Eastport vs Calais (Machias: appointed, contractors, closing)

[OutdoorLover]

Originally Posted by MovingtoMass2019

Have you considered Lubec for a coffee shop?

While the town can't sustain higher-end dining year round, locals would love a place to get coffee, easy pickups, and you could even stock baked goods from the local bakers who sell at the Farmer's Market.

And, you'd have a huge influx in the summer for Summer Keys.

I was thinking the same thing re cost tiers - summer visitors are on vacation and will therefore tend to be more loose with their cash on a one-off trip where the goal is to enjoy, locals will be looking for a regular thing that's a good value.

This situation isn't a paradox though - you could have some simpler value items like bagels, donuts, simple ham & egg breakfast sandwiches and regular coffee for those looking for value, then some fancier coffee drinks with mix-ins and flaky pastries for those willing to spend a little more for something special.

I think the ideal thing would be to be able to serve a range of customer desires, without of course making things too complicated with too many choices. I haven't run a restaurant, but I do like to cook and I do like to eat, and I think you want to stick to a modest variety that you can cope with and focus on making things well, rather than just making something. Even simple foods, like a plain cake donut, can be really good if they are done well.

Just my $0.02, and probably not even worth that Good luck!

[Maine Writer]

Originally Posted by OutdoorLover

This situation isn't a paradox though - you could have some simpler value items like bagels, donuts, simple ham & egg breakfast sandwiches and regular coffee for those looking for value, then some fancier coffee drinks with mix-ins and flaky pastries for those willing to spend a little more for something special.

Add cookies, bread, toast bar, and muffins to that list and you have the menu from a coffee house that operated in Calais for a while. They had a line out out the door on a regular basis. They didn't bake anything in house. There was competition with a cafe down the street but their menus and style were different so it worked.

[karen_in_nh_2012]

Originally Posted by Maine Writer

Add cookies, bread, toast bar, and muffins to that list and you have the menu from a coffee house that operated in Calais for a while. They had a line out out the door on a regular basis. They didn't bake anything in house. There was competition with a cafe down the street but their menus and style were different so it worked.

It sounds like they were doing well, so do you know why they closed?

I love small local coffee houses. Hope to visit Maine next year ... retirement is coming in June!

[Kiwiluver]

Most of the empty stores have turned into pot stores now that it is legal. I think I’ve counted 5. The Urban Moose is a nice property that will be available after Christmas. I think some folks are selling seasonal items there until after the holidays. There was a really nice coffee shop last year but it went out of business for some reason. It was always full when I went there. To be honest it’s been like a ghost town since the border closed around here. Good luck and let us know what you decide. If you have to remodel don’t use any local contractors. Get them from Machias. They don’t come to work, don’t finish what you pay them for. Building contracts aren’t worth the paper they are written on in Maine. Basically they can drive one nail and keep your money. I have learned carpentry from YouTube.

[Maine Writer]

Originally Posted by karen_in_nh_2012

It sounds like they were doing well, so do you know why they closed?

I do. I supplied their bread and pastry for a while. It was a poor business model.

[OpinionExperience]

Originally Posted by Kiwiluver

Most of the empty stores have turned into pot stores now that it is legal. I think I’ve counted 5. The Urban Moose is a nice property that will be available after Christmas. I think some folks are selling seasonal items there until after the holidays. There was a really nice coffee shop last year but it went out of business for some reason. It was always full when I went there. To be honest it’s been like a ghost town since the border closed around here. Good luck and let us know what you decide. If you have to remodel don’t use any local contractors. Get them from Machias. They don’t come to work, don’t finish what you pay them for. Building contracts aren’t worth the paper they are written on in Maine. Basically they can drive one nail and keep your money. I have learned carpentry from YouTube.

I have heard that term before, that goes for most professions I have worked with in Maine, Lawyers, Real Estate Agents, Doctors. It's like anything any where, trust your gut if something just doesn't feel right about someone.

To the OP, have you ever watched Schitt's Creek?

[woxyroxme]

Originally Posted by Maine Writer

It's open. DH was there last weekend after our washing machine had a nervous smoke down.

Good to see Calais got another laundromat after we were running around town two years ago trying to figure out where the laundromat was.

[New Englander]

Originally Posted by AustinB

The laundromat is still open. I would try to do your business in Calais because you can draw people from from a larger area. Eastport is a pretty location, but it is sort of out of the way for down there, at the end of a side road.

Sorry for the delay in response to everyones insightful comments. Happy New Year!

Thank you for the comfirmation. Your thoughts regarding Eastport mirror my views. To be fair, I am not a local so didn't want to make assumptions. It sounds like Calais is the optimal location.

[New Englander]

Originally Posted by mainebrokerman

I’d be looking at prompto
Oil changing along with tire change- overs

Downeasters are very fickle consumers
.. many coastal towns are a tale of two cities the hard working resourceful locals
And the artsy out of staters or tourists...
I grew up in a small coastal town .. and even if a local could afford
A 4 dollar expresso... they wouldn’t squander on such foolishness

Calais is the commercial center of all towns
Mentioned- not dependent on tourism ...
This past summer tourism was not even half because of the viral
Apocalypse in many places

Thank you for the inights. I have a bit of an understanding regaridng the local vs. out of staters/tourists as my friend (and by extension his family/friends) are strictly on the local side. Which is why I am confident on this joint venture. Not to mention the level of trust/competence I have in the friend

[New Englander]

Originally Posted by OutdoorLover

I was thinking the same thing re cost tiers - summer visitors are on vacation and will therefore tend to be more loose with their cash on a one-off trip where the goal is to enjoy, locals will be looking for a regular thing that's a good value.

This situation isn't a paradox though - you could have some simpler value items like bagels, donuts, simple ham & egg breakfast sandwiches and regular coffee for those looking for value, then some fancier coffee drinks with mix-ins and flaky pastries for those willing to spend a little more for something special.

I think the ideal thing would be to be able to serve a range of customer desires, without of course making things too complicated with too many choices. I haven't run a restaurant, but I do like to cook and I do like to eat, and I think you want to stick to a modest variety that you can cope with and focus on making things well, rather than just making something. Even simple foods, like a plain cake donut, can be really good if they are done well.

Just my $0.02, and probably not even worth that Good luck!

Much appreciate the comments and they are certainly worth a lot more than $0.02 to me!

I agree with you regarding trying to appeal to a wide range of customers, however my strong lean/confirmed by my friend is to cater to the locals, as we'd like a consistent year round business rather than reliance on tourism dollars. One interesting item bring up: Would you all consider Canadians crossing over to Calais (prior to COVID), tourists or local equivalent? I am wondering about this as they would likely be consistent customers yet don't neccesarily live in the area.

The coffee shop example is great -- we're still tossing around ideas. Maybe the goal would be to make it 'cute-sy' enough for the tourists yet offer value on the staple items you have identified? I think it's doable if the margins are strong. Lots to consider!