Fall '06 Newsletter

Things are certainly hopping in Freeport this Autumn!

First up, the new LL Bean plans...

There was a meeting at the Town Hall to show the new proposed layout of the old Factory Store off Depot St. Included in the new plans are a 550 car parking garage, all new stores in an outdoor pedestrian mall with a 'skyway' from Main St leading into an atrium starting near where the long steps down to the Factory Store are now located. The new shopping area will encompass 113,000 sq ft of retail shopping. Construction is slated to begin once the new Factory Store is built.

 

Across the street, the new Factory store will be built behind the Main Store. Discovery Park will be expanded to include more green space for events. Construction on the new Factory Store is slated to begin in January, 2007. More details as they become available!

New in town next summer will be a Ruby Tuesday restaurant to be built in the parking lot next to Freeport Cheese and Wine on the corner of Bow and Middle Sts (in the above illustration, the restaurant will be located at the end of the word 'Project' at the top of the drawing). Along with the new parking garage and additional shopping just across the way on Depot St, this will bring more foot traffic to a part of town that gets overlooked by most shoppers.

All this new store and restaurant construction will certainly be a boon to shoppers. The stores slated to open in the new retail space will be more strict retail and fewer outlet shops. Let's hope we get a quilt shop!

There are also plans afoot to get bus service between Freeport and Portland. This will be great for folks who want to spend an afternoon in the Old Port but just don't want to try to find parking. Also in the plans, but a lot further out (years and years!) are plans to continue the train line from Portland to Freeport and then on to Brunswick. The train would then connect from Brunswick to Camden. That will make a lovely day trip!

Big 'celebrity' news here...Freeport will part of the Holiday issue of Rachel Ray's 'Everyday with Rachel Ray' magazine. We're excited to see what Rachel thinks of Freeport in the winter season!

A new feature in Freeport is a pedi-cab. You can call for a ride around town in this great 'alternative transportation' vehicle. And, yes, he does do hills!

On to Inn news...

Rock and I now have a monthly column called 'Beyond Cereal' in the Community Leader. Rock whips up some of his best recipes and I photograph them and send them in to the paper. It's been fun learning how to photograph food! So far we have done waffles with berries and berry cream, stuffed french toast and herbed baked eggs. The paper does not have a web link to the recipe column, drat.

The leaves are just starting to change here. We had a week or so of very chilly weather (some temps in the upper 30's! Brrrrr!). That caused a few trees to just up and change color. We planted 2 new tree hydrangeas this week in the curve of the stone walls at the end of the driveway. When they get nicely rooted they will be a charming addition to the entry.

More gardening plans are in the works for next spring. I am laying out plans for moving several shrubs and perennials that have overgrown their space. The daylilies this year were fantastic and I'm hoping to divide them up next year and move them to new gardens.

We are continuing the 'Lobster and Foliage Special' from last year. It is good Sunday-Thursday in October. Pair that up with some great foliage drives and antiquing. There are plenty of pick-your-own pumpkin patches and apple orchards around as well.

In November there will be a town-wide Christmas light 'contest' with the initial lighting to take place the Friday after Thanksgiving. Walk or drive through town and vote on your favorite decorations. All participating homes and businesses will be listed for voting purposes. Also starting that weekend will be free horse and wagon rides through town. Boarding locations will be marked with signs. The free rides will continue on weekends until New Year's Eve.

Sparkle is December 1-3 this year. Rock is already signing up to be the talking tree again and the corny jokes haven't gotten any better! The Bed and Breakfast Open House will be on Wednesday December 6. Following the Open House is a concert at the Freeport Performing Arts Center given by the Royal River Chorus.

OK, my fingers are about ready to fall off from all this typing! Hope we get to see you sometime this year. The days are truly beautiful here at this season...blue skies, crisp breezes, brilliant foliage and those Maine blueberry pancakes for breakfast!  Yum!

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