Business & Development

On August 11 the Machias board of select-people voted to accept the Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) awarded for the construction of Bad Little Brewing Company at 101 Court Street. The grant will be distributed in installments to Kathryn Toppan and Sean Lent, owners of Bad Little Brewing Company. The

For the first time, wild blueberries hand-raked on fields owned by the Passamaquoddy Tribe will be marketed under their own brand.

In Downeast Maine, tourism is in full swing with crowded shops and longer wait times. While businesses are reaping the benefits of more clients fleeing to sparsely populated areas like the Bold Coast in the wake of COVID 19, there is a pervasive need for more employees to meet newly minted demands.

Starting anything from scratch can be challenging. But starting a business is not only challenging, it is a daunting task. Now add a lost year due to a pandemic, followed by life slowly returning to a new normal, and one can say it's just plain scary.

‘We want to honor the history of this property while making good use of it as an economic engine for the region," says Kathryn Toppan, one half of the husband wife team that is looking to transform a historic landmark in Machias into a successful business.

“When you support a small business you are supporting a dream,” sums up the attitudes of two Downeast sisters and business owners. The Bluebird Ranch Family Restaurant and Berry Vines in Machias are a few hundred steps away from one another...