Holiday shoppers flock to downtown Houlton

Holiday shoppers flock to downtown Houlton


By Jen Lynds
BDN Staff
BANGOR DAILY NEWS PHOTO BY JEN L
Mike Beals, proprietor of Beal's Variety, hands out Christmas cookies and drinks to customers at his store Sunday afternoon. Downtown businesses in Houlton threw open their doors and slashed prices during the annual Downtown Merchants Holiday Open House on Sunday. Shoppers looking for bargains crowded into Market Square during the event, taking advantage of bargains offered by nearly a dozen businesses. (BANGOR DAILY NEWS PHOTO BY JEN LYNDS)

HOULTON, Maine — There was no snow but there were lots of shoppers in downtown Houlton on Sunday afternoon, as downtown businesses threw open their doors and slashed prices during the annual Downtown Merchants Holiday Open House.

Shoppers crowded into Market Square to take advantage of bargains offered by nearly a dozen businesses.

The event is put on annually by the Greater Houlton Chamber of Commerce.

Between the open house and the Temple Theatre’s screening of “The Twilight Saga: New Moon,” there were few available parking spaces in the downtown.

“It has been busy ever since we opened the doors,” Mike Beals, proprietor of Beal’s Variety, said Sunday.

The store was decked out for Christmas, with trees and wreaths on display and Christmas cookies, fudge and other snacks offered free to patrons. Customers squeezed by one another in the crowded shop as they looked at the variety of goods, taking advantage of reduced prices for candles, children’s books, decorations and other items.

Customers also were attracted to a train set that Beals had set up to circle a Christmas display in the store.

Next door at Scraps, proprietors Bev Rowe and Lisa Winship had their scrapbook supply shop stocked with new merchandise. Customers checked out displays of Christmas-card-making material, stocked up on stickers, stamps and other paper goods.

“This is the fifth year we have participated in this,” Rowe said Sunday. “Every year, it gets more and more popular.”

There was little room for browsing a short distance away at Country North Gifts, as a crowd was inside the store poring over displays of candles, wood crafts, knickknacks and personalized gifts. Employees were busy gift wrapping purchases for customers and doling out fudge, cookies, apple cider and other desserts.

“We do this every year, and each time it is more and more successful,” Gail Scovill, the store owner, said Sunday. “We do a lot of business during this event.”

Lynn Martin of Smyrna was loaded up with bags Sunday afternoon, having purchased books, a picture frame and a new Christmas wreath for her front door.

“I never miss this,” she said. “The downtown merchants always have their stores all decked out, and they offer so many great deals.”

She lauded the merchants who participated and the Chamber for sponsoring the event.

“I think this encourages more people to shop local,” she said. “It is great to see.”

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Comments
18 comments on this item

If you look, you will see, the customer is not identified. He is a disabled, young man. He should not be used in this photo, unless, he truly was a customer, identified and possibly the parents or legal guardian, should have consented. Cheep shot, the stores, few were open, not many shoppers, bad story.

It's great to see Houlton doing things like this. Although , it might not be a huge money maker, it adds to the quaintness of the town. In turn, making it a favorable place to live. Now, about your comment, brianwhite, if you look at the picture, the young man has a shopping bag in his hand. That tells me he is a real shopper. Whether he's disabled or not has no bearing on the story. Your comments about Houlton come close to slander. If you're dissatisified with this town, maybe you should stay in Danforth.

Don't even bother Sevenwonders.... Brianwhite never has a comment unless it is slamming the town of Houlton. Get a job Stan...

got your welfare check redsox, it don't take much to draw you out. Saw you sluming the other day, hich up.

sevenwonders zoom in on the bag its not local, i like it here its great exposing the bums.

I try not to comment on anything on here because it just fuels the idiots who have nothing better to do then spend time on here slamming people,places and things just for the sake of making themselves feel important because they have lost any other stage they have had. Why would the first comment on here even be allowed to be posted. It has no bearing on this story. Who cares who is in the picture and what they are doing or what their mental status is? Only a simple person would put so much time into trying to disprove a simple story about christmas shopping in Houlton. I wonder why there are three people who can no longer get elected to any kind of office in Houlton due to their stupid actions and petty issues? Maybe BDN can do an article on these washed up idiots and give brianwhite something to comment on that he really knows about.

Wow Brianwhite, slamming Houlton wtg, Not, your not worht the time

it is so easy to go fishing you don't even need a worm just a hook, oh Paul, he hated the schools before he loved them, then lost to a newbee. HAAAA

Changing the name didn't work huh stan? A skunk

always smells like a skunk no matter what you call it... : )

I love the smell of skunk so you must have me confused with someone else. By the way when is that DUI in Dec with an attempt to serve it down state where you cant see um? Now thats a skunk that does smell. Haaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa. Hay sox go make some more baskets.

Infostan...DUI? You really have the wrong person...

Oh, by the way stan, I didn't direct that comment to anyone

so why would YOU reply if it wasn't YOU? Just gave yourself

away again...hahahaha : )

Or I should say it was directed to "stan"...that's why YOU responded.

Very funny.

of course stan, paul could've loved the schools like you did and take out a gun and shoot at busdrivers. check it out..Google STAN in Virginia

Its like Galen said. Stan did you really shoot at them? Did you?

Hrh where you from

mouthyshire, i did the google, as you said, guess what, there is no such story. Your source is incorrect. Did your source tell you about the Maine RT 95, hunting adventure? You can find copies at the Lincoln Court House, the fine and some other goodies. Imagine sitting in a pickup, in the middle seat, with two other guys. Ohhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh my.

hrh419, dig, dig, dig, dig you will never get from under the pile your under, best reguards, brian white

dkenzie, he pushes carts at Wal when he is not sluming in the town next door

crimefghtr, who said what the disability was you assume like most idiots in Houlton and make my case

Happy thanksgiving to all we are having our turkey catered by the former tenants of the land, hic up,

Poor pathetic loser...funny that's what I

always said to stan...keep diggin your hole.

Hey Mike, sorry I missed the FUDGE!! I love your store and will continue to shop there, just thought a positive side of what this article was about and wish others saw through all this bs..See ya Soon, Oakfield gailnana :)

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