To the editor:
It seems Presque Isle has had a series of unfortunate bad luck with the closing of so many area businesses. Businesses that have been with the city for years, established in the community, gone without notice or warning:
Presque Isle Inn & Convention Center (kicking people out in the middle of a snowstorm not great for Presque Isle’s image), Irish Setter Pub, Pat’s Pizza and [almost] the Aroostook Centre Mall.
The Aroostook Centre Mall, although it may not house many retail stores, has over 20 business within its walls. They are our neighbors, friends and relatives. We kept Ruby Tuesday when Bangor closed theirs, we have Bath & Body Works, Chopsticks, Nail Citi and JC Penney, which have been a part of our town since the mall opened in 1993. This November will be its 30-year anniversary. These are established businesses that we need to keep and expand on even more.
Although it’s nice that the city has promoted the downtown and Main Street in Presque Isle, I don’t see that it has never taken much interest in promoting the mall. We should be shouting from our rooftops that we have the only mall north of Bangor. Maybe had the city promoted it more, it would have given an incentive for large retail stores to move here. It seems all the city wants to do is fill up Main Street with marijuana fronts.
I sometimes feel we are our own worst enemy. When asked by people from away, “What is there to do in your area?,” most people say, “Nothing to do, nowhere to go, no place to shop.” Am I right? People will never move here unless we tell them what a fantastic place we live in. Don’t just promote our downtown but our other businesses within the mall as well.
In conclusion, perhaps if we brag ourselves up more and promote what we have more, then more retail business will feel they can make a profit by coming to Presque Isle. Let’s hope so.
Sheena McHatten
Castle Hill
