neighborhood have felt organic. The new businesses aren’t opening because of an influx of tourists or out-of-towners, but because locals who live and work in Kittery want to see the neighborhood thrive. “We’re definitely a Kittery-centric restaurant,” says Armstrong, who co-owns Anju with Gary Kim. “We both worked in Kittery prior and lived here. It’s an inspiring place to be. We didn’t consider [opening the restaurant] anywhere else.” It’s a sentiment echoed by many Foreside business owners.“I live in Kittery and I love the community here,” says Amelia Davis, owner of Folk, a shop and gallery that sells locally made art. “I definitely see it becoming more of a destination. Maine has a reputation of having small towns with good food and art, and finally, Kittery, the first town in Maine, is jumping on that.” In a way, Foreside is returning to its roots. Until the outlet malls began opening on Rte. 1 in the 1950s and ’60s, “Foreside was a thriving center of the community. It’s where all the shops were, all the business happened. The Grange Hall was the center of community life,” says Overton, who, through The Dance Hall, is currently working on a project documenting the history of Foreside.“It’s very cool, because that’s what I see in this revitalization:We’ve come back to being that center of community.” That sense of community is evident during large events like the annual Kittery Block Party, which began in 2011, and in small moments around town, like when someone from The Black Birch pops into Anju to return a plate they borrowed a few nights earlier. Al Mead opened Buoy in 2008. He grew up in Kittery Point and, when he came back home after graduating from college in Pennsylvania, couldn’t find a local venue hosting the kind of art and music he wanted to create and see. So he started his own. “All the things fell into place,” says Mead, who also tends bar at The Black Birch. “I like how surprised people are to see what’s going on here.” As more people learn about Foreside, the neighborhood is likely to grow. No one knows what that growth will lead to, but Foreside business owners are optimistic. “One attractive thing about Foreside is that it’s only so big. They’re not going to be putting up four-story hotels and parking lots here,” says Spangler. “I think it will stay small. It’s not going to explode.” p
Lil’s Café Folk owner Amelia Davis in her shop
thesquarenh.com
Fall 2014
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