurants and no place to stay. So Machias provides that," Mack says. "We all work together. If we can get you past Bar Harbor, and get you up here, we've got you." Such initiatives are a great step in the right direc- tion, Parker says. "It will take time," she says. "It's not going to happen next year, but it will happen." L aUr i e S c h r e i be r, a w r i te r ba s e d i n B a s s Ha r bo r, c a n b e r e a c h e d a t e D i t o r i a l @ m a i n e b i z . b i z » C O N T I N U E D F RO M P R E V I O U S PA G E LET US HELP: rudmanwinchell.com Should I use an LLC, a corporation or a partnership? rudmanwinchell.com Bangor, Maine 207.947.4501 A true strategic partner for your business Get the answers to grow your business Get the answers to grow your business to grow your business to grow your business to grow your business to grow your business Get the answers to grow your business

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