Meet Me Downtown Business Profiles

Each month, as part of the What's Up in Downtown e-newsletter, we will be featuring one of our downtown businesses in an in-depth profile called, Meet Me Downtown. Written by volunteer Michelle Troutman, these articles are intended to provide our community with a better understanding of our downtown businesses and their owners. We hope you enjoy getting to know them as much as we have.

Sign of the Sun

"It's kind of interesting to think that I've sort of been instrumental in spreading 'Sign of the Sun-ness' all over the area," says business owner Frederick Ruder. "There's very few houses around here that don't have something from here in them, somewhere. It's kind of like the rays of the sun dappling the landscape."

From the second floor of a brick building at 22 Silver St., Sign of the Sun shines over the downtown. A visit to the boutique evokes late 1960s San Francisco chic, a unique mix of flower power with a modern twist. Amid high ceilings, brick walls, pipes, and hardwood floors, its inventory and decor form a retro rainbow of color: earrings, necklaces, figurines, rings, and stones, incense, and everything from tapestries to tie-dyed t-shirts, bags to baby doll tops, buttons, cards, candles, and crystals... read the entire article.

Atkins Printing Service

You never know what lurks below Main Street. To the casual observer, with its white-walled, fluorescent lit offices spread along the basement of three buildings, Atkins Printing Service looks like an average business. Beneath the surface lie important family and political ties, organized work done with care, and a focus on the worker and the customer – a formula that yields millions of dollars in annual revenues.

The Atkins offices buzz with workers sitting at desks, clicking at computers, packing boxes, running printing presses and binders. The humming and clacking of the machines mix with voices and country music over the faint, bitter odor of printing ink... read the entire article.

Kennebec Chocolates

Like the ingredients in their creations, Kennebec Chocolates owners Andrew and Jennifer Dumond are a team that melds together as one.

Beneath the chocolate, the sugar, the butter, and the cream, mix equal parts passion, commitment, and an eye for detail. "It's made with love – seriously," says Andrew.

"She'll go through several recipes before she gets it right,” he continues. “I've got one wholesale account that will say, 'Can you match this taste?,' and we'll work it until we can, or make it until it's better. Yeah, twice we made it better. It's all about science, math –“

"—Chemistry," adds Jennifer... read the entire article.

Beverly's Card & Gift: Stylish Sentiments

Outside, the large picture window shows a small selection of merchandise, stuffed animals, wallet stuffers, and mini snow globes, hinting at what's in store.

Inside Beverly's Card and Gift neatly arranged items fill the small space: aisles of greeting cards, kiosks of calendars, shelves of candles, picture frames, decorative clocks, jewelry, Webkinz, and knickknacks. Hanging along the walls are party favors and decorations. Together, alongside the displays of wind chimes, Snowbabies, Christmas ornaments, and WillowTree figurines they form eye-catching store décor...read the entire article.