Our seasonal neighbors will see many changes in the Twin Villages as they return this year.
With at least five new restaurants (technically three restaurants, a cocktail bar, and a coffee shop) on the way, major renovations at the Colby & Gale service station, and the pending construction of the public restrooms, downtown alone will look a lot different – not to mention a major development next to the Lincoln County Rifle Club, further up Main Street.
We will miss some of the things we have lost – most notably The Mediterranean Kitchen – but we welcome the new investment and new spirit in the downtown.
No space seems to stay vacant for long downtown, which speaks to the desirability of the village and its economic strength.
We think some in the state tend to overlook the Twin Villages, and Lincoln County as a whole, in favor of places like Rockland, because a few self-appointed “foodies” declare it to be some kind of culinary mecca. More on foodies in Suzi Thayer’s column in this edition.
This new wave of restaurants, along with other recent arrivals like Shuck Station and mainstays like King Eider’s Pub and Newcastle Publick House, have the potential to make the villages more of a dining destination.
A few restaurants and a couple new chain businesses by the rifle club will not solve the region’s long-term economic challenges.
We still need to think about workforce development and broadband infrastructure and how to attract employers who offer high-paying, year-round jobs.
But the energy and investment in the Twin Villages, not just this year but over the last two or three years, gives new vibrancy to the downtown and a sense of optimism about the future.
