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The Village Woodworker – Oxford, Maine

The Village Woodworker - Maine SBDCAs Brian Warren approached his retirement from the U.S. Air Force, his father-in-law Robert Roakes, the owner of The Village Woodworker, was ready to retire too. Warren had been working alongside Roakes for ten years and talked with him about carrying on his woodworking legacy, which led to the opportunity to purchase the woodworking business from his father-in-law.  The business, The Village Woodworker, has been in the family for nearly 65 years and is known for their unique designs and quality artisanship. The Village Woodworker makes custom designed furniture and specialize in state of the art, handcrafted hardwood stools.

Brian reached out to Maine SBDC Business Advisor Ashleigh Briggs for assistance in understanding the process of buying a business. Together Ashleigh and Brian reviewed the business’s financial statements and various methodologies for valuing a business, so the seller and buyer could settle on a fair price.  After settling on a purchase price with his father-in-law, Brian worked with Ashleigh to develop a business plan and supporting financial projections to be able to apply for a loan to complete the sale.Read More

Farmington D – Farmington, Maine

Farmington D - Maine SBDCRachel Jackson is no stranger in the restaurant scene in Western Maine. She has operated two other restaurants in the area, and for years has dreamed of opening another in the Farmington area. Rachel began working with Business Advisor Larry Giroux as she explored her options and next steps in making this dream a reality.Read More

Surf & Summit Motorcycle – Scarborough, Maine

Surf & Summit Motorcycle - Maine SBDC

Steven Salois came to see Maine SBDC Business Advisor Peter Harriman with a novel business idea. He wanted to start a motorcycle rental business in Southern Maine. This business would be much like car rentals for travelers, but for motorcycles. This type of business is uncommon, and Steven saw a need for Maine tourists who could not bring their own motorcycle but wanted to rent one.Read More

News Release: Maine SBDC Receives National Accreditation

Statewide economic development program fully accredited with several notes of commendation & best practice

The Maine Small Business Development Centers (SBDC) is pleased to announce that it has earned full accreditation from the America’s Small Business Development Centers, the national accrediting body for the Small Business Development Centers under contract from the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA).  Read More

Carmichael Transport Inc. – Bangor, Maine

Mickey Carmichael and his business Carmichael Transport Inc. have provided services to the U.S. Postal Service (USPS) for almost 40 years in the Bangor area. Recently, the USPS changed the way they award mail routes, with the consolidation of smaller routes into larger contracts. For the northern Maine Region, this meant there would only be two contracts out of the Hampden service center – for Region A and Region B. Mickey knew this could be an opportunity to expand his business and wanted to make sure he thoroughly understood the bidding process. For assistance, he turned to the Maine SBDC and met with Business Advisor Ann McAlhany.Read More

News Release: Maine SBDC names Peter Harriman as 2018 State Star

 Peter harriman - maine sbdcPortland, Maine –The Maine Small Business Development Centers (Maine SBDC), a state-wide program that helps entrepreneurs start and grow their businesses, has selected Peter Harriman as the 2018 State Star. The award, given annually, recognizes a member of the Maine SBDC staff that has shown exemplary performance and a strong commitment to small business success.Read More

Bangor Pet Resort & Spa – Bangor, Maine

Bangor Pet Resort & SpaBangor Pet Resort and Spa is well known in the Bangor area for providing exceptional care to man’s (and woman’s) best friends. Their services include an interactive pet daycare, comfortable overnight boarding and luxurious spa and grooming services. Their clean and comfortable facility features spacious play areas for group play time as well as as private rooms with windows for dogs that want to be by themselves.  Overnight guests receive their very own pet suites or condos, with all the comforts of home and more. Certified groomers are also available to brush, trim and pamper your pet.  Read More

Rockwood Cottages – Rockwood, Maine

Rockwood Cottages & Mount KineoRockwood Cottages consists of 7 two bedroom cottages situated on the western shore of Moosehead Lake in Rockwood, Maine. The cottages feature all the comforts of home and overlook the lake and popular Mt. Kineo, a majestic mountain that arises out of the water forming a sheer 700-foot cliff. 

With a motto of “A stranger is just a friend we haven’t met yet,” the business had been built based on quality customer service and experience. When the business owners decided to retire in 2017, they looked to sell to someone who would take care of their customers and the business which they’d worked hard to build for many years. With experience in the cabin rental and property management business, they found the perfect match in Emily and Dennis Bodemer.Read More

Three Tips to Getting Your Business Ready for Summer Tourism

Adirondack Chairs - Three Tips to Getting Your Business Ready for Summer Tourism - Maine SBDCThe sun is shining, temperatures are (finally) warming up, and the black flies are coming (sadly). It’s almost summer in Maine, which means it’s also a busy time of year for so many of our small businesses. 

Is your business ready? Will they remember your business and want to come back year after year?

Creating unique and memorable experiences for visitors will increase your sales and keep customers coming back. A win-win! We’ve highlighted three things you can start doing now that will help you have a better season!

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