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Houlton offers loans for local businesses looking to renovate or make upgrades

Leaders in Aroostook County hope their town will become a vibrant business center, drawing visitors near and far.

HOULTON, Maine — On the heels of welcoming thousands for the eclipse, leaders in Houlton are laying out their vision for the town as an urban hub and tourist destination.

“Houlton is very unique and very special,” Community Development Director Nancy Ketch said. “We have a lot of assets.”

Much of the development strategy for the town relies on a series of loans and grants, funded in part by revenue from Tax Increment Finance, or TIF, districts.

Houlton is offering loans of up to $100,000 for businesses to undertake renovations that improve their space, including upgrading roofing and structural projects. In addition, the town is offering loans of up to $5,000 to give business owners and entrepreneurs working capital.

Businesses can also apply for facade grants—money to upgrade their public appearance. Ketch estimated that 10 businesses have been approved for these programs so far.

One of those successful applicants is Katie Sloat, who runs the store Serendipitous Dragonfly, which sells everything from toys to pet food.

Using a facade grant, she was able to upgrade the front windows and replace the signage left over from when her parents owned the store.

"It was just helpful from the town, to be able to keep up your business, keep updating it, and not have to rely solely on yourself," Sloat said Thursday.

To some business leaders in town, like Jane Torres with the Greater Houlton Chamber of Commerce, these kinds of strides are part of a larger pattern of private sector growth in Houlton.

“In the last few years, we’ve really seen a change,” Torres explained. “There are a lot of people being interested in our community and businesses especially.”

Businesses in Houlton can learn more about the grant program by visiting Houlton-maine.com

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