NORRIDGEWOCK, Maine — Since 1982, hundreds have made a living in Norridgewock by making shoes for New Balance. Last week, the company announced it would be shutting down its location there and moving the workforce to nearby Skowhegan.
Richard LaBelle, Norridgewock's town manager, said that New Balance has been a great corporate community partner, giving him hope that the town and company will find a way to make the transition smooth.
However, he still has concerns.
"I think the unfortunate reality is that in the short term, we will lose," LaBelle said.
Many local business owners share this concern, too. Elizabeth Skidgell, the manager of the Kennebec Market near the factory, estimates the business sees one to two hundred visits from New Balance employees.
Without this consistent business, “Somebody's gonna lose their job, cause we don't have the customers," Skidgell said.
Not all share the same concern. At Friend’s Food Mart, a 10-minute walk from the New Balance factory, manager Kim Foster estimates they only see around 20 customers from the facility. However, Foster said she has other concerns.
"The only thing I worry about, I live here in Norridgewock, is I worry about my taxes," Foster said.
"We are grateful to the Norridgewock community and are committed to maintaining support of our many Somerset County sponsorships," New Balance said in a statement.
The company notes that they are "working with the Town of Norridgewock to determine future usage for the factory location."
LaBelle is already pushing to plot a path to repurposing the factory, fearing what the town will face if the building is not repurposed.
"If we don't do something to make this property productive for our community, it will be a long-term loss," LaBelle said.
According to New Balance, the 230 Norridgewock employees will begin transitioning to the Skowhegan facility in the fall. In total, the Central Maine facility will house around 500 employees.
Looking ahead, Norridgewock facility employees described the situation as "bittersweet." They noted that they are excited about the new facility but are not looking forward to a longer commute with the traffic of 500 employees navigating downtown Skowhegan.