President of the marketing and branding company, Anchour, Josh Pritchard, right, and CEO Stephen Gilbert, left, sit out front of where they will be relocating their business at the corner of Lisbon and Pine streets in Lewiston. Their current location is just down Lisbon Street, left. Russ Dillingham/Sun Journal Buy this Photo
This week the Buzz is basking in the end of summer, Lisbon Street news and, hey, would you look at that — we’re No. 2, in a pretty interesting way.
Curious? Well, we’re in curious company.
WalletHub scoured metrics for 180 rental markets across the country and last month deemed Lewiston the overall second best place to rent an apartment, behind Bismarck, North Dakota, and ahead of Lincoln, Nebraska.
Portland, Maine, ranked No. 6, well ahead of more populous, apartment-renting places like New York City (78) and Nashville (134).
To come up with the numbers, WalletHub measured square footage, affordability, quality of life and even the presence of state bedbug laws.
Ready for more numbers?
Digital design and marketing company Anchour recently made Inc. Magazine’s fastest-growing Inc. 5000 list, hired two new employees this month and is doubling its space on Lisbon Street.
The company will move just down the street into 199 Lisbon St., the commercial space below Jules Patry’s ongoing 12-apartment renovation, sometime before December.
Since COVID-19 hit in March, they’ve focused on helping clients adapt and transform digitally and that’s also helped Anchour grow, according to President Josh Pritchard.
That’s part of the reason the company decided to go ahead with the build-out and move, which was put in motion pre-pandemic.
“Even though everyone’s working remote right now, we know that there’s going to be a need for physical space; we feel it every day, every week, there’s opportunity to connect. Everyone wants that and is craving that on some level,” Pritchard said. “When things do subside, we’re going to continue to grow. To have that space kind of as almost a statement of hope for where things are going has really acted as a source of encouragement for our team.”
Anchour is up to 24 full-time employees and looking to hire more creative directors and digital marketers.
The company was founded in 2013 and moved to Lewiston in 2016. Patry’s restaurant, DaVinci’s Eatery, was its first local client, making the move feel a bit full circle.
“If you were to ask me seven years ago if we’d be at this size and with this level of growth, I wouldn’t have believed it,” CEO Stephen Gilbert said. “It’s really all a credit to the amazing people that we have on the team that are working super hard every day.”
And even more numbers?
The U.S. Small Business Administration Office of Advocacy released new 2020 Small Business Profiles for each state Tuesday, broken down by congressional district, full of who knew? facts.
District 2, for instance, has eight companies specializing in mining, quarrying, and oil and gas extraction, 362 in arts, entertainment and recreation, 695 in manufacturing and 1,466 in accommodation and food services.
Another 564 in agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting employ 2,373 people!
Makes you want to get outside.
Now, ready for the movies?
Flagship Cinemas in Auburn is still closed Tuesday afternoon but will reopen on Monday, Aug. 31. Russ Dillingham/Sun Journal Buy this Photo
Flagship Cinemas in Auburn is reopening Monday, according to a Facebook post.
The news was quickly greeted with “Awesome!!” and “Yayyyyyy!!!!”
Janet Oprendek, Flagship Cinemas’ vice president of operations, said the theater will open with new releases “Tenet,” “Unhinged” and “The New Mutants,” with online ticketing available in the next few days.
“When a customer purchases seats, a few seats on either side will be automatically blocked off to prevent other parties from purchasing seats directly adjacent,” she said, to help with social distancing.
Face coverings will be required for employees and for customers moving around, but those seated can remove them to enjoy refreshments, she said. “Our goal is the safety and well-being of our customers and associates and we are pleased to welcome everyone back after the long intermission.”
Flagship Cinemas in Oxford doesn’t have a reopening date yet but staff there said they hope it isn’t too much longer.
Quick hits about business comings, goings and happenings. Have a Buzzable tip? Contact staff writer Kathryn Skelton at 689-2844 or kskelton@sunjournal.com.
Send questions/comments to the editors.
