South Portland names COVID-era economic development award winners

Photo / Rebecca Milliken Scratch Baking Co. was named "Covid Pivot Pioneer" in the South Portland Economic Development Awards.

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By Staff

Seven South Portland businesses will be honored virtually at the city's 2020 Business & Economic Development Awards next week, with the emphasis this year on facing down the pandemic.

"We recognize the struggles that our business community has faced, and our awards are unique this year in honoring their creativity, perseverance and resilience in navigating the many difficulties of 2020," the city's economic development committee said in a news release announcing the winners.

The ceremony will be held at 6:30 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 11, via Zoom.

This year's winners are:

COVID Pivot Pioneer – Scratch Baking Co., 416 Preble St. The award recognizes a business that adapted quickly to come up with new ways to operate and do it safely.

A staple of Willard Square for more than 15 years, Scratch Baking Co. continued operations "while continuing to provide the community with excellent baked goods, all without the benefit of an indoor retail sales space," the committee said. The bakery created an online ordering website, shifted to curbside pickup/walk-up-only window service and modified and implemented protocols to keep employees safe.

Small Business COVID Pivot Pioneer – 158 Pickett Street Café, 158 Benjamin W. Pickett St. Recognizes a small business that adapted to come up with new ways to operate safely.

158 Pickett Street Café was one of the first small restaurants to pivot to a takeout-only and to convert a window for takeout operation. The cafe adopted an online and phone order-only policy and streamlined pickups to keep the process quick and to keep lines short, according to the committee. It also added an awning over the takeout window to provide customers shelter from the elements.

Heroes Helping Heroes – SoPo Catering. Recognizes a company that donated food, PPE or others supplies, or volunteered to help those on the front lines.

Owned and operated by Jay and Pamela Gerrish, SoPo Catering has assisted community health care workers by donating meals to Mercy Hospital and Maine Medical Center, and by spending their own time volunteering at the South Portland Food Cupboard. "They have stayed positive and donated their skills and services to assist those on the frontlines," the committee said.

Nothing’s Going to Stop Us Now – SoPo Seafood. The award is for a company that opened a business in the middle of the pandemic.

Founded by Joshua Edgcombe, Matt Brown and Lucas Myers, SoPo Seafood was conceived as a wholesale operation to deliver Maine seafood to restaurants across the country. It was set to launch in March, just as restaurants began closing. They pivoted to a curbside pick-up model "virtually overnight," according to the committee, offering fresh fish for outdoor pick-up in greater Portland and, eventually, next-day home delivery via a fleet of vans. Because of the success of their retail online program, they are scheduled to open a retail fish market and raw bar on Ocean Street in South Portland in May.

Job Preserver – ReVision Energy, 758 Westbrook St. Recognizes a business that helped keep up their workforce numbers by adapting.

ReVision, founded by Fortunat Mueller and Phil Coupe, quickly enacted a variety of measures to preserve jobs as the pandemic severely disrupted their ability to enter homes. Office staff shifted to 100% remote work and everyone on the installation teams who wanted to keep working was shifted to outdoor work on ground-mounted solar arrays, where distancing was feasible. About 100 employees were furloughed, but ReVision has brought back more than 95% of those who wanted to come back.

Keeping us Safe – Legion Square Market, 101 Ocean St. Recognizes a business that did a great job creating a safe way to stay open during the pandemic for employees and customers.

Legion Square Market set the standard for COVID-19 transmission prevention by requiring masks for all entrants and staff, implementing a rigid social distancing policy and by offering free sanitizer and gloves at the entrance, the committee said. They maintained their hours consistent with meeting demand. When there was a shortage of necessities, such as flour and toilet paper, they sourced locally and creatively to provide for their customers.

Impact Award – South Portland Food Cupboard, 130 Thaddeus St. The award is for business or organization that had a significant impact on improving or stabilizing economic conditions in the city despite the pandemic.

With COVID-19 and the economic downturn, many families in South Portland have become food insecure, the committee said. The South Portland Food Cupboard has risen to meet increasing need while operating safely. "Operated mostly by volunteers, their services have been critical in meeting a staggering need for food for South Portland families," the committee said.

The committee is inviting the public to attend the virtual ceremony, not only to celebrate the winners, but also all of the businesses in South Portland that strive to make the city "the great community it is."

To get the Zoom link for the 2020 Virtual South Portland Business & Economic Development Awards, email bizsupport@southportland.org.