Pioneer Times photograph/Gloria Austin
NEW OWNERS — The Davises, from left, Waylon, Matt and Billie-Jo, are the new owners of the Parkview Terrace Event Center and “Your Party Place.” The Davis property also includes commercial and residential space.
By Gloria Austin
Staff Writer
Billie-Jo Davis of Houlton has extended her business interest in the Shiretown. The owner of Billie’s Arch, an adult residential care home on Leonard Street for the last seven years, purchased the Cowperthwaite block on the corner of Main and Winter streets this winter.
The block consists of five buildings, which are commercial and residential rentals.
“Your Party Place”
Looking for a place to hold a party to celebrate a special occasion? Look no farther than the recently opened “Your Party Place” on Main Street in Houlton.
“Your Party Place,” is located in the former “Good As New” location on the bottom floor of the former Parkview Terrace.
Billie-Jo [Faulkner] Davis closed on the property Dec. 20, 2012.
“Your Party Place” can be the perfect spot for birthday parties, bridal or baby showers, office meetings or other holiday gatherings. The space— one large room of 850 square feet — will fit up to 50 people, with the addition of two smaller rooms for more space. “Your Party Place,” has a combined square footage of 1,318.16.
The room will typically be booked in two-hour increments. But, Davis will work with customers to meet their needs. The potential customer can just rent the room and supply their own decorations and potluck food. They will also be responsible for clean up, as well.
Or, Davis can provide decorations, host games and do clean up, along with customers having food brought in by Chef Bill [formerly of the Horn of Plenty] of County Yankee for an additional fee.
Davis’ goal for “Your Party Place” is two-fold. One, to provide a rental space and secondly, to bring business into the community.
“I have discovered since having our son that I had to go out of town to rent a space for his birthday parties because we have such a big family we cannot all fit in one room,” she said.
The Davises ended up renting local club houses for their family gatherings. So, her thought was to open the Parkview Terrace Event Center — no long distance travel — with accessible parking.
The Parkview Terrace Event Center is about 2,486 square feet.
For a larger group or for more formal functions such as class runions, retirement parties or business meetings, the Parkview Terrace main dining room is available on the floor above “Your Party Place.”
The Parkview Terrace, owned and operated by late Albro Cowperthwaite Sr. and wife, Marion, was one of the more popular restaurants and catering services in Houlton.
“Though I never worked there,” said Davis, “I wanted to still carry the name. Historically, the Parkview Terrace has been in the downtown for many, many years.”
Davis is hoping to someday bring the Parkview Terrace back as one of the popular locations in the Shiretown. The Parkview Terrace hosted the Rotary Club, Christian Women’s Council among other civic organization’s events. Each Sunday, the Parkview Terrace was open for its luncheon buffet.
“I definitely wanted to have an informal and a more formal room to meet customers’ needs,” Davis added.
“Your Party Place” and the formal meeting room in the Parkview Terrace will be available soon.
“We are taking reservations now,” said Davis.
Commercial, residential space
The remaining buildings are mostly for business or personal rentals.
“We have remodeled some of the apartments that were empty before I purchased the building,” said Davis. “We were able to get three apartments completely refinished.”
The former Community Living Association Day Program location can be used for office space.
“I have a commercial space of almost 25,000 square feet,” Davis said.
If Davis finds she cannot rent the space for commercial use, she has a contingency plan.
“I am thinking about turning the space into assisted living apartments for the elderly,” she said. “The apartments would be on one floor — ground level — and handicapped accessible.”
This plan may be good for many seniors who are finding a home too difficult to keep up.
The future
Davis wants to give her property a good facelift and restore it to its former glory days.
“I want to help the downtown area,” she said. “I want to help others in the community, as well.”
Some foreseeable changes will be hiring a cleaning service for “Your Party Place,” along with adding staff to book parties.
“I want to stay true to my senior quote,” Davis said. “Stay true to your dreams, and your dreams will stay true to you.”
Davis realizes people need to have ambition and a mindset to help themselves.
“I want to help people who were like me,” she said. “I worked for others and now, I work for myself. I want others in the community to have that chance to open up their own business.”
For more details on rentals or fees to book “Your Party Place” or Parkview Terrace Event Center call Davis at 694-4582.
