HOULTON, Maine — Michelle Mitchell has enjoyed shopping in Market Square in downtown Houlton for more than 30 years.
“I used to come here when I was a child and shop at the old stores that aren’t here anymore, like Lads n’ Lassies and Ladies, and Epstein’s,” said the 42-year-old.
She now brings her children with her when she shops, and they enjoy going to Uncle Willy’s Candy Shoppe and loading up on homemade fudge and suckers. But she said on Dec. 29 that there is one thing that she would like to see more of in Market Square — businesses staying open later.
“It seems like most of the businesses close at 5 p.m. or 6 p.m.,” she said. “Sometimes after work I would like to come out and go shopping, but you can’t because the businesses down here are closed. That isn’t happening on North Street, where Walmart is open until late at night, and so is Marden’s and the Dollar Store and the other businesses.”
It is something that Josh McLaughlin, the president of the Greater Houlton Chamber of Commerce, has heard before. He said Dec. 30 that the chamber is working with businesses on ways to bring in more shoppers, and suggestions include staying open later and using social media for promotion. Another idea, he said, is capitalizing on events already sponsored by the chamber, such as Potato Feast Days, and Midnight Madness, which is held around Independence Day.
Sharon Jackett, the owner of Sadie’s Bakery in Houlton, said last week that she sees some of her largest numbers of customers during Midnight Madness. Jackett is a member of the Chamber of Commerce, and purchased the bakery with her husband, Blaine Jackett, in May 2014.
On the other hand, she said, another chamber-sponsored event, a holiday downtown open house sponsored around Thanksgiving in which all downtown businesses opened so that shoppers could frequent Market Square businesses, was less successful.
“I only sold seven donuts,” she said. “That was not even worth opening for. Perhaps because this bakery is on a side street and not right in the heart of Market Square, but I probably will not do that again.”
At the Hollywood Pet Salon, Lorraine Monfils has made changes to accommodate customers and compete with the changing business climate in the community. Monfils said last week that she now does a lot of weekend and evening work at the request of customers.
“My customers began asking me to stay open later and they wanted appointments on weekends,” she said. “It is really the only time people have off.”
Monfils, who is not a chamber member, agreed with Mitchell’s assessment that there are not a lot of Market Square businesses open at night.
“I am doing 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. around the holidays to get everyone fit in,” she said. “I am also open Monday through Saturday, which a lot of businesses are not. I have not raised my prices in some time, either.”
At the same time, Monfils said she has had to give up her retail business, which formerly consisted of selling pet products.
“I can’t compete with the big box stores around here,” she said.
McLaughlin said last week that one of the things that he keeps stressing to downtown business owners is that repetition is the key.
“I really stress that,” he said. “Just because you stay open late once and don’t see many customers does not mean it won’t work. You have to keep at it. It is the same with social media. Even though you think it isn’t helping to promote your business, you have to keep using it.”
