Grow Rumford, Rumford, Maine 04276 ~ info@growrumford.com

  
 
 

Residents' page

Residents! Tell us what new business or service you'd like to see in the River Valley and earn $25 if your idea generates any interest!  If you live here, or even if you don't, there may be businesses you always hoped to see open in Rumford and the River Valley.  Let us know what business you'd like to see and why you think it might work out here.  We will post any serious, detailed suggestions, and if an entrepreneur orders a feasibility study for your suggestion, we will send you a $25 reward.

   

What kind of new business would you like to see in Rumford and the River Valley?

RESIDENTS WRITE:

Ed Perry:  "A movie house more dentists and jiffy lube. I would invest by taking my family there vs lewiston,farmington etc."

Mark Henry: "Oil change/tune-up place, sporting goods storer with on-site gunsmith service, light manufacturing or support services"

Cyndi: "A movie theater, a Mexican restaurant, a theme park such as Fun Town/Splash Town or Storyland"

Mary Ann: A convenience store in South Rumford. Growing up there was a convenience store that had steady business but closed over 10 years ago and another has never taken it's place. I bet one would do really well serving that side of the river. If the same location could be used as before, even better.

Mark Tripp: "Full service sporting goods store, gunsmithing a must.  This area has a lot of outdoor enthusiasts with no real sporting goods store."

Kevin: "A Mexican gift store to go along with the restaurant Cyndi mentioned"

Gloria: a movie theater, a mexican restaurant, dry cleaner

Jack Gaudet: A ceramic green ware shop.  "I have not seen a pottery greenware shop where people can buy already poured greenware for cleaning so that they can be fired and painted to individual tastes."

Mitzi Sequoia: A local coffee shop that offers on-site internet/e-mail access by renting out time for the user as well as a coffee shop that offers heart healthy protein, veggie and smoothie shakes along with serving a variety of coffee brands as well as eco-friendly blends. Also, a coffee shop that customers can look at a variety of self-help and computer books while visiting as a customer and one that encourages community share purchases in order to sustain the business over the long term. The coffee shop could consider having high school or local college students do an internship for credits and as a great training for their own entreprenual aspirations.  Would visit up to five times per month, willing to invest time as volunteer or shareholder or even as a coffee shop manager!

Michael Hanson: A movie theater and some place for teens to hang out and do stuff other than bowl!  Would visit up to 4 times per month. There is nothing in the town of Rumford or local areas for the kids of Rumford to doing anything. If the town wants his younger generation to stay here; than give us something that will make us stay here.

Edward McCaffrey: The idea of opening a small convenience/grocery store on the island has appeal. There are many businesses as well as residents who would benefit by not having to travel to Hannaford or Wal-Mart to shop. Milk, eggs, canned goods, pet foods, packaged meats, breads, sandwiches, some fresh veggies, etc. All of the things a big store carries just on a much smaller scale. I was thinking about the old "Perry's Variety" location. The second floor could be utilized for business as well.
Lani and Jeff Bisson:  My husband and I are going to be moving back to Rumford shortly. We have been discussing a business idea that we feel would allow us to live comfortably as well as help build a better community in the town. We enjoy hiking, biking, camping, canoeing and kayaking. What better place to be for all of those activities than in the mountain valleys of Rumford and the surrounding areas. We have thought extensively about opening a sporting goods store that would supply the area with necessary products for the mentioned outdoor activities. We would carry affordable products (second hand, factory seconds, and provide rentals), as well as respected industry suppliers. We would like to get our business involved with the community by hosting events; hike/bike-athon or tours, canoe/camping trips, snowshoe races/tours, as well as involving local and surrounding schools by creating an outward bound club for students of all ages. We would host events for women's health (breast cancer awareness, or heart disease awareness). Also we would like to provide safety courses, nutrition suggestion classes, product demonstrations and guided tours for safety for all most of which would be complimentary. Our inventory would have to be specific in the area accommodations; hiking (apparel, footwear, backpacking equipment, literature, maps etc.), biking (mountain bikes only, apparel, protective gear, footwear, hydration packs, and area maps), camping (tents, necessary cookware, base camp systems, etc.) canoes and kayaks (specific to the area bodies of water-river/lake/pond, paddles, floatation devices, dry bags). We would like to also carry a variety of supplies to encourage family outings, so to say provide infant-adolesent products.
As well as products we would like to provide services for basic equipment repairs and maintenance. We have a big interest in getting involved with our community to provide kids with an alternative to traditional sports and introduce positive activities. We are raising our own family and wish to enrich the Rumford community to help eliminate the mentality of "there's nothing to do here". The natural surroundings and resources that the Rumford area provides are endless in the possiblities for outdoor activities. We hope to attract outdoor enthusiasts from all over the Maine and New England.
Kelly Gorham: How about a drive in thearter ?? What would bring people into our community ? Remember the old rumford drive inn ? I've been looking into this idea. I've tried to reach a couple of companies that deal in the theater industry but haven't gotten any repies yet. My family owns a large enough piece of property located in east rumford to operate a drive in, but it takes money and I'm thinking about a state of the art digital type drive unlike any other in the state. There's a possibility of moving the whole thing indoors during the winter months that would serve both worlds. When you get people coming into our community it will spur futher growth which is good for all of us
Alexandria Forbes: Discount plus-size store for women and men.  Seeking business clothes, casual, and intimate.

Send us your comments ...

  

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