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W W W. M A I N E B I Z . B I Z 17 S E P T E M B E R 7 , 2 0 1 5 We found commonalities such as buildings in disrepair with absentee landlords, historic buildings in need of money for a facelift, complaints about parking and the like. But we also found new businesses, like the Norway brewery and restaurant in the works by a young couple who returned to the town (from the country of Norway) to raise a family and help eco- nomic development; a co-op manager and a craft beer purveyor in Gardiner who each fell in love with the town's old buildings and moved there to make an impact; and two young sisters who started a pole exercise studio on Waterville's Main Street because they love the area and want to see it grow. Norway Oxford County | Founded 1786 Persons aged 65+: 20.1% Persons under 18: 21.4% Land area: 45 square miles Per capita income: $17,020 Budget (FY2016): $4.6M (proposed) Known for: Historic buildings S O U R C E : U.S. Census, towns, cities, state. Figures from 2010 unless otherwise noted. When Charles and Erika Melhus returned from Stavanger, Norway, to Norway, Maine, last December, they dreamed of creating their own brewery and beer garden and raising their family in the town where Charles was raised. Charles, 32, studied brewing in his father's home country. Erika, 29, graduated from the Maine College of Art with a focus on furniture design. ey looked at several empty buildings in down- town Norway and decided on e Norway Trolley House, which most recently was a restaurant but originally was a trolley house. Melhus's mother and father bought the property, which the young couple is now rehabbing into Norway Brewing Co., which is scheduled to open later this fall, with an outside beer garden planned for next summer. e couple raised $12,000 from crowdfunding, and family put in another $100,000. Melhus says the total investment comes to about $370,000 including the $170,000 his parents paid for the building. ey're also working with Norway Savings to roll a short- term equipment loan into a long-term loan package. He's also had guidance and advice from SCORE and the Maine Brewers' Guild, and credits Town Manager David Holt, Norway's select board and others for being open to new ideas. "is is a great family environment. We came here to build up the community," says Melhus. "Norway is on the cusp of being the cultural and economic hub of Oxford Hills." Melhus plans to brew his own craft beers using local ingredients, including hops from a grower in nearby Harrison. He also plans to name the beers after local establishments like Green Machine, a bicycle shop up the street. AUDIT | TAX | VALUATION | CONSULTING Our team of CPAs and consultants can help make the ride a little smoother. Gain speed by assessing risks, strengthening security, and taking control of valuable opportunities. BerryDunn — for confi dence on the move. GAIN COMFORT. GAIN GROUND. GET ROLLING. 800.432.7202. berrydunn.com. 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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