Wiscasset calms down
Big Al’s. Covid and labor shortage spell the end for a 35 year retail landmark.
Before summer went away, the last thing I remembered is the Salty Dogs playing rock and roll non-stop for two hours at the Wiscasset Library "Bands for Books" benefit. July and August very busy. Now it's September - and all there is to do is wait for the leaves to turn and keep checking my watch to see how soon before Daylight Savings Time plunges us into mid-afternoon darkness.
While it may be quiet, there's news. Big Al's is closing and Netflix has been to Red's Eats.
Big Al's is like a dollar store. But cheaper. Table after table of stuff. Boxes on top of boxes. And you haven't seen the warehouse! Al Cohen calls the storage center "The Bank of Al." That's where his money is tied up. For 35 years, Big Al's has been the place to find surprises. Bins and bins of dog toys. USB cables. 99-cent T-shirts. Picture frames, drinking glasses, pin-feed computer paper. Christmas decorations every day. Think of it as a low-price Costco - you never know what will be on the shelves. It's adventure and exploring as shopping. At the end of this year, it'll be gone. Al Cohen is calling it quits, he says, because he needs ten more employees and can't find them. Two national brand dollar stores opening within a mile from Al's probably hasn't helped business, either.
Meanwhile, at the other end of town, Red's Eats may be adding an appearance on Netflix to its resume. "Somebody Feed Phil," a travel and cooking show, created by and hosted by Phil Rosenthal was at Red's, talking to staff and customers. Debbie Gagnon said she and Rosenthal shared scallops and lobster rolls. What else? No word if or when a Red's episode will air. "Somebody" soon will begin its fifth season on Netflix.
The town isn't exactly dormant. There will be a reception at the Maine Art Gallery Saturday afternoon highlighting four photographers. Some of the work is quite abstract, but all of it is inspired.
In a few weeks the leaf peepers will be here. Always a glorious time. I hope to have some photos worth showing you before we leave, Mid-October.
Big Al’s. Covid and labor shortage spell the end for a 35 year retail landmark.
Our summer visitors got their own lobster..
Wiscasset sight to see. A hard working wormer.
United States
About this blog:
Man about Wiscasset
Frank Barnako is a seasonal resident of Wiscasset at Clarks Point on the Sheepscot River. His career in journalism included on air and news director positions with CBS and NBC Radio and TV stations. He was a pioneer in the Internet, helping to create and co-found MarketWatch.com where he also developed a 200-station radio network and wrote daily columns focused on the stock market, business news, and technology. Barnako describes himself as “an aspiring photographer,” whose work can be seen at frankbarnako.com<http://frankbarnako.com>. He is a member of the town’s Investment Advisory Committee. Email him at wiscasset@barnako.com.
