Ellsworth receives accreditation for downtown revitalization

ELLSWORTH, Maine (WABI) - Ellsworth marks the 11th Maine town to achieve the Main Street America accreditation, recognizing its community outreach and business support efforts.

Over the past nine years, Heart of Ellsworth has focused on growing Main Street by hosting community engagement events, beautification, and expanding business in downtown.

Executive Director Cara Romano says these efforts have led to the Main Street America recognition.

The nationwide movement is focused on providing programs and resources with the purpose of breathing new life into historic downtowns.

“There’s quite a few opportunities that we’ve been able to take that have come down the pike, but because we were not a fully accredited Main Street Community, there are also some that we had to leave on the table that we weren’t eligible for,” Romano explains of what the accreditation will bring. “Now, we’re eligible for everything, whether it be funding, opportunities, or just tools and resources.”

Romano clarifies that while Heart of Ellsworth sent the application, achieving the accreditation could not have been done alone: “The business support, municipality support and the business support, without having those three different entities at the table, there’s always going to be a gap in communication, a gap in the vision.”

A large part of Heart of Ellsworth’s efforts has been attracting small business owners, inviting them to set up shop downtown.

Black Moon Public House recently opened on Main Street three months ago, as Ellsworth resident Katina Stanwood heard that the community “needed a good place to hang out.”

Stanwood says from small to large needs, Ellsworth’s community members, organizations, and city officials have provided tremendous support for her small business.

“We’re looking forward to doing a lot of collaboration with both Chamber of Commerce and Heart of Ellsworth,” comments Stanwood.

Romano says it’s downtown revitalization efforts like these that help address Maine’s goals of bolstering workforce and attracting younger folks to live and work in the state.

This is a sentiment echoed by Mae Gosnell, 24 of Bangor.

“Personally, having a good place to go and spend time with friends, and just spend money, get food, get a drink, definitely makes it a more ideal place for someone my age to spend a lot of time,” comments Gosnell.

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