BRUNSWICK — The Brunswick Downtown Association took a year-inreview look at local business through 2011 during its annual breakfast meeting Thursday.
While businesses grappled with sluggish sales growth, new jobs came to downtown, according to data from BDA executive director Stephanie Slocum.
“Over the last five years, we’ve seen some real downsizing in regards to sales in Brunswick,” Slocum told an audience Thursday. “Downtown businesses are really just hanging on.”
Slocum said that businesses throughout Brunswick saw an approximately 8 percent rise from 2008 to 2009, followed bya1percentdecline in sales from 2009 to 2010. Sales in 2011 grew again over 2010 figures by 2 percent, Slocum said.
Meanwhile, 109 new downtown jobs opened up last year, with most of those — 89 — at Brunswick Station, Slocum said.
Overall, Slocum said that 19 businesses closed while 22 opened and 13 either expanded, changed location or changed ownership during 2011.
For 2012, Slocum said the BDA plans to keep its focus on business retention above attracting new businesses downtown.
“The best thing that we can do is business retention,” Slocum said. “ Bringing in new businesses is not ever cost-effective.”
Deb Neuman, who was appointed as the deputy commissioner of the state’s Department of Economic and Community development in July, served as guest speaker for the breakfast event and shared lessons from her hometown of Lewisburg, Pa., which she said has a downtown similar to Brunswick’s.
“When the mall opened (in Lewisburg), it really hurt the downtown, but it has since made a comeback,” Neuman said. “And there is a similar group there helping to grow downtown.”
Neuman, who also hosts a radio show titled “ Back to Business” on WVOM in Bangor, reminded the crowd of a Walt Disney motto that “everything speaks.”
“Everything you do leaves an impression,” Neuman said.
During a previous trip to Brunswick, Neuman said she gained a positive impression when she got lost downtown and had to ask for directions.
Rather than giving directions, Neuman said, the man she asked said he was driving the same way and told her to follow him.
“I left with a great feeling about Brunswick,” Neuman said.
Neuman also provided suggestions for downtown businesses to begin telling their stories through social media and other outlets and to look ahead in preparing taxes and loan requests for the coming year.
Awards
The BDA also presented awards to local business owners during Thursday’s breakfast.
Wild Oats Bakery & Café, owned by Becky Shepherd, was named “BDA Member of the Year.” Claudia Knox was named “BDA Volunteer of the Year.”
Nancy and Martin Damiani were named as the “Brunswick Visitor Center Volunteers of the Year,” and Dave Nadeau was recognized as an outgoing BDA board member.
dfishell@timesrecord.com
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