For the greater part of the 20th century, there was a saying around Waldo County: “If you want to go to hell fast, go to Belfast.”
Since then, however, the city has changed. It has become the love child of MBNA and the Maine Organic Farmers and Gardeners Association. It has drawn a mix of business owners, back-to-earth farmers and blue collar workers. There also has been a 4.6 percent population jump since 2000.
Today, it is that diversity — in combination with a robust commercial scene — that makes Belfast the most desirable place to settle as this decade begins to wane.
Gone are the days of chicken processors, sardine plants and empty storefronts. Here in 2016, a new city has emerged in the heart of the midcoast. This one includes a dynamic shipyard on the waterfront, dozens of new businesses downtown and, yes, the local charm that keeps Bostonians and Floridians pouring into town.
You can start by passing Bay Wrap and Chase’s Daily, now landmarks in Belfast’s restaurant scene. These holes in the wall can add zest to anyone’s choice of cuisine, whether it is a handmade veggie wrap sandwich or a whole wheat date muffin.
And if you look off to your left, you’ll see City Drawers and Man on Main, newly established fine clothing stores, both of which are owned by the same group.
Farther down you’ll pass through the intersection of High Street and Main Street, the geographical and commercial center of the downtown area. Here is where some of Belfast’s mainstays still call home, whether that’s the 104-year-old, three-screen Colonial Theatre or Colburn Shoe Store, the oldest of its kind in the country, established all the way back in 1832.
Colby Horne, the heir to the historic shoe store, said its success “would not have been possible in any other community,” citing the efforts made by locals to maintain the downtown sector of the city and keep out “big-box retailers.”
The appeal to downtown storefronts is not limited to centuries-old business, as Belfast has seen numerous additions to its mom and pop locations over recent years.
Just last week the Bagel Cafe expanded to Belfast and opened a location next to Darby’s Restaurant. Other storefronts, once vacant, are now filled with specialty wine shops such as Vinolio or artsy home decor stores such as The Meadow, Quench and Epoch.
On the same street is Trustworthy Hardware and The Green Store, longtime spots for locals to shop. And if you’re in the mood for Italian cuisine, Delvino’s Grill and Pasta House is just across the street. But of course, who can forget Rollie’s Bar and Grille, a classic stop for nearby residents and travelers alike to share a drink.
Despite pressures inside and out, there is no Wal-Mart supercenter or national big-box retail chain. Instead, the city looks toward the future by maintaining its heritage.
As Main Street descends to the waterfront, the old Belfast and new Belfast truly collide.
Enter Front Street Shipyard, a collaboration of boating expertise and insight that rivals some of the country’s best yards. From small commercial vessels to luxurious yachts, the company has become one of Maine’s most successful enterprises.
In 2014, Front Street Shipyard refitted Asolare, a 154-foot wooden ketch. In 2015, the yard did the same to a 90-foot Palmer Johnson motor yacht. Needless to say, the yard has reshaped the Belfast waterfront, literally and metaphorically, attracting clients and tourists from all over the country, who, of course, end up spending money at the aforementioned local businesses.
“During the past five years since we started Front Street Shipyard, we’ve witnessed a sharp increase annually in the number of visitors to Belfast by both land and water,” J.B. Turner, president and general manager of the shipyard, said. “The Belfast waterfront and downtown businesses are, in turn, thriving thanks to renewed interest in our growing city.”
Megan Pinette, who has been a local historian and president of the Belfast Museum since 2000, has also noticed a large change in the city’s landscape in the past decade and a half.
“I’ve seen an increase in visitors to the museum and a greater interest in the history of Belfast — especially from Belfast residents,” Pinette said. “The efforts made by the downtown merchants in recent years to beautify Main and High streets with plantings and public art works makes a visit here more pleasant — a far cry from the old days in which it was not uncommon to find chicken feathers and parts littering the streets.”
A waterfront walkway also would have been a far cry decades ago. However, in late 2013, Belfast began implementing a harbor walking path to span the length of the bay, from Steamboat Landing to the Armistice Footbridge. The path goes directly through Front Street, and the company has allowed pedestrians to pass by its working boatyard.
Thirty years ago, the harbor walk would have passed by chicken processors, a run-down public boat launch and a sardine plant. Now, the harbor walk goes through two city parks and arguably the region’s best boatyard.
Shortly after Front Street opened, former Belfast Area High School teacher and longtime maritime enthusiast Steve Hutchings predicted the city would experience an economic boom. Five years later, Hutchings is right.
No longer is Belfast the punchline in an old Maine joke. In 2016, Belfast is booming, but not at the expense of its citizens or its identity. Instead, this change has brought out the best in its people, attracting Shriners and musicians alike, all while keeping its heritage close to heart.
William Hyland is a Waldo County native. He is a sophomore at Colby-Sawyer College in New London, New Hampshire, where he does play-by-play broadcasting for the Chargers baseball team. In addition, Hyland writes weekly columns at Baseball Hot Corner and Boston’s Title Town Talk and hosts an on-campus sports podcast. Follow him on Twitter @willhyland.