A view of downtown Wiscasset. It is one of six communities that is connected with the Wiscasset Area Chamber of Commerce. (Donald Jamison / the Times Record)
Here is just a partial list of some of the completed tasks:
— Opened and staffed a Welcome/Information Center
— Co-hosted “Alive on the River,” a Thursday night free concert series
Wiscasset Area Chamber of Commerce members, from left, Sherri Dunbar, David Stapp and Chris Dilts discuss issues before the relatively new organization. (Donald Jamison / The Times Record)
— And held its first annual Meeting and Awards Banquet with speaker F. Lee Bailey.
Yes, the Wiscasset Area Chamber of Commerce has been pretty busy.
The Times Record recently conducted a question and-answer session with members of the new chamber.
“The Wiscasset Area Chamber of Commerce is an independent, member-supported organization, which exists to promote a positive business environment that contributes to the economic vitality of the Wiscasset area,” was the response when asked about the group’s mission.
The members also talked about, among other topics, their relationship with other chambers, why the decision was made to start their own organization, and what makes Wiscasset and the surrounding area so special.
Q. What is the mission of the Wiscasset Area Chamber of Commerce? What do you hope to accomplish as an organization?
A. The Wiscasset Area Chamber of Commerce is an independent, member-supported organization, which exists to promote a positive business environment that contributes to the economic vitality of the Wiscasset area.
The chamber’s mission is accomplished through business advocacy, member-supported services, regional image development, cultural and heritage promotion, and business education partnerships.
The chamber wants to make our communities a better place to live and do business, encourage and give our young people the opportunity to work and build their lives in the communities they grew up in, grow the businesses that are already established, and bring new business and families to the area, affecting the entire community for the better.
Q. Geographically, what communities do you serve? Is your chamber kind of a natural fit, boundary-wise? You have Camden and the Boothbay region on one side and the Bath-Brunswick area on the other side. Comments, please.
A. The Wiscasset Area Chamber of Commerce serves the communities of Alna, Dresden, Edgecomb, Westport Island, Wiscasset and Woolwich.
These neighboring towns are located in the center of the Bath-Camden-Boothbay region and are unique in that they include the rich farmlands of Maine’s interior, amazing coastlines and the rich waterfront history many of our communities possess.
We don’t think of our organization in parochial terms where we represent the interest of just a narrow group of people; instead we see ourselves as a part of a continuum of organizations in Mid-coast Maine whose charter it is to promote the welfare of business and communities all along Midcoast Maine.
To that end, we have relationships and continue to improve relationships with adjacent chambers and will partner with those entities to accomplish our goals.
Q. As an organization, you are just over a year in the making. How and why was it decided to form a chamber group?
A. The greater Wiscasset area has it all: outdoor activities, boating, fishing, hiking, farming, history, excellent cuisine, antiques, shopping. The founding members of the chamber want to showcase all the best that this area has to offer.
There are so many attractions here and so much history that without its own chamber to promote all this area has to offer, the founding members felt the area was underserved and possibly overlooked.
Several individuals envisioned the need to unite several communities in a way that would promote the spirit of networking in a time of economic need. Many of the businesses in the community came together to establish a resource for all those living here and beyond.
Q. Looking back on your first year, are you pleased with your progress?
A. We recognize how important it is that every dollar spent has some value, some return for your investment. Membership with the Wiscasset Area Chamber of Commerce provides that value. In our first year alone, we:
- Established WACC as a legal entity
- Established a board of directors
- Opened and staffed a Welcome/Information Center
- Co-hosted “Alive on the River,” a Thursday night free concert series at the Creamery Wharf
- Hosted a dozen Business After-Hours events at member businesses
- Established a scholarship fund
- Held our first annual Meeting and Awards Banquet with speaker F. Lee Bailey
- Recruited 115 members
- Built information kiosks around our area
- Donated $500 and helped kick off fundraising for the Community Center skating rink
- Volunteered as support staff for the Texas Flying Legends open house event
- And held our first educational seminar in concert with the town planning office and Shaw’s Supermarket.
Q. Have there been any chambers in the past in the Wiscasset area?
A. Our chamber is a first for Wiscasset and the surrounding towns.
Though other chambers had done a great job of helping to promote various local businesses throughout the years, we recognized that it was time for a chamber with a greater focus on our local issues and advantages.
The Wiscasset Business Association, which was founded some years ago, served as a sort of kernel from which our chamber was born and the chamber has taken on the mission and tasks that the association originally targeted.
Q. Do you have any crossover or working relationships with other groups or chambers, like the Southern Midcoast Maine Chamber? What is the value in such partnerships?
A. As mentioned above, we see ourselves as part of a network of organizations with complementary objectives.
We have long-standing relationships with key individuals at both the Southern Midcoast Maine Chamber and Boothbay Harbor Chamber and look forward to strategic cooperation going forward. But we recognize that we’ve only begun to scratch the surface of what is possible in terms of leveraging the strengths and resources of our neighboring groups.
Q. For decades, proposals for developing a traffic bypass around Wiscasset have been debated and studied. Obviously, businesses in your downtown want customers, but vehicle congestion in the summer on Route 1 in your little village can be overwhelming. Is it a problem, with no good answers? Is parking an issue? Your thoughts, please.
A. There are very bright people who have been working on that problem for years. The one thing we can be sure of is that there is no single solution upon which everyone agrees. We are a community and we need a community solution to any problems that come our way.
The chamber’s role is to facilitate dialogue and hopefully help to bring disparate viewpoints together where possible. We care about our community and we care as much about maintaining unity as we do about solving pressing problems.
Q. Speaking of summer and the influx of more people — and the fact that a lot of people are just passing through. What do you do as an organization to promote your area as a year-round destination, thus giving more balance to the whole year?
A. Throughout its history, the Wiscasset area has been open for business year-round.
Last year, we worked with the town of Wiscasset on a winter festival and helped fund the new ice skating rink in Wiscasset. We have more plans for the holiday shopping season this year.
Winter is a wonderful time to visit the Wiscasset area. Wiscasset Winter Window dressings are worthy of a special visit to be sure. Winter is a great time to enjoy the outdoors.
Q. One of your drawing cards to downtown Wiscasset is hosting summer concerts on the riverfront. And you are also in the process of moving your “welcoming center” building. Talk about those developments and things planned for the future.
A. Wiscasset’s waterfront is more than just a beautiful location in the center of our region. It is special because it is accessible by train, boat, airplane and auto.
It is an obvious place for people to gather and enjoy summer concerts. Folks have been gathering on the Creamery pier in Wiscasset for more than 300 years.
The concerts are free to the public and span many genres, lasting for about an hour and a half. Thursdays are a night when families can get together and celebrate with music.
We are building a new information center that will allow our members to promote themselves, and the exposure on Route 1 is significant. We hope to complete the new building by end of June. The new center is being built just a few hundred yards from our current one. We are finishing the design, getting quotes, and looking for volunteers to help construct the Welcome Center. Please call 207-882-9600 if you have energy or materials to contribute to this effort.
The center will be open for business at the beginning of May. We anticipate weekends of summer activities and many visitors this year.
Q. What makes Wiscasset and the surrounding area so special?
A. Wiscasset is the first little village one encounters on their journey to Maine’s Midcoast and beyond on Route 1. The greater Wiscasset area has amazing organic farms and farm stands, hundreds of hiking trails, camping, water sports, shopping, pottery, antiques, many restaurants, museums, trains, airplanes, boating and more.
Our B&Bs are charming; our residents are cordial and provide a warm welcome to visitors. The area has many conservation societies and nonprofits focused on preserving our environment.
Residents of the area know it is a special place and we invite everyone to experience it for themselves.
Wiscasset is central to so much of what draws people to the Mid-coast. We are a short drive to Boothbay, Boothbay Harbor, Damariscotta, Pemaquid, Camden, Hallowell for antiquing, Freeport for shopping, and Popham and Reid state parks for beautiful beaches.
It is an ideal location to stay and play, and for day trips to such a variety of classic Maine venues.
Q. Much of our discussion has focused on Wiscasset. What’s going on with the other towns you serve?
A. Member towns have many businesses, including true country stores where you can have a coffee and a hot dog at the lunch counter and catch up on all the region’s news with the store owners, fabric shops with inventories to rival any urban center’s best, farms featuring organic produce year-round and fresh fish from our rivers and ocean.
The area also features world renowned pottery shops, fresh seafood restaurants, a world renowned timberframe school, the mighty Sheepscot River, jewelers, unique inns and B&Bs with guests from around the world.
The chamber has facilitated bringing businesses together to raise awareness of just how much skill, products and services we have right here in our region. We have been able to learn about and utilize the talent within our own communities to a larger extent, which helps keep the economy of our region strong.
Q. Is your focus totally local, or do you also welcome the presence of national chains?
A. The chamber invites all businesses within our six sister communities.
Q. How many members in the Wiscasset Area Chamber of Commerce? If a business or an individual would like to join your organization, how do they proceed? What is your contact information?
A. We have 108 members made up of businesses, nonprofits and individuals. Joining is easy and brings many benefits. Go to our website at www.WiscassetChamber.com or call 207-882-9600.
Q. Is there anything else you would like to add?
A. The WACC would just like to emphasize the rich history of the towns we serve, its many historical houses that are open to the public, its rich agricultural history and our waterfront heritage.
Wiscasset was the center of the dairy industry from Philadelphia to Canada for more than 100 years, utilizing the Creamery pier. We are a people focused on preservation and on the idea that preservation is progress.
Many people move to the Wiscasset area because it captures all that people idealize about Maine. We have hunting, fishing, boating, farming and this area is the hub for all Maine has to offer.
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