What’s up with Bangor?

Submitted by EmeraldMoose12 t3_116lwo4 in Maine

To me, Bangor could be the a better version of Portland. It’s far enough inland that you actually have to make a decent effort to get there, but not so close that someone can just shoot up there from Boston after work on Friday evening. With Orono and U Maine close by (knowledge center and young population), and university sporting events (UMaine hockey games are a lot of fun!) Walkable downtown with decent infrastructure. An outdoor concert venue that brings in big name acts. An international airport. Penobscot River and close to lakes and hiking, among all the other outdoor activities available in Maine.

Last time I was in Bangor (year and a half ago), I was surprised to see how ‘dead’ it seemed. It was mid September. I have also seen users on this sub mention that Bangor is on the decline. I get that it’s easier for a place to earn a poor reputation than to gain a good one.

Bangor seems like it could be a truly vibrant city or both artsy and/or outdoorsy people, so why is it declining?

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salvelinustrout t1_j97bxl8 wrote

To be frank, COVID hit Bangor really hard culturally. Before the pandemic it was definitely on the up and up (and I’m not saying it isn’t anymore or won’t be again), but it didn’t quite have the critical mass of entertainment venues, restaurants, etc to ride through the pandemic. Losing a few took a real toll in a way that larger cities like portland could absorb more easily.

Also, Bangor’s been a shopping/service center for the past few decades. As boring as it was, the mall area served a huge swath of Maine and Atlantic Canada and brought a lot of economic activity that has evaporated with the rise of online shopping. Downtown’s resurgence and a lot of great effort and investment from a dedicated group of leaders is making a difference, but those have been stiff headwinds.

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moxie-maniac t1_j97hcm2 wrote

Maine North of Bangor is very sparsely populated, so mostly can draw from communities to the east and south, UMaine being the exception. Portland draws from all directions, and even into NH and Mass.

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athermalwill t1_j97re1c wrote

I think this is the correct answer. It comes down to cash flow. Bangor doesn’t have anywhere near as much to draw from.

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DougOneBillion t1_j98d5cs wrote

Interesting point. The loss of the tourists (and shoppers) from New Brunswick then the death of Great Northern meant two of the avenues into Bangor pretty much dried up.

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JimBones31 t1_j98m7en wrote

Portland does draw from all directions, something Bangor struggles with.

Portland isn't the best port for trade but it is significantly better than Bangor.

Edit: I would absolutely love if Portland got a good size container terminal.

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solo-ran t1_j99i2cn wrote

I went to a conference as a rep for a congresswoman years ago. Here’s what I remember: the trajectory for trains heading west - avoiding hills - makes a big difference in shipping. Halifax NS, Norfolk VA, and NYC-NJ are the three best natural east coast sites for depth and have the best paths west. NYC is the absolute best but the real estate on shore is too expensive plus labor… so Norfolk and Halifax were battling it out. This was about accommodating a new wave of huge ships… and Portland wasn’t close. There also were surprisingly few permanent jobs given the vast amount of activity. This information is 25 years old… but at the time that was the consensus.

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JimBones31 t1_j99jg6v wrote

That's really awesome insight. All of it accurate and lines up with my experience out here. I currently work in NYC on a tugboat and from all my history classes and shipping classes they all said that if Halifax had been focused on before NYC then it would have been what NYC is today.

I however, have much lower ambitions for a Portland container terminal. I wouldn't even aim for competing for ultra large carriers. I'd be happy to just take some trucks off the road and focus on domestic trade or even take some smaller ships coming from Halifax.

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Cutlasss t1_j9agogd wrote

Halifax would not have beat our New York in the long run. Halifax is one of the great natural harbors of the world. But New York has an overwhelming advantage. The Erie Canal. Because there is only a couple of places in the Appalachians that has good access to the Ohio Valley. And that gave New York a more than 50 year head start on any port that required railroads to get to the interior.

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DrGordonFreemanScD t1_j9awm3n wrote

The economic decline of upstate NY along the Erie Canal testifies as to the boom & bust nature of everything.

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Cutlasss t1_j9b42a9 wrote

Sure. Everything is subject to change. But the direction of change now is really in the direction of large cities with a lot of services and higher education. All of rural America is feeling it.

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DrGordonFreemanScD t1_j9f6f0d wrote

They've been feeling that for a long time now. That is pretty much the way things are going around the planet. Rural areas are dying out, as opportunities (for everything, sex, work, leisure) abound in larger population centers. That hasn't changed in decades. However, as the population ages, more old city folks are moving out of the cities. This is creating its' own set of problems. I don't see many ways in which this will change, but we humans are always lacking some amount of foresight.

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Cutlasss t1_j9h7ewi wrote

Well, a problem with that is that rural areas are increasingly unable to provide the medical services that older people need.

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Candygramformrmongo t1_j98pswh wrote

Same here but not likely to expand too much beyond what they have now. We’ll what the new cold storage facility has for an effect.

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JimBones31 t1_j98tbvh wrote

Maybe our efforts to be environmentally conscious will lead to the Port of Portland's expansion. Interstate trucking doesn't come close to domestic shipping when it comes to efficiency.

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Candygramformrmongo t1_j98v0vg wrote

It should, but that’s not the way Portland perceives it from my experience. They don’t want more trucks in town and are already looking at emissions from ships due to bunker fuel being dirtier. Maybe with the railhead? Basically, they don’t want the commercial on Commercial Street.

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JimBones31 t1_j98vg9i wrote

It's a damn shame, that attitude hurts the future of the state economy.

The bunker fuel argument doesn't hold water (🤣) because those ships remove far more emissions from the roadways. Though it sounds like you're the type of person that knows that. 😁

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ptmtp26 t1_j98yzrm wrote

Bars and clubs are commercial spaces. That’s all they need to survive, right?

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ptmtp26 t1_j98ytsg wrote

People from the county will drive down to Bangor for lunch and drive back home. To say it doesn’t draw from the north isn’t accurate. Bangor just doesn’t have a lot of pull from any direction. However the north relies on it heavily as it is the closest place of convenience for a lot of things.

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doeslizknit t1_j97joud wrote

We’ve started doing day trips to Bangor. Great coffee at wicked brew, good used book stores, and good shopping (rock and art store is my favorite right now, followed by one lupine — the paired yarn store is fantastic with local wools). We often pair it with Waterville to do vinyl record shopping and a meal at opa’s or buen appetito. Would recommend

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Yourbubblestink t1_j9868so wrote

Wicked brew is definitely a great coffee hangout! Good food too

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KYazut t1_j99yvqw wrote

Good used books stores? Anything other than Pro Libris?

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Mjc792 t1_j9a38rp wrote

Bull Moose comes to mind although not strictly books

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doeslizknit t1_j9a4f18 wrote

Pro Libris was the one I was thinking about. Good prices for old books

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ILOVEBUBBASPARXXX t1_j9ax8fu wrote

I moved away from Bangor around 15 years ago, I’m really glad to hear Pro Libris is still around!

RIP Lippincott’s, you were my fave

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mattsffrd t1_j9als6p wrote

FYI Buen moved to a new location on West River Road. Haven't been yet but heard good things.

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MuForceShoelace t1_j985mcv wrote

I feel like your first few sentences about it being isolated are not as positive as you seem to think. A city that is hard to get to, not near things and doesn't want outsiders is not one that is going to grow.

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thehonorablechairman t1_j99mjr2 wrote

Yeah that second sentence is weird, it's set up like it should be contrasting a negative with a positive, but then they're just both negatives, haha.

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nastyhobbitses1 t1_j997zdc wrote

The cryptozoology museum is moving from Portland to Bangor, surely that will bring the masses

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ASeluke87 t1_j9acb00 wrote

It's open in Bangor now! Planning to visit soon!

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200Dachshunds t1_j9ck20z wrote

Only a little annex is open in Bangor so far! Please don't make it your reason to visit Bangor, it is a single room the size of a one-car garage with a very few exhibits and a handful of books and T shirts on sale. I am NOT hating on it (I really like it in fact) but it takes all of 5-10 minutes to go through, and I'd hate for you to get your hopes up and be disappointed. The main museum is still open in Portland but I believe will be relocating to Bangor through 2023, opening in Bangor in 2024. I'm hoping to get a job or volunteer there once it does :D

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Guygan t1_j9753rw wrote

Portland was a shithole 30 years ago. Give it time.

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smokinLobstah t1_j97gvob wrote

Funny...I liked it 30yrs ago.

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SheSellsSeaShells967 t1_j98gphf wrote

I miss the old gritty Portland.

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Sudden-Lawyer-8035 t1_j98oss1 wrote

And you were selling more than sea shells on melon Street huh?

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SheSellsSeaShells967 t1_j9ahifc wrote

😂😂😂 Nah, but I got drunk at either Angie’s or the Sail Loft and got kicked out for playing too much Patsy Cline on the jukebox.

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smokinLobstah t1_j97gzi9 wrote

So you were in Bangor in Sept 2021?...Pandemic?...people were still locked up/in.

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LeadPipe_7964 t1_j98ivd4 wrote

I was in Bangor Oct 2022. It still felt really dim. Not much traffic, no one walking around.

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EmeraldMoose12 OP t1_j97mlsh wrote

I guess I kind of forgot when restrictions loosened and tightened again.

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cathpah t1_j99ybbd wrote

I was in Bangor last week...it didn't seem so different than what OP described.

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lucidlilacdream t1_j97ndsb wrote

Besides what others have mentioned, having worked for the Umaine system, it seems like there is crap leadership within the university system as well as crap investment by Maine into the public universities. I think umaine will continue to hold on and get by rather than flourish.

Universities can bring a lot to an area. And, yes, I know New England has a declining rate of young people, but there are plenty of universities that are doing well across the country, and Maine has a high need for trained medical professionals especially with its aging population. There’s actually great opportunity here in that sense. It really feels like the umaine leadership sees that there are fewer young people in Maine and have just decided to give up, which is pretty depressing. So, I’m just not sure that Bangor will benefit from the college in the future unless the leadership changes and some actual vision is adopted.

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Asterion724 t1_j97qlod wrote

The narrative about declining college-age students is only partly true, at least for the next few years. The decline in HS class sizes is being offset by increases in graduation rates. So the total number of HS grads isn't declining too much (yet). This will probably change by 2025 though, both as a national trend and in Maine. I was just doing some casual research on this topic lately, and was surprised it's not as dire as people seem to think.

Not disagreeing about all the missed potential it seems like there is with UMO, or the U Maine system in general.

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ptmtp26 t1_j98zaz7 wrote

It’s a state university with a budget bigger than we can imagine, yet it’s facilities are poor and run down, of course it’s got poor leadership.

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rofopp t1_j9adtx1 wrote

Mostly because anyone with real talent in administration takes the job as a resume builder for a real job in public education I. The Midwest.

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otakugrey t1_j98rj7w wrote

> there is crap leadership within the university system

Why is crap leaders in school systems such a universal sentiment?

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GoUBears t1_j99tzi0 wrote

So long as UMO isn’t targeted for significant disinvestment (like a chain of events that ends in USM Gorham as the state’s flagship), I give Bangor a shot at a thriving future. They just have to properly utilize their proximity and aim to retain graduates in a way that they haven’t since…the 1950s? A shrinking pool of low-budget, long-distance shoppers isn’t even close to a recipe for maintaining the status quo if the university withers.

While not a perfect comparison, I’d point to Macomb, Illinois, as a cautionary tale that’s currently unfolding. It has a smaller regional population base than Bangor, but it’s almost as isolated. It’s at the center of the Quad Cities, Peoria, and Springfield, each about 90 minutes away, and there’s only one slightly larger town in over three hours to its west. The state’s decision to shrink WIU’s budget was the equivalent of stating that they shouldn’t even be a blip on the map, and has already cost the area a third of its non-student population in the span of about six years. Needless to say, they’re still in free fall, with no end in sight, particularly if the free fall triggers a further reduction in WIU’s budget, which would likely be focused on their graduate schools, which have remained relatively unscathed so far.

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lucidlilacdream t1_j9a4b82 wrote

The current state of UMO and all of the umaine schools is stagnant to declining. So, I just don’t see how it’s surrounding town can possibly benefit unless there is actual intentional growth of the university. In fact, we moved here from out of state and I have a high school aged kid. He has no interest in the Maine schools. Very few of his friends have interest in the maine schools. They lack resources compared to other state universities, that’s the problem. Why would they go there? Especially if they are mid to high achievers that will get scholarships to other state schools with more resources and thriving towns with more people their age?

Given the aging population here, Umaine and Maine should be investing in a medical school. You want people to stay in Bangor and fulfill the workforce needs? Get a good medical program going. It’s already an R1, but doing very little to build on that status. Heck, I had a friend who was told not to apply to their physics grad program by a physics professor that works there because of how bad the resources are, and they really want to stay in Maine for grad school.

Maybe it was better pre COVID though.

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crowislanddive t1_j9ahed4 wrote

I agree, mostly but the Advanced Manufacturing program and the Materials lab are truly incredible.

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GoUBears t1_j9a69ze wrote

Under-investment in public universities is rampant in New England thanks to the Ivies, NESCAC, and other quality private institutions. However, Maine has the short end of that stick, with three small schools totaling ~6k, 85% from out of state. Hopefully that will prompt an administration to prioritize enhancing UMO and USM sooner than later.

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hike_me t1_j9gwqfz wrote

In the 70s or 80s there was a statewide referendum to borrow bond money to build a UMaine medical school in Bangor.

It failed.

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MosskeepForest t1_j979eiq wrote

I predict the next 20 years is going to be huge for Bangor.

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NiceFocus9360 t1_j982mi2 wrote

Bangor will always suck until the dinosaurs that run the town are gone. I've lived there most of my life, and owned a business there. I moved, reluctantly, because i just couldnt stand it anymore. They (city govt) generally dont like fresh ideas, they are extremely bureaucratic, and prefer bangor stay stuck in the 1970s. Instead of trying to keep umaine grads in the area, we run them out of town. I'd bet my life on bangor not seeing any major improvements, or major influx of younger people (under 40), over the next 25 years. In 2048 it'll be exactly the same.

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fubar247 t1_j99436b wrote

You ran a business and moved in a town that doesn’t like “fresh ideas” yet has a thriving casino, big concert venue, and multiple craft breweries. I’m sure Bangor was the problem.

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NiceFocus9360 t1_j9967xy wrote

Hate to break it to you, but the casino is not thriving. It has an extremely low occupancy rate and is one of Penn Nationals worst performing casinos.

Yay for concerts - personally Im happy to go home and visit family and maybe catch a good concert. Bangor concerts were started by a woman-beating drug dealer, but like a true American I'll go ahead and look right past that.

Breweries don't make a town fresh. Chalky IPAs from bangor maine America aren't boosting the population. Every small city has multiple breweries - making an ipa is about as hard as tying your shoes or putting on pants. Or breathing. Easy money, especially in a shit town with nothing to do other than talking about the POTENTIAL OF BANGOR like it's 1830.

Bangor sucks out loud.

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Awright122 t1_j97bybp wrote

The Penobscot River ain’t much to write home about after all the polluting we’ve done

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OmniMegaGiraffe t1_j987par wrote

I mean, Downtown Bangor is currently in the process of gentrification. I'm happy that businesses are coming back, but instead of building affordable housing, they're focusing on deluxe apartments.

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biglymonies t1_j98pmm5 wrote

I've said it here before, but the "deluxe" apartments fill a large niche gap in the market in Bangor - high-earners who don't want to own a home in the area.

When I was living in Bangor, my options for rentals at the time were:

  • A couple of shitty crackdens on the low number streets for $600-700/m
  • New and Old Capehart apartments for $1,100-1,300/m
  • A single family home next to Broadway Park for $1,500/m
  • A "luxury" downtown apartment that I actually liked (with reserved parking!) for $2,500/m

I ended up picking the expensive place, which was a good thing for everyone in the area who was looking for a place to live at that time who also made less than or had a worse credit score/history than me. My neighbors were all physicians, business owners, or fellow tech people who also opted to live in that building over in other parts of town.

The sad part is, the "quality" of those "luxury" apartments is on par with units in other parts of the country that were going for 1/3 of the price.

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Seyword t1_j98qg5n wrote

$2500 a month to live in Bangor? 😬

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biglymonies t1_j98ty2z wrote

Yeah lol. We wanted to live near family for a bit before we moved back out of state. Neither of us are really in love with the area, so we figured getting a nicer apartment might make things more enjoyable for us.

I've lived in Bangor off and on since high school, and that apartment was definitely my favorite place I lived. It was newer, clean, didn't smell like cat piss, had central air, quiet upstairs neighbors, and reserved parking spots for us and guests.

The extra cost was definitely worth not having to deal with the stuff I went through at my previous Bangor rentals lol.

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snackexchanger t1_j98uujf wrote

I had a similar experience a couple years ago. I was renting a very nice, newly built, 600 sq ft apartment in Portland for $1800. Moving up to Bangor I was looking for something similar. Couldn’t find it. A comparable apartment within walking distance to work was $2,500/month and I couldn’t justify paying more for the Bangor apartment than I had been paying in Portland. I ended up in an 1,100 sq ft apartment in Orono for $1,200/month.

As someone who makes much more than the average Bangor salary I would have happily paid more for a place but I couldn’t justify paying that much more for no more space or amenities so I ended up competing with college kids. And who is going to rent to a college kid when the other option is a couple that works works full time and had previously been renting a place 50% more expensive?

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raggedtoad t1_j9a5epj wrote

Watch out, I made a similar point in a housing cost discussion a few weeks ago and got accused of supporting "trickle down housing" lmao.

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biglymonies t1_j9a9czi wrote

Oh fuck, you weren't kidding

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raggedtoad t1_j9aai58 wrote

There it is!

Yes, people actually believe building more quality housing units is bad for working class Mainers.

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AssumptionLivid6879 t1_j9b4e5d wrote

Over building “affordable housing” without filling out the spectrum of cost is what turns cities like Bangor into Drug Dens.

Historically Bangor has only developed public/private low income and no income expansions, which is why it brought such a strong collapse in the 80s/90s. The city then tried to curb all growth and expansion in the 90s by building new zoning laws, further backfiring the attraction of high income talent (why Hampden/Hermon blew up in popularity).

Most units outside of the 95 corridor are either trailer parks, “affordable” apartments (that are now drug dens), or private low jncome housing like Penquis.

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DamienSalvation t1_j98ozhv wrote

Building deluxe apartments make other housing cheaper and in about 20 years they'll be regular apartments.

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OmniMegaGiraffe t1_j98qm69 wrote

I hope the housing gets cheaper soon then.

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DamienSalvation t1_j98u6jv wrote

Well that's the econ 101 version. Unfortunately, there are many more factors and most places aren't building enough housing to meet demand.

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AssumptionLivid6879 t1_j9b3a79 wrote

To be honest they need more of a focus on deluxe and luxury apartments, townhomes, and condos. People that tend to live in deluxe and luxury are much more likely to support local food, local stores, and farmers markets. Most of Bangor’s housing supply already is affordable housing, public housing, and private/public low income housing.

Most of Bangor’s existence post-lumber was creating affordable housing, creating assisted living, creating section 8, supporting the homeless and the very low income. Most of the buildings outside of the 95 corridor is dedicated to those concepts (penquis is huge, a lot of trailer parks, a lot of public housing). If the city keeps building support for section 8 housing, and at-risk individuals, the city will only reflect those people and will lose any attraction to visit or grow.

More luxury and higher end builds need to be done in the city, because it will keep the small businesses floating. The current population shops at Walmart, Applebees, etc, and does not support local businesses to focus on surviving.

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lsanborn t1_j988rq7 wrote

Funny, I can remember people making very similar comments 30 years ago and my father laughing at the time because he’d heard it all before. Actually, Bangor has been on the “decline” since about 1880. Since the lumber industry went bust, we have been a commercial center for people who just don’t have that much disposable income. I think things are better, but change is slow and erratic. But, do we want to turn into Portland? Insane housing prices, uncontrolled urban sprawl, a lot of pretentious nonsense and mobs of tourists. There is a lot I love about Portland but they’ve got their problems.

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EmeraldMoose12 OP t1_j9902v1 wrote

I wasn’t trying to say Bangor should become a Portland clone. Just that there are some similarities, but it’s much further up 95, so it would weed out most of the pretentious people from the big city.

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MooshuCat t1_j99o7cp wrote

I got exactly what you were trying to say. It could be more vibrant of a city for Mainers, while being far enough away to keep out major tourism and gentrification.

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maskedbanditoftruth t1_j9aileq wrote

Nothing keeps out tourism and gentrification if a place is remotely desirable to be anymore.

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Bingo337 t1_j98inuv wrote

Is Bangor a nice place to visit for a family friendly vacation or would you recommend another city/area of Maine?

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Amaryella92 t1_j98szgg wrote

I would go somewhere on the water, (Bar Harbor, Camden, Belfast) on the coast or up in the mountains (Sugarloaf, Rangeley, moosehead) I'm not sure where your originally from. I'm from the Bangor area and I don't know why anyone would want to "vacation" here but others may have more insight.

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DougOneBillion t1_j98vyqc wrote

Bangor’s a great place to get a hotel room and take a nice hot shower after a few days of hiking in Baxter State Park. I recommend it as a central location utilized to make day trips to some of the most beautiful spots in Maine. Get up at dawn’s crack and climb Katahdin, or head to Belfast, or hike Gulf Hagas then keep driving to eat lunch at Abbott Bakery… visit Fort Knox and go up to the Penobscot Narrows Bridge observatory.

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nzdastardly t1_j98yb1y wrote

No way go to one of the little motels in Millinocket!

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DougOneBillion t1_j993fjs wrote

Can’t bear to ever since La Casa was torn down. 😪🍈🤗🍈😪

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Psychological-Bear-9 t1_j98wcmw wrote

If you like being bored and disappointed. A commenter already suggested your best bet. The coast or the woods. There is nothing in Bangor you probably can't find at home.

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DougOneBillion t1_j9851m8 wrote

It’s all been downhill since Stacy’s Country Jamboree went off the air.

Yes I know that was in Brewer, just give me this because you know it’s true!

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Ok-Eggplant-1649 t1_j98lq0w wrote

On the wings of a snow white dove ...

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TheMayanAcockandlips t1_j98ovsc wrote

Holy fucking shit, I've never heard anyone but my parents reference this. They bought a dvd or tape of their "show" awhile ago so I could see it, and it is painfully hilarious.

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DougOneBillion t1_j98u8ag wrote

“he sends his pure

sweet

love.”

🤣 LEGENDARY.

Do you remember how Stacy’s sold ad time to New Brunswick destinations? I used to BEG my parents to take me to Magnetic Hill in Moncton. “Come on, PLEASE? It’s only five hours away!”

Don’t get me started on “Dialing for Dollars with Eddie Driscoll!” My older siblings worshipped him!

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Loose_Stools t1_j97o33r wrote

No knock on Bangor but I'm not sure I would use the term "shoot up" for an a car ride that's usually close to 4 hours from Boston.

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Successful_Border321 t1_j97u33s wrote

You have clearly never lived in the Western United States.

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Loose_Stools t1_j99bq4w wrote

I have been to the West numerous times but the last time I checked Bangor is located on the East Coast. A 4 hour ride from Boston and you can be in Manhattan, Vermont or New Hampshire. Unlike out West you have many interesting options.

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Successful_Border321 t1_j9a9rjj wrote

My point was that most people who live/have lived out west don’t view 4 hours as too long a drive to get anywhere.

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ChelseaFan1967 t1_j988agy wrote

I am from Bangor and I love the little city. Unfortunately for me, I found better work in Southern Maine, so I moved away. It’s a great place, it just needs more and better job opportunities.

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mainlydank t1_j97ntuc wrote

But I hardly know her.

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BARRYTHUNDERWOOD t1_j97a7fx wrote

It’s just one small aspect of many, but if we talk music venues, there are basically none anywhere between “dude in the corner at 100 cap bar/brewery” and “giant 5k people concert”. Portland has the State, as well as a bunch of other great smaller venues (PHOME, One Longfellow, etc). Those kind of places help build culture and vitality, and no one has taken a chance in the greater Bangor area to really make one (Bangor arts exchange has a super spotty schedule and sound is never good and it usually feels feels like cheap wedding reception, and the new Gforce thing theyve tried at the mall is sketchy and temporary).

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AllstarGaming617 t1_j97sr9h wrote

The new Maine savings amphitheater is going to be a big draw for Bangor. I’m over in New Hampshire and also lived on the north shore of mass for a long time. I would only ever visit Bangor as a stop over in or out of bar harbor. Then phish started playing the waterfront concert series. So I went up for a couple shows and apart from my favorite band the experience was underwhelming because it was just a park fenced off with a temporary stage built for the summer. Nothing to write home about or make me want to drive up for other major touring bands. When I went up last summer for phish again during the renovations by Maine savings bank, I was blown away. As someone who works in live music production I can speak to what a world class music venue can do for a small city. The shows I saw last summer were a shit show. They really shouldn’t have been doing shows, they weren’t ready. It was only half built and there was no organization what so ever, but what was cool to see is the vision. If that venue ends up looking like and operating like I think it’s going to Bangor is about to have the most sought after booking north of Boston. They were already attracting some big acts but the venue wasn’t worth the drive. Even just seeing the shell of what it’s going to be last summer, unless they royally screw or up, there’s going to be a national marquee music venue in town that will have people traveling from all over the country.

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BARRYTHUNDERWOOD t1_j98nyge wrote

I don’t think you’re wrong - maybe my comment was a little vague, but I am really talking about a room with like 200-800capacity.

Sure, we will get Stapleton or Aerosmith to show up at the waterfront, and that will bring in folks from all over for a night, but if you are a band with a 500 person draw, there is absolutely no reason to ever travel north of Portland. That kind of venue could operate year round, with a much fuller schedule, and would give the people who already live in Bangor a reason to go have a nice night out (as opposed to people from hours away spending hundreds of dollars on tickets and parking once or twice a year).

If we’re talking about abstract concepts like vitality and culture, IMO those sort of smaller venues have much more impact than the waterfront ever could.

Obviously if we take the longgggg view, maybe waterfront brings in cash, that cash somehow magically creates a city more likely to support those sorts of smaller venues, who knows. I’m skeptical, as the waterfronts and casino have been doing their thing for years now, and I haven’t seen the slightest change for the average resident.

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AllstarGaming617 t1_j97ucwa wrote

The new amphitheater is going to be a nice jolt to the economy. The waterfront concert series already brought in big acts, but the quality of the venue can really be a driving force behind how many major acts want to come because they know thier fan bases will travel for an exceptional experience. Coming from the mass seacoast I’d go see my favorite band there whenever they’d play but the experience was shit. It was just a park with a fence around it and a temporary barebones stage for the summer. It’s a 4 hour drive for me and honestly I’d rather take a 4 hour flight to Denver and see them play dicks or red rocks. I went and saw them(phish) again during the new renovations by Maine savings. It was a shit show. They weren’t ready to be hosting concerts, especially sell outs. Everything was half built, no concessions, complete anarchy at the entrances. That being said I’ve worked in the music industry a long time and have even helped installed PA’s a new major venues. Just from seeing the shell of what they’re creating there last summer, I can tell you Bangor is about to have a real marquee outdoor music venue that will entice bands traveling fan bases from around the country. Bangor has always been the “skip” date for those traveling on phish tour. Too far off the path and an uninspiring venue experience. One of the very few venues they do not sell out. When they finish those renovations that narrative is going to change quickly. It was too early too definitively tell what the end result will look like and how it will operate, but from what k saw last summer I think when it’s all complete and running as intended Bangor is going to have the most sought after booking in New England other than Boston.

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Sudden-Lawyer-8035 t1_j98om19 wrote

And you know that a bad first experience at venue or the first experience in a long time will deter people from coming back. It's a shit show overall at either venue. So people don't wanna go back.

4

SymphonyNo3 t1_j9al864 wrote

The last time I was in Bangor was in 2016. My wife and I drove from Portland to a Waterfront concert. It was "meh" enough that we've had little interest in returning. I recall the "security" process/policy being pretty draconian for an outdoor venue. To be honest, I'm a little surprised they are still finding people to fill it up. I would much rather go to Boston or Gilford, NH for a concert.

1

embolia6 t1_j9a1saf wrote

Ugh, I went to a show there when they were just opening up last year.. the restroom line was so long (waited close to an hour) that we just left next time either of us needed to pee. Hopefully things will be better this summer, but definitely hesitant to go back.

2

AssumptionLivid6879 t1_j9b4uwh wrote

Kind of. Great for visitors, terrible for residents. The amphitheater ruined most of our water front park, and ruined the view of the river from Main Street.

Between that and supporting the carcass of Bass Park, using tax payer property to build these private entities are getting out hand

1

hike_me t1_j97qycq wrote

Downtown Bangor is way better than it was 20 years ago. Multiple buildings that were unoccupied other than ground floor retail have since been renovated to high end apartments.

25 years ago downtown Bangor had multiple massage parlors openly offering “happy endings”. Now there are actually decent restaurants and nice apartments downtown.

I don’t think I’d say it’s on the decline. It’s just that it’s remoteness and smaller population means it’s pretty far behind Portland.

8

In_betweener t1_j996hrt wrote

You say it had multiple, so I assume there is only one now…

3

hike_me t1_j998u9z wrote

Not sure, but I’d guess if they do exist they won’t be so open about it now! They operated in a legal grey area because Maine prostitution laws were narrowly written and only covered PIV sex for a while.

Downtown Bangor was on the decline from the 70s when strip malls started opening until the late 90s when some of the seedier establishments were closed.

2

EasternMaine t1_j97nb4n wrote

Shhhh.... Some things are better kept secret.

7

Moonstonedbowie t1_j985ku5 wrote

Seriously. This place is expensive enough already and I can’t move out of the school district for another 6 years.

5

Hockeyjockey58 t1_j9a12gf wrote

Bangor’s infrastructure is overextended. As economies shift and population declines, there’s an over abundance of infrastructure. Also not to mention, urban renewal hit Bangor hard with destruction of its first city hall for the Haymarket parking garage and Union Station being a strip mall, among other things.

The city has a good chance to get it together. I think when passenger rail service returns we’ll see a downtown-centric approach to revamping the city’s and regions economy.

7

EmeraldMoose12 OP t1_j9ag9yl wrote

Is there a plan for passenger rail service to return to Bangor?

1

TravellingTransGirl t1_j9ak2qd wrote

Bangor is a long term investment. As climate change and housing price increases continue, Bangor will become very desirable. COVID caused a short term depression that we have mostly figured out how to weather both now and for the next time so I anticipate Bangor will be back to its previous luster in a year or two and 10-15 years down the road it will be well worth the effort.

7

MathematicianGlum880 t1_j97ek84 wrote

It’s the ebb and flow all cities go through. Look at San Francisco, used to be beautiful in the 80’s…not no more.

6

biglymonies t1_j98ums4 wrote

SF is absolutely stunning as long as you don't look at it at eye level or below :). The "relocation to SF/Bay Area required" recruiter messages are the easiest ones to turn down.

5

Sudden-Lawyer-8035 t1_j98o3cg wrote

Here's the truth no one wants to say or look at. Before I get into the nitty gritty I will be the first to say I despise the city of Biddeford and the city of Sanford. However they have both done good jobs of turn dilapidated architecture to their advantage drawing both customer base and businesses to their cities. They did this by not catering to their college communities but their 20-40communities.

Bangor relies on Orono mainly to supply their businesses with income. Hard truth but truth regardless. Their college community is who they hope to market towards. This is everything from the sushi and steal restaurant, to mexicali blues to walmart. A cursory look at the products from local shops tell you this.

They are also struggling with a drug and homeless problem. Their answer to which is to dent the jail and expansion or any proper upgrades in favor of a recovery solution which is undefined unplanned and unlikely to ever happen. The entire city counsel is out of touch and hoping that concerts, gambling, Stephen King, and college students will keep their economy afloat.

They have no hopes of providing any businesses any incentives of growing, adding to the IT infrastructure offerings, or protecting their city from addiction, prostitution, or the like..

This isn't right vs left this is a bunch of out of touch people trying to win reelection seats by giving the college community an image of liberalism all the while claiming to be a conservative city hard on crime and protecting maine values. It's a confusing mess with no real direction.

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biglymonies t1_j98zed9 wrote

> They did this by not catering to their college communities but their 20-40communities.

Bangor is doing this exact thing, though. Bars, pubs, restaurants, social activities, etc are all mostly available in town or nearby. I'm square in the middle of the age range you mention, and nearly everything in Bangor falls within my rough interests. I'd go so far as to say that Bangor could be doing a better job by prioritizing things for kids, parents, and older folks to do.

  • Year-round family-friendly indoor entertainment. Where I live now, we have indoor playgrounds for kids of all ages that also have bars. They're apparently great for meeting other parents, arranging playdates (without having to clean up your house for company), hosting birthday parties, etc.
  • A barbershop/cigar lounge/social club/billiards hall combo for folks who are into that kind of thing.
  • A real wine bar. Bangor Wine & Cheese is a good stop-gap (especially for oils.. my god, I miss that place), but a dedicated drinking space would get many women's perpetual patronage.

> This is everything from the sushi and steal restaurant, to mexicali blues to walmart. A cursory look at the products from local shops tell you this.

Did you mean Smoke and Steel? They cater to people who like meat, beer, and throwing axes... and they're priced in such a way that it pretty much cuts out college students. I used to live right next to Mexicali Blues, and the only people I'd ever see in there aside from tourists were new-age hippy girls and older women. Walmart caters to everyone (which is why two of them can exist so close together).

Honestly, the only stores I can think of that primarily serve college students are the vape stores and maybe dispensaries... and even then, there's a healthy mix of folks who enjoy both of those things.

Genuinely curious here: What would you like to see as far as new businesses go in Bangor? A great skates revival? Another bowling alley or movie theater that can't turn a profit? Another microbrewery that sells skunky IPA with a Maine-based pun for the name?

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Sudden-Lawyer-8035 t1_j99m1lb wrote

No how about jobs that actually pay worth a damn? How about some tech companies here that drove innovation and solutions for other business and government incentives to move here. Great bars, cigar lounges, and restaurants that's certainly not going to pay the bills. You have a couple of indoor areas for families, and none of them were good. Urban air is ok but super packed most of the time. Or how about affordable housing. Living

When I say they're catering to to college kids that's what I mean is low paying jobs that have little to no chance of providing for a family. Outdoor parks now filled with homeless even the Riverwalk. I'm not saying there's not opportunity for it to be good. It's just mismanaged. Yoga studios, used book stores and coffee shops are ok but no ones paying a 1000-2700 a month rent for a 2br on salaries from any one of those places.

Bangor also suffering from a dramatic shortage of things like optometrists dentists and enough basic services to provide. Yes you can Google them and say but look there's all these places that do that. However, most of then don't have enough doctors to keep up or just none at all.

I'm not sure the answer but attempting a gentrification without a solid infrastructure to bring in new jobs or provide affordable housing to people isn't cutting it. So they'll rely on their rural people who don't have anything in their towns and their college kids during the winter and hope enough tourists and snowbirds want to come back in the summer

2

Cutlasss t1_j9aep9x wrote

Problem is that government cannot just bring good paying jobs to an area. Businesses locate those jobs in the places they do for reasons. And increasingly the reasons important to them tell them to locate to places like Boston.

1

Sudden-Lawyer-8035 t1_j9af3p8 wrote

Plenty of cities have went and sought out businesses and attempted to bring then to their city. In fact big cities like Portland Boston Charlotte Philly ect have done just that. Bangor needs to get out of the old mindset and start moving into the mindset of how are we going to start helping to provide for our residents. Seasonal rentals and jobs aren't cutting it

1

MeanFluffyBunny t1_j9cmzqt wrote

Tyler Tech is building a new office in Orono actually, they are hoping to build a pipeline for software engineers and related stuff.

1

Sudden-Lawyer-8035 t1_j9dt88l wrote

Tyler Technologies is a managed service provider that offers little more then 20/hr for their employees and subpar benefits. They also are one of the only MSPs in the area and don't employ software engineers even though that's their title they employ tech support.

They offer a basic network admin that does little more than manage active directory and offer solutions that don't extend past basic domain controllers and AD. Their software engineers offer remote control to solve tech support solutions and offer little to no help transitioning from their service.

So yes its a move in the right direction but hardly the tech company that's going to make a difference. They also are opening in Orono to offer an "affordable" solution to customers by hiring straight out of college employees they can pay less than market. Which only lasts until they get experience find their worth and then move on

1

MeanFluffyBunny t1_j9f2gpy wrote

> Tyler Technologies is a managed service provider

They are a tech company that provides software solutions to local governments. In fact, they are the largest tech company in this market in the entire nation. Also they are on the S&P 500.

> They also are one of the only MSPs in the area and don’t employ software engineers even though that’s their title they employ tech support.

Im not sure what a MSP is, but they do employ local software engineers.

> They also are opening in Orono to offer an “affordable” solution to customers by hiring straight out of college employees they can pay less than market. Which only lasts until they get experience find their worth and then move on

They have struggled to hire anyone from UMaime, all of the graduates head south to Portland or beyond. They are hoping an actual tech office, closer proximity and more scholarship/internships opportunity will fix this. Yes, they could pay more. But I’m not sure they have any jobs at 20 an hour (maybe they do, but I’d be surprised).

Edit: yes we need another tech company in the area. They have no competition up here besides the banks.

3

KYazut t1_j9a2l4r wrote

Movie theater with the experience of the Alamo Draft House might do okay. Especially as it could also double as a small band/music venue.

2

gavinballvrd t1_j98tsps wrote

Back when I was looking to relocate to Maine. Bangor was the top of my list. It seemed like it was the perfect spot. Not too far from the shoreline, and not too far from the wilderness Northern ME has to offer.

5

Gary_busey_syndrome t1_j9a8pwy wrote

Having lived in both towns, Id rather ride a bike in Bangor than Portland any day.

5

AssumptionLivid6879 t1_j9bs6f7 wrote

Especially for fitness, it’s a quick ride to Dedham / Holden and those are best miles someone can get on a road bike on this side of the Mississippi.

An Ex-cycling pro George Hincapie now even hosts a ride every year that starts in Bangor.

As long as you avoid Stillwater, Essex, Pushaw, and Forest Ave it’s gravy

3

Gary_busey_syndrome t1_j9cbu8z wrote

Hell yeah. Orland is also prime. My go to was a quick out and back up Ohio st. via Valley ave. Out to Lagrange and beyond when i was lucky. Or just a grind through the graveyard and up rt 2 to Orono, at least there was a decent breakdown lane.

Its not just the number of drivers thats different in bangor vs Portland, its the type. People in Bangor seem to recognize that you too are a local resident and deserve respect. In Portland they only pay lip service to DEI and civil rights while going all in on NIMBYism and endgangering cyclists and pedestrians by driving like massholes.

Edit: i rode pushaw once...only once.

3

Phoenix2683 t1_j9ae4ko wrote

Sure it has a lot less traffic. Make it as popular as Portland and you'll hate it just as much.

1

bump909 t1_j98fje9 wrote

Portland is much more accessible to visitors compared to Bangor, which seems like a never ending ride heading north to reach.

4

DonkeyKongsVet t1_j98slx5 wrote

Bangor has been dying for years.

The mall is like a papermill property. Taking several years to even get something in there. The mall can't get the traction it once had despite changes in ownership

It's more of a connection point it seems. People who live up north or in smaller areas visit Bangor. UMO, Husson etc traffic.

That's it. You'll find more people at the EMMC ED, Walk in care etc, than you would people in a Walmart or the Mall.

4

nauticalfiesta t1_j98vgvq wrote

It isn't that bad. There's a food truck scene that is kinda there. The summer concerts rival what Portland sees. There's several festivals.

Really it is a very nice city to live in, or near by.

4

here2notGetfined t1_j9acg0l wrote

I've been here visiting for the last two months while my fiancé is doing a travel nursing contract at eastern Maine medical and I have to say I love it! Originally from PA, and I would love to come back to the area in the summer time.

Acadia is so nice only an hour and change away, Portland two hours... it's been great. The breweries are awesome, the people are so nice, and the hiking and trails around here are beautiful.

So, from a first time visitor, I have to say, it's been great!

4

Phoenix2683 t1_j9adzxy wrote

You state the reason in your own words.

It's isolated from the coast and from southern tourism/vacationers.

Maine is a dead state. People come for the coast and for vacations. Portland is vibrant BECAUSE of it's proximity to things. You can live in Cumberland county and not be far from Boston from Portsmouth shoot from NYC.

Maine has harsh weather and is far from most things. Without tourism without a draw is doesn't have much.

Some will come for the beauty of the inland and more northern parts but let's be honest most want to be closer to the beach and city amenities

4

dabeeman t1_j9aprmy wrote

The most important change this state needs to make in my opinion is to stop settling for good enough or business as usual. People need to embrace change and rise to the challenge and try to make things better. It starts with small things like having your store be open during hours that people with full time jobs can utilize.

5

Phoenix2683 t1_j9b2y4t wrote

Much of that is the fact that they don't have the staffing. How do you stay open if there is no one to work it?

If you run it yourself are you going to work 12+ hours a day? Not be home for dinner with your family?

0

dabeeman t1_j9bl25u wrote

that’s exactly it. as the store owner, having dinner with your family is something that you won’t be able to do if you want to serve customers. that’s the trade off.

Being open 10-4 is normal here and it’s ludicrous. I can’t tell you how many times i’ve wanted to buy something local but the store is basically never open when i’m off work so i just have to order it online.

2

Mooshtonk t1_j97mpxd wrote

You think Bangor is bad, you should see Lewiston.

3

Tribute2Johnny t1_j9a4un2 wrote

Bangor was the short adventure for my family of five growing up in the 80s and 90s in The County. The Mall! Borders! Strawberrys! Knapps for some reason! It was the 'fancy' trip my family could afford in gasoline to get away from the country up north.

I remember in the 2010s Bangor was on the up and up....Perhaps Covid killed the momentum?

3

A_Maine t1_j9agcgt wrote

It really comes down to what you value and what your current life priorities are. Obviously that changes over time as people grow up and start and family.

Bangor is pretty great if you value things like a place where your kids can ride their bike around the neighborhood. We have some great parks. We have an amazing library!!! There's an amazing kids museum downtown! There's lots of green spaces and trail networks and even a neat little walk way through downtown called Kenduskeag River Heritage Trail. The Brown Woods Network and Bangor City Forrest. And more adventurous mountains are not too far away. We have great schools with great sports programs and other afterschool programs. We have the Opera house that has some amazing theater productions and Cross insurance center that holds a lot of family friendly events. The summer is always filled with fun festivals and art walks and live music.

Obviously things could always get better... Bangor definitely needs more affordable housing!!!

Look for the good!

3

mattsffrd t1_j9alvaf wrote

I've been up for a few concerts lately, it's still a great little city. It's been invaded by tweakers though, it's really too bad.

3

bigtencopy t1_j98cjw5 wrote

Better than it’s ever been IMO, that’s if you don’t care about have a mall.

2

jazzcanary t1_j98m2ib wrote

I agree, COVID hurt, but it could start climbing up. I see good things. Rock Steady is much appreciated. There is a lot of potential there

2

1moosehead t1_j98pgva wrote

Not sure if this adds to the conversation, but as a skier from NJ that takes road trips to different parts of New England, Portland is a nice stop on the way to NH and Western Maine. Bangor is too far out of the way to reasonably consider stopping there. So that may be a factor for tourism money flowing into the city.

2

lafnmatt t1_j992gln wrote

Between dat crystal, da heron, and da yayo it’s bad. I mean superbad n not in a funny way. Sad really.

2

micro_mashup t1_j9a2cz1 wrote

Doesn’t seem to be much in the way of marketing Bangor to those that don’t already live there—tourists, southern Maine residents etc. There’s an underlying Down East vibe of not wanting to be found or inundated with outsiders IMO

2

marklarboogaloo t1_j9a3qhz wrote

Best I can do is a worse version of portland.

The videos coming out of the public school bathrooms are all over the public fight reddits. Bangors future is dark.

2

nastyhobbitses1 t1_j9ae32m wrote

I moved to Old Town about a year and a half ago and have also wondered why Bangor is so dead; I love the running and biking and winter sport scenes here and proximity to Acadia and Baxter but it’s kind of a weird place to be if you’re post-college but under 40, seems like there should be more going on with the universities nearby. That said, my idea of going out is hitting the bagel place on the weekend so it’s not like I require much in the way of nightlife, more music venues would be cool though

2

deerockxrandall t1_j9agrv6 wrote

If half of the patrons of Applebee’s would spend money Downtown you’d see a big boom. People visit Bangor for the struggling mall and chain stores, then complain about how Bangor is dead and leave.

The outdoor community is huge, Bangor Arts Exchange is cool, Bangor Greendrinks is fun, a ton of cool locally owned businesses. Bangor is great.

One complaint though... The city needs better food offerings.

2

dabeeman t1_j9bkblr wrote

all of maine needs better food options.

1

MainelyKahnt t1_j9aicn0 wrote

Two glaring inadequacies are housing and we'll paying jobs. Those restaurants and venues don't pay enough to live in Bangor with the current rental market. Let alone buy anything. And aside from Bangor savings, northern light, UMO, and the insurance companies there aren't many good jobs to be had. What Bangor could really use is another large employer's headquarters and to have that near vacant mall and other empty properties turned into affordable housing. But instead we have a culture that opposes big business moving in and some chode from New York building luxury apartments nobody can afford.

2

starchildofME t1_j9apjjy wrote

Bangor is isolated. With sparsely populated areas on all sides, people in that area do rely on Bangor for basic needs but these are poor rural towns. People who don't like the bustle of Portland like to use Bangor as a second option. It's much cheaper to live up that way BUT it comes at the cost of lack of resources: southern Maine has the best Healthcare* and more options available for just about anything. Bangor does not have the same amount of money coming into it with rural towns on all sides and it also does not have the attractiveness of the ocean at its doorstep.

*I worked at MMC for about 5 years and briefly worked at an orthopedic office in Ptown. There were people who drove from as far as Caribou and Presque Isle to see Portland area specialists because nothing closer could help them.

2

joeydokes t1_j9bn8yk wrote

I've not been here too long, but Bangor suits me OK. Short drive to the coast, east to the barans, north to moosehead area.

32K, 65K if you include Brewer in the metro area; plenty of amenities for a smallish city. Lots of parks, City Woods, and the like. Hopefully the new funding will get put to good use downtown.

Would like to see a Community Boathouse on the river, more activity at the harbor. Bangor would be a good place for call-centers I think; the neighborhoods are mostly safe and happy places.

And, calling BS on posters bitchin' dopers and bums everywhere ya look. It just ain't so. Most are polite and even the unhoused on the Kenduskeag have their shit more than less together. And places on Center St take up the slack where VTave agencies/shelters can't.
together.

2

dustinkoller t1_j982wgg wrote

The traffic near the mall is horrible

1

big_sports_guy t1_j98d3cg wrote

Traffic… in bangor?

6

NoPossibility t1_j98nndp wrote

Try to go down Stillwater on a Saturday afternoon. You’ll be in a line a half mile or more long from Texas Roadhouse all the way back near goodwill if you catch it just right.

6

biglymonies t1_j98vdyv wrote

Not picking on you, but it's wild to see how we all experience things relatively. I know exactly what you're talking about, and I also used to think that was bad... until I moved out of state. Stillwater and Hogan wouldn't even register on my radar as "traffic" now.

4

NoPossibility t1_j98vz0p wrote

Oh, I know all about traffic. I lived in a major metro for several years precovid and during, and was stuck in multi hour jams and commuted through horrendous rush hour traffic daily. Bangor is nothing in the grand scheme, but that doesn’t mean traffic by the mall on the weekend isn’t relatively horrible for the area.

1

biglymonies t1_j98wtwp wrote

Yeah, that relativity paired with our expectations is just fun to think about. Brains are weird.

1

haddamant t1_j9972xf wrote

Folks, this is Bangor, Bangor Maine. Having lived in central Maine with a gazillion other young back-to-the-landers, in the 70's and 80's we all knew there was absolutely no reason to ever go to Bangor. Just spend the extra 20 minutes and go on t the coast.

1

Cookfuforu3 t1_j9aa0j5 wrote

If you wanna find the culture in Bangor, you have to follow the students from UM (Orono) they usually set the tone of events near Bangor . As a chef with a well reputed restaurant (I don’t live in Bangor, but I visit quite often) I got to say the food is not bad up there either. And Acadia national park is so very close !

1

Groundbreakingup t1_j9aaf1i wrote

I feel that the isolation as you describe in the second sentence is an issue rather than a benefit. While Bangor has most things for life, that’s not how people especially young people live. People like variations around, rather than a small collection of all within a single area. Think about UNH. You find nature if you go north, and you have Boston if you go south for about an hour. Rural areas are around, so is the ocean:. That’s what people like.

1

EastRaccoon5952 t1_j9gcfmw wrote

It's too far north. Im a college student from Connecticut currently at Umaine and I would never consider staying up here. Yeah, its a reasonably nice place, but theres no community outside of school or church. Its really difficult to meet people because a lot of mainers arent super social. At the very least they are very disinterested in having a relationship with someone whos relatively liberal and from Connecticut. And thats not to mention the pretty limited choices in employement. I don't think I know one person from out of state who wants to stay in the area after school. So yeah, nothing really against Bangor, but I want to live someplace a little more diverse.

1

Significant-Ad4561 t1_j9akmbq wrote

Off the radar (so to speak) when it comes to potential foreign nuclear targets. The whole state actually, however the state has been subjected to an inordinate volume of refugee placements that are problematic for border states when you factor the national security issue of mass amounts of unvetted foreign born residents.

0

EasternMaine t1_j9czn48 wrote

The Bangor Airport would actually be a high priority target.

1

egoodkowsky t1_j9aoidr wrote

Don't worry it's getting gentrified one step at a time

0

lobstah t1_j97cnpc wrote

Reasonably priced and scheduled flights from PWM to BGR would be a nice start.

−12

Sulla5485 t1_j97g6yt wrote

It's a 2 hour drive tops up 295/95... I can't see that ever being a profitable or popular commercial flight.

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acister t1_j97yl16 wrote

There are cheap af bus rides as well, and it's really not a bad experience... It's not far at all

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lobstah t1_j97zisj wrote

In my defense, I was thinking more of business commuter thing to save 2 of those hours .

EDIT : Wow ! I should have refreshed before I posted ! OK, I get it bad idea, lobstah .

4

Yourbubblestink t1_j9873sy wrote

You would spend more time going through TSA, boarding, waiting for your luggage than you would driving.

2

critical_courtney t1_j97psli wrote

I think I'd rather have a train between the two. It'd be about as long as the ride from Portland to Boston.

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hike_me t1_j97r8ac wrote

That’s never going to be economically viable. The best you could get would be an 8 seater like Cape Air flys between Trenton and Boston, and I doubt enough people are going to pay $150 one way to fly BGR to PWM to fill one of those.

3

nauticalfiesta t1_j98w1a2 wrote

it would take longer to go to the airport, get through security, wait, board, pre-flight checks, land, deplane than it would just be to make the flight. There's a bus for those that don't want to drive.

1