Lewiston competition to attract downtown business sweetens the pot
Courtesy / Munka Coworking
A storefront at 120 Lisbon St., provided rent-free for a year, is part of a prize package through Lewiston’s JumpstartME business attraction competition.
A competition designed to attract high-quality, viable businesses to the Lewiston Downtown Business District has sweetened the prize package for the winner.
The competition, called JumpstartME, is sponsored by the Downtown Lewiston Association and the Lewiston Auburn Metropolitan Chamber of Commerce. Since launching July 1, the program has attracted over 20 competitors who have participated in two information sessions. Five applicants submitted their applications so far in Phase 1 of the contest.
The application deadline is Aug. 15.
Eligibility includes businesses that are a sole proprietorship, limited liability company, corporation, partnership, S Corporation or nonprofit, or will become one of those entities within three months of winning and with support provided through the contest from accounting and legal services.
Free rent
With additional businesses contributing to the awards, the contest winner will now receive a prize package valued at more than $80,000.
The package includes rent-free space at 120 Lisbon St. for a year, $50,000 in marketing and branding services from local firm Rinck Advertising, legal services for a year from Skelton, Taintor & Abbott, $2,500 of financial system implementation from Austin Associates, and year-long memberships in the Downtown Lewiston Association, LA Metro Chamber and Androscoggin Network Builders.
In addition, local architectural firm Platz Associates has offered its services to the contest winner, and Dojo Digital will contribute a website, domain, hosting and emails for the first year.
Tours of the open concept, street-level location will occur for successful Phase 1 applicants in mid-August.
Aimed at businesses in the food and beverage industry, the competition is open to established and startups that contribute to and draw from foot traffic, according to a news release.
“The Lewiston Downtown Business District is a vibrant place, dotted with shops and eateries,” Michael Dostie, president of the Downtown Lewiston Association, said in the release. “We are looking for our newest neighbor to continue the momentum and add to the options in the district.”
The competition is designed to make it easy for a business to get established in a new location, he added.
Right timing
A big challenge with launching the competition was the timing, as the city slowly emerges from the pandemic, he continued.
“Too soon and businesses wouldn't be confident patrons would be ready, but too late and we'd miss the opportunity,” he said. “From the interest in applicants and other community businesses coming forward to enhance the grand prize package, I'd say we hit the nail on the head for timing. It's an exciting relief.”
For Phase 2, the chamber, which is administering the contest, has extended three invitations to applicants with additional details regarding the location at 120 Lisbon St.
“We are excited by not only the interest we have seen, but the quality of applicants and diversity of businesses submitting to the contest,” said the chamber’s president and CEO, Shanna Cox.
“While we won’t know the winner for a bit more than a month, the contest has already met the key goals of increasing awareness of the district to businesses and investors alike, as well as building a strong prize package from generous local businesses invested in seeing new businesses in the district succeed. It speaks volumes about what any business owner in the district can expect for local support.”
For businesses that are considering an added location, the competition is designed to remove most of the risks involved and makes a move to Lewiston’s Lisbon street feasible and attractive, she added.
“The downtowns of Auburn and Lewiston are vibrant, walkable, active areas, and the Downtown Lewiston Association’s commitment to this contest will encourage folks to take a second look at Lisbon Street — an area great for businesses and customers alike,” Cox said.
Applications will be accepted on a rolling basis through Aug. 15. Applicants meeting the criteria will be invited to apply to the second phase, which has a Sept. 3 deadline.
On Saturday, Aug. 14, from 9-11 a.m., the chamber will host an open support session for phase 1 and 2 applicants in the chamber’s headquarters, at 415 Lisbon St..
For more information, click here.
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