Morning Sentinel
Old building gets new lease on life
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BY SCOTT MONROE
Staff Writer Kennebec Journal & Morning Sentinel 11/22/2009

SKOWHEGAN -- From the outside, the four-story brick building at 7 Island Avenue still appeared vacant.

But that couldn't have been further from the truth.

On Saturday, cars filled adjacent parking lots and people walked up newly built wooden stairs at two entrances. Inside, crowds browsed the displays of more than 30 vendors offering everything from antiques and collectibles, to wreaths, clothing and homemade food. A band called Fate, comprised of Skowhegan High School students, played music in the afternoon while organizers at the main entrance sold cups of chili, plus pulled pork, doughnuts and cookies.

It was opening day for the new indoor marketplace at the former Solon Manufacturing Co. building, the first step of several that are planned to revitalize to the old 80,000-square-foot facility.

"It's pretty exciting to be have something like this in Skowhegan," said town resident Karen Belyea, who was shopping at the marketplace with her friend, Hope Braley. Belyea purchased a pair of $3 Mickey Mouse salad tongs for her mother-in-law, who loves the Disney character. "I think we'll come regularly," she said.

Solon Manufacturing made a variety of wooden, plastic and metal products for medical, industrial and food markets. It announced its plans to close the Skowhegan plant in 2005, ending the company's 70-year manufacturing presence.

The building was purchased earlier this year for $75,000 by investor Adam Runsdorf, president and chief executive officer of Cornerstone Investment Group LLC of Boca Raton.

Project manager Betsy Bourdeau said the marketplace is the first of several phases. Plans call for businesses to lease space on the upper floors and the eventual creation of an indoor food court.

"If this is successful, this will bring other people to the area," Bourdeau said.

Bourdeau hailed the marketplace as a way for people to "start their own business" cheaply in a heavily-traveled location off U.S. Routes 2/201. Vendors pay an average of $1.25 per square foot of space, or they can rent a table space for $10 per day, she said; others sign long-term leases at different prices to secure certain locations. Bourdeau said there are about 74 vendor spaces available and 36 had set up on Saturday.

Bourdeau conceded that the marketplace is a "work in progress." That was the case on Saturday, as workers hung ceiling lights, fired up newly-installed heaters and continued other construction work even as people browsed around them.

Vendors mostly said they were happy to have the chance to sell their goods. For some, it's a chance to make some extra money before winter sets in, while for others it's about clearing out basements, pursuing hobbies, or just something to do on the weekend.

At her table, Heather Henderson of Palmyra sold homemade pickles, relish and jelly ($4.50 for large jars and $3.50 for small) and pillows ($1 to $2). Henderson said she drives through Skowhegan regularly and saw the sign out front advertising vendor space.

"It's good to bring people out," she said.

Elsewhere, vendors sold Native American Inca crafts and clothing, antique bottles and newspaper comics, and collectible toys and games. The Somerset Humane Society sold items to benefit its organization and had five kittens on hand for people to adopt -- on the spot. By noontime, one kitten had found a new home.

Not everyone was thrilled with the marketplace's debut. Fred Trudell and Annette Godin of Norridgewock were selling freshly made wreaths, as well as homemade salsa and peppers, and they were slightly disappointed because the market had more "flea-market"-type vendors than homemade craft-makers, they said.

"I guess time will tell," Godin said, adding that they signed a one-year lease for their 9-by-12-foot space, at a cost of $140 a month. "It will be interesting to see if it makes it or not. We are really excited about the thought of it."

Shoppers Bruce and Betty Haynes of Skowhegan -- she bought a little glass jar and he a pocketknife -- said they hoped the marketplace succeeds. Still, "it's very ambitious," Bruce Haynes said. "It's going to be a tough job for them, especially when it comes to heating" the large building.

Before his performance Saturday afternoon, Connor Reeves, bassist and lead singer for the band Fate, said the revival concept for the building is "sweet." He plans to play several times during the marketplace hours.

"I love this building," Reeves said.

Scott Monroe -- 861-9253

smonroe@centralmaine.com

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