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July 28, 2025
Focus on Real Estate/Construction/Design

Portland at a crossroads: Downtown safety tensions taking a toll on small businesses, real estate

Renee Cordes

Storefront vacancies in the Congress Street corridor reflect the economic costs of the city's homeless problems, but some new businesses are also moving in.

  • Focus on Real Estate/Construction/Design
    Focus on Real Estate/Construction/Design

    Made in Maine: Pancake mix made in Skowhegan

    Alexis Wells

    Maine Grains pancake mixes feature organic wheat, organic buckwheat, organic spelt, organic rye, organic malted barley, and organic corn in three different pancake mix flavors.

  • Focus on Real Estate/Construction/Design
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    Focus on Real Estate/Construction/Design

    Newsworthy people and performances for July 28, 2025

    A roundup of new hires, promotions and achievements at businesses, nonprofits, health care institutions, banks and professional services firms in Maine.

  • Ask ACE
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    Ask ACE

    Ask ACE: What is greenwashing, and how can we avoid it?

    Carrie Green Yardley, Yardley Esq. PLLC

    Marketing carries legal risks — especially the risk of greenwashing by making misleading environmental claims. Greenwashing can damage reputations, trigger lawsuits and violate federal and state consumer protection laws.

  • Editor's note: Digging into what’s needed

    Peter Van Allen

    The debate over how to revive the Congress Street corridor in Portland will not be settled overnight. But I have a modest proposal.

Today's Poll

Will you take advantage of post-Thanksgiving holiday shopping sales?
Poll Description

Sponsored by Kennebunk Savings Bank

The days after Thanksgiving are the traditional start of the holiday shopping season. Many shoppers are already setting their sights on the whirlwind of holiday shopping — Black Friday, Small Business Saturday and Cyber Monday.

Major retailers like Walmart, Target, Amazon and Best Buy have already launched early deals, giving shoppers a head start on savings. 

A record 186.9 million people plan to shop from midnight on Black Friday through Cyber Monday, according to a consumer survey by the National Retail Federation. The figure is up by more than 3 million total shoppers from last year's record.

The National Retail Federation forecast also calls for holiday spending to surpass $1 trillion for the first time, with sales predicted to grow between 3.7% and 4.2% from 2024. 

More Information