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29 E C O N O M I C D E V E L O P M E N T S P E C I A L A D V E R T I S I N G S E C T I O N E C O N O M I C D E V E L O P M E N T P H O T O C O U R T E S Y O F T H E U N I V E R S I T Y O F M A I N E O rono Brewing Company's recent commitment to develop a 10,000-square-foot space, in the Orono Industrial Building for Brewery Growth and Community Arts and Activity Hub, is not only a vote of confidence in its popular brand; it's a vote for Orono as a great place for entrepreneurs to grow their ideas and make their business dreams come true. That's been true all along for Orono Brewing Company co-owners Heather and Abe Furth. University of Maine graduates, they've found Orono to be a great base for their various enterprises. In 2005, the couple started Woodman's Bar & Grill. at was followed, in 2008, by the purchase and development of their first commercial property at 2 Mill St., where they founded their second restaurant, Verve, the following year. e Furths then founded the Orono Brewing Company in 2014. With co-owner and brewmaster Asa Marsh-Sachs, they created a brand that has more demand than they have product. So when the three decided to expand, they tapped the Town of Orono's Office of Community Development for assistance in finding a new spot. at was the Hub, at 61 Margin St., which had been vacant for four years. It's an ideal spot to grow their own brand and to continue their collaboration with two other Orono businesses—Black Bear Brewing and Marsh Island Brewing. Together, the businesses have turned Orono into the state's latest brewery hot spot, a fact they're celebrating with the joint creation of a new brew they aptly call Block Party IPA. "Something like this is great," said Abe Furth. "It has been fun to work together with these guys. You can see that there's room for all of us to succeed." Orono is that kind of community. In 2017, e U.S. Census Bureau ranked Orono as Maine's fastest-growing municipality. Home to the flagship campus of the University of Maine, Orono is located within the Bangor labor market and is instrumental in developing the future pipeline of talent for the region. In 2016, Site Selection Group ranked this region No. 1 in the United States on their list of e Best Metro Areas for a Talent Pipeline. Movoto Real Estate ranked Orono as No. 3 on their list of e 10 Most Exciting Maine Cities. While Maine's median age is 43.9 and the nation's median age is 37.6, the Town of Orono, at 21.6, has the lowest median age of any community within the state. Research company Niche, using statistics from the U.S. Department of Education, ranked Regional School Administrative District 26 (MSAD 26), in Orono, No. 6 in their 10 Best School Districts In Maine In 2017 report. e Town of Orono is keeping up with those trending numbers by making the location decision-making process easy for businesses. "Our team approach demonstrates the Town of Orono's commit- ment to ensuring a streamlined and user friendly process towards permitting and licensing," said Economic Development Director Dave Milan, who oversees the Office of Community Development and its staff for Planning, Code Enforcement, Assessing and IT/GIS. "With two easy accesses onto I-95, conveniently located to nearby Bangor International Airport and home to a branch of the Pan Am Railways, Orono fulfills all of your company's transportation needs. And we have OTO Fiber—a forward- thinking partnership consisting of the Town of Orono, the City of Old Town and the University of Maine. eir creation of ultra-highspeed internet access to the home and business, to be used by multiple IP companies, will ensure the access you need for a successful business." l Top: The Orono Bike Trails are one of many recreational opportunities that offer a wonderful lifestyle in Orono. Bottom: Orono is home to the University of Maine's flagship campus, an instrumental asset for developing the region's future pipeline of talent. P H O T O C O U R T E S Y O F T H E U N I V E R S I T Y O F M A I N E Town of Orono Economic Development 59 Main St., Orono, ME 04473 Economic Development David Milan, Economic Development Director (207) 889-6912 or dmilan@orono.org www.orono.org Trending up for forward-looking businesses Orono Economic Development " It is literally true that you can succeed best and quickest by helping others to succeed. " — Napoleon Hill

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