Calais and Washington County. Please help. (Brunswick, Bath: for sale, apartment, home)

[VermontNationalDC]

Hello everyone. I currently live in Providence, RI and am looking to purchase a winter home and possibly start a business in Washington County. I recently came across a great property in Calais and was wondering what all of you think of the area. Thoughts on Washington County as a whole will also be very appreciated. I have never been to Maine but am visiting next week and will be traveling all around the beautiful state.

Do you reccomend any specific towns such as Eastport, etc? What is the best downtown area in the vicinity. Right now my focus is in Calais, but information on the surrounding areas will also be great.


Ideas on business: Possibly a small sports bar...Are they in abundance in Calais (and areas surrounding?)

Thanks to all of you so much in advance and I look forward to your responses.

[Maine Writer]

Washington county is the poorest of Maine's 16 counties. It's beautiful, rugged, full of opportunity for the right businesses and people, not for the wimpy. Sports bars haven't done well in Calais. We tend to get together with friends at home rather than out some where. It would take something special to make it work. But, this is good timing. Calais NEEDS a decent restaurant right now. If you served great food you'd draw a crowd from here and New Brunswick.

[dramamama6685]

Calais would probably be better suited than Eastport as there would be more passer by traffic. I'm not sure, but my feeling is that Eastport may have all the restaurants it can support. I believe the Happy Crab is a sports bar and I'm not sure, but I think it's open year round.

[mollysmiles]

Right now Calais has 3 bars-- two are open during the afternoon as restaurants, and the third opens at night. One of them in particular attracts a decent crowd, and does a lot in the community as far as sponsorship and hosting of events. It changed hands a couple, maybe three, years ago with the previous owner retiring-- my DH plays for their softball team. This is one that is a restaurant as well. The other bar/restaurant has been in business for quite a while too. They seem to do ok. The food at both places is nothing to write home about though. The other place, the "bar", doesn't have the best reputation, has changed hands a few times and has regular police visits. Now, having said that, I do think people would be open to a new place. As MW said, if you have good food that would be a bonus! The downtown area is nice, and there are a couple of buildings for sale.

I agree with Drama that Eastport may have all it can take right now, but maybe not if you focus on the summer and have something else to support you during the winter. The secret to year round business here is to cater to the locals first, then the tourists. So, if you were able to gather in a good base of customers during the summer, and really connect, you could do a year round business. The Mex, a restaurant/bar that used to be in Eastport, was able to do pretty well year round--not great, but they didn't advertise or do anything to really promote themselves either. The food was mediocre, it was all about the atmosphere and having a place to go in the winter.

Good luck!

[bgrasser]

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[mollysmiles]

good thought, but too far out of town Especially during the 4th people will go to where they can walk--especially the sailors!

[bgrasser]

I was thinking more toward the future; when the LNG construction heats up.

[mollysmiles]

Have you been to Eastport? Quoddy Village is on the outer edge of the island, most people will stay downtown with the rest of the businesses rather than drive to a more difficult location. Also, the downtown area is very walkable, and is the "hub" so to speak. When you're looking at an area with low population it's important to place a business where you'll get the most traffic. Also, I can't say enough about how the 4th of July celebration impacts the city. Being out of town, away from the events, and having people juggle traffic to get to you and back in town would be a terrible mistake. LNG may come, it may not, but being away from the main foot and car traffic would be a huge mistake. That's exactly why that business didn't make it in the first place, and why it's been on the market for so long (5 years I think).

[Elcarim]

The other consideration will have to be demographics. I don't see "Eastport" and "Sports Bar" being cohesive at all. Granted, I'm not intimately familiar with the area just yet, but......just a thought!

[bgrasser]

I've been to Eastport many times, and familiar with Quoddy. My thought is that when LNG comes, it will re-shape the fabric of that general area; housing and many construction workers with money to spend.