Courtesy / Gallant Therapy Services
Ryan Gallant.
Updated: March 27, 2023
In downtown Hallowell, a therapy services provider takes over gallery space
Courtesy / Pouliot Real Estate
In downtown Hallowell, 100 Water St. was purchased by Gallant Therapy Services. The storefront was occupied for many years by the Harlow Gallery until it closed in 2022.
A therapy services provider that has 100 employees across five locations has found room to grow through the acquisition of a 19th century, mixed-use downtown Hallowell building.
“The new space is larger. That will give us the opportunity to grow,” said Ryan Gallant, founder and owner of Gallant Therapy Services, who bought 100 Water St. from East Dakota LLC for an undisclosed price.
Matt Pouliot of Pouliot Real Estate brokered the deal for the buyer and seller.
The location was occupied by the Harlow Gallery for many years until it closed in 2022 and transitioned to a traveling arts studio, according to the Kennebec Journal.
Two-for-one
The single transaction actually helped both Gallant and Pouliot to get more space for each of their businesses.
Before buying 100 Water St. in Hallowell, Gallant had two locations in Augusta and one each in Lewiston, Oakland and Hermon.
One of Gallant’s Augusta locations was at 341 Water St. (coincidentally the same street name as the new Hallowell location).
Matt and Heather Pouliot own 341 Water St. In late 2020, they were finishing up a renovation of the building using historic preservation tax credits and starting to lease out space.
At the time, Gallant took a five-year lease in order to run a community support art program under the name the Studio.
Pouliot’s real estate company is also at the 341 Water St., Augusta building. His real estate business was growing and he needed more space.
So Pouliot contacted Gallant to see if he’d be interested in moving the Studio to 100 Water St. in Hallowell, which Pouliot had on the market for the building’s owner as a lease.
As it happened, the provider of a similar service had been operating at 100 Water St. in Hallowell but went out of business during the pandemic, said Pouliot.
Pouliot ran the numbers on Gallant’s behalf and realized that, for about $200 more per month than what Gallant was paying to lease 1,500 square feet at 341 Water St., Augusta, he could own 100 Water St., Hallowell, which is about 3,500 square feet in all and has an income-generating rental apartment upstairs.
The owner of 100 Water St. agreed to sell the building.
The seller, who lives in southern Maine, “decided it was a win-win,” said Pouliot.
Growing real estate business
The result?
“We created more office room for our growing real estate business, and at the same time Ryan’s business is growing, too,” Pouliot said.
Pouliot said he plans to take down a wall separating his existing real estate office and Gallant’s former space to expand his offices. At the end of 2022, he had eight agents who generated $54 million in sales.
“We’re on track to grow to 15 agents and $100 million in sales,” Pouliot said. “So we’re busting at the seams.”
Pouliot attributed much of the growth to his wife, Heather, who took over as president while he focused on expanding sales.
Growing therapy services business
Gallant Therapy Services was developed to help individuals increase their independence. Services initially started in 2008 with occupational therapy and in 2009 expanded to begin offering community support services. Gallant works closely with the Maine Department of Health and Human Services, the Department of Labor and other local agencies to provide services to individuals with disabilities.
Courtesy / Gallant Therapy Services
The Studio, part of Gallant Therapy Services, holds community events. This one was at the venue’s previous location in Augusta.
Individualized services focus on skill-building, with the goal of assisting individuals to achieve their goals, such as getting a job, having fun in their community and developing relationships. GTS provides services for adults and children.
Ryan Gallant has a bachelor’s degree in health science with a focus in rehabilitation counseling and a minor in sociology, along with a master’s degree in occupational therapy. He is a member of the American Occupational Therapy Association and the Maine Occupational Therapy Association. He is licensed as an occupational therapist in Maine and also is a certified occupational therapist through the National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy.
Offering occupational therapy, speech therapy, community support services and more for children and adults, one aim is to add physical therapy, said Gallant, who was born and raised in Augusta.
Financing for the Hallowell purchase was provided by Bangor Savings Bank.
Minor renovations were made to get into the building, including cosmetics and installing handicap-accessible equipment, such as a lift in one of the stairwells.
“It made sense for us as a business to buy it,” Gallant said of the Hallowell location. “We have the whole space, except there is a nice loft apartment upstairs.”
The goal is to create an art space for adults with disabilities to work in and to be part of the community. Clients often volunteer in the community, he said, and sometimes they sell their artwork and then donate the proceeds to local organizations.
“It worked out great because it was mostly set up,” he added.
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