Houlton event focuses on downtowns

HOULTON – Business recruitment is important – but business retention is just as valuable, much easier, and you often see better results right away.

That advice, passed on by Kathy LaPlante, a program officer for the National Trust for Historic Preservation’s Main Street Center in Washington, D.C., was just one of many insights about economic development and revitalization in downtowns that was passed on to those who attended the Maine Downtown Conference on Friday.

The seventh annual conference, which was hosted by the Maine Downtown Center, was held in several locations throughout Market Square on Friday.

Organizers said 140 people had registered for the conference, and officials also accepted walk-in registrations before the start of the event.

A program of the Maine Development Foundation, the Maine Downtown Center aims to revitalize downtowns throughout the state, and the conference is just one of the tools the organization employs to accomplish its mission.

The conference, titled “Small Town Success,” offered a wealth of workshops related to downtown revitalization.

Participants attended a number of seminars and breakout sessions that focused on such topics as “Developing Downtown Farmers Markets,” “REALIZE! Maine: Energizing 20- to 40-Year-Olds in the Community” and “Cultural Tourism.”

The conference kept a large crowd in Houlton’s downtown throughout the day.

In Market Square, nearly every parking spot was taken. Conference attendees were greeted by signs and the downtown was bedecked with red and white balloons. Businesses displayed signs in their windows urging attendees to come back for the town’s bicentennial celebration in August.

During breaks, small groups of people toured the downtown, stopping to point out unique architecture or stroll across the town’s pedestrian footbridge.

LaPlante drew a crowd of approximately 40 people to her seminar, titled “Business Recruitment and Retention Essentials.” During the session, LaPlante involved the audience in her discussion as she talked about how to focus on making existing businesses grow while also luring new businesses into a downtown area.

She also offered tips on how to bring more visitors into downtowns.

Nicki Tilley was in the area visiting relatives when she read about the conference in a newspaper. The Boston resident said she decided to check out Market Square before heading home.

“It really is quite beautiful, very quaint,” she said. “The architecture is just amazing on some of the older buildings. I wish I had more time to look around, but this is definitely a place I would come back to.”

This was the first time the conference was held in Aroostook County. Previous conferences have been held in Waterville, Bath, Auburn, Bangor, Saco and Belfast.