CARIBOU, Maine — Caribou’s downtown heart is seeing extra new companies, however a shortage of retail and gathering locations sends many locals elsewhere.
Sweden Avenue was historically the hub of Caribou’s downtown. Even after the controversial Downtown Mall introduced a extra city really feel within the Nineteen Seventies, town had an array of shops providing clothes, jewellery, furnishings and different home goods.
Within the Nineties, the closure of Loring Air Power Base and the opening of Presque Isle’s now struggling mall brought on most of these outlets to go away. Now solely a handful of retail shops exist on Sweden Avenue, forcing many individuals to journey to Presque Isle. Longtime enterprise house owners and residents say extra retail and gathering areas are wanted to maintain customers residence.
The tide has began to vary. Eating places are reviving empty areas on Sweden Avenue and two new spas moved in final 12 months. Craft shops on close by Herschel Avenue have given arts fans extra incentive to take a look at the downtown.
Debbie Sutherland, proprietor of residence decor and present store Brambleberry Market, has seen each the highs and lows of Sweden Avenue. She was in highschool when malls like J.J. Newberry, L.S. Corridor, F.W. Woolworth and J. C. Penney thrived, previous to Loring’s 1994 closure.
“Newberry’s had a lunch counter. My mom and I all the time stopped in for an ice cream after buying,” Sutherland mentioned. “This is able to have been the late 60s and early 70s.”
When Sutherland opened her retailer within the Downtown Mall in 2010, these companies had been lengthy gone, however Sweden Avenue had two clothes shops — The Cubby Thriftstore and the favored Buzzell’s.
The pandemic prompted each Buzzell’s and the enduring Reno’s Household Restaurant to shut. Since then, many new eating places have opened or expanded all through Caribou. Sleeper’s Market, town’s longest operating grocery store, additionally carries clothes and sneakers from its Lyndon Avenue location.
However most retail shops in Caribou usually are not on Sweden Avenue, which means customers not consider the downtown as the primary place to go.
“It could be good to have extra clothes shops and a dry cleaner,” Sutherland mentioned. “Lots of people find yourself going to Bangor to drop off their dry cleansing after which again once more to select up their garments.”
Caribou and Presque Isle have laundromats, however no dry cleaners.
Caribou resident Tracy Babin mentioned she often buys out of doors clothes at Sleeper’s and checks out The Cubby when searching for garments or sneakers for her kids.
There are fewer shops than when she was rising up, Babin mentioned. She admits touring to Presque Isle for some buying.
“I nonetheless assume the downtown is a neat little space, however a normal division retailer to purchase issues like sneakers or pet provides could be good,” Babin mentioned, whereas buying at The Cubby final week. “Then we wouldn’t all the time should go to Walmart [in Presque Isle].”
One in all Sweden Avenue’s newer companies — Ruska Espresso Co., situated within the former Buzzell’s constructing — has given the general public a spot to assemble. It has additionally made individuals consider related companies they’d wish to see.
“I’d like to see a bakery or bookstore. Someplace just like the coffeeshop the place individuals can collect and foster skilled and private relationships,” mentioned The Cubby co-owner Cindy Johnson.
Jan Grieco of Perham has grow to be a Ruska common. A author and retired educator, she usually stops in to get pleasure from a cup of espresso and chat with pals and fellow writers.
Although Perham is a bit nearer to Caribou than Presque Isle, Grieco often visits Presque Isle for longer buying journeys. Extra locations like Ruska, she mentioned, would give her extra causes to frequent Caribou’s downtown.
“There aren’t many gathering locations in addition to bars or eating places. We’d like locations [like Ruska] which have a extra homey really feel,” Grieco mentioned.
When Caribou Metropolis Supervisor Penny Thompson visits Sweden Avenue, she sees a downtown that may very well be vibrant once more.
Thompson is town’s go-to particular person for financial growth, regardless of criticism from those that assume Caribou wants a full-time financial director. After shedding their advertising and occasions coordinator in 2021 and seeing metropolis budgets tighten, leaders opted to rely extra on native advertising consultants.
However Thompson sees a bonus within the data that advertising consultants Bethany Zell and Christina Kane-Gibson deliver to the desk. Each are Caribou natives and small enterprise house owners. Kane-Gibson was town’s most up-to-date advertising and occasions coordinator
“They arrive into contact with different small enterprise house owners extra so than a full-time worker on the metropolis workplace,” Thompson mentioned. “In order that they add a special perspective once we speak about small enterprise growth.”
Thus far, town has not acquired proposals for brand new retail or different companies within the Sweden Avenue space, Thompson mentioned, including that a lot of what occurs for enterprise growth will rely on which individuals have one of the best concepts.
However the metropolis is stepping up efforts to assist, Thompson mentioned. Caribou lately up to date its “Enterprise Pleasant Street Map,” a information for aspiring entrepreneurs, and has expanded facade enchancment grants. Ruska Espresso received one final 12 months.
With extra households and younger entrepreneurs transferring to Caribou, Thompson hopes Sweden Avenue can develop like different areas of town have.
“Individuals are recognizing that Caribou has a beautiful high quality of life,” Thompson mentioned. “It’s a part of our job to remind individuals of what we have now and the way they may get began [with their own business].”
