Three Storefronts on Congress Street are “under contract” for Sale by Owner Alice Dunn to Lee Farrington. ENVY, on the Corner, is the Only One of the Three Storefronts that is Currently Occupied. The Other Two Storefronts Under Contract are Currently Empty.
Lee Farrington, An Owner of LB Kitchen is Under Contract to Purchase Storefronts of Alice Dunn, Owner of Portland Salvage.
Gorgeous Homegrown Dahlias for Sale at Ferdinand’s, 243 Congress Street. Almost Half of the Sale From Each Bouquet is Donated to national Planned Parenthood and Other Similar Non-Profits said Diana Toepler, Business Owner. Each Bouquet Costs Only $10.00. Get One While They Last! Please visit Post Herein Dated September 18, 2021 for More Information on Ferdinand’s Dahlia Project.
One week ago today Alice Dunn and Lee Farrington signed an “under contract” document for three buildings located on Congress Street near the bottom of Munjoy Hill.
Dunn, who also owns Portland Architectural Salvage, 131 Preble Street and Farrington, who is an owner of LB Kitchen, 249 Congress Street, have both confirmed the relationship to this blogger, although acknowledging there is much work yet to do before a closing takes place. Multiple current tenants in the block told this blogger that the property had already been sold to Farrington and that she was the new owner of the three storefronts.
Only one of the three storefronts is occupied. That is Envy, a hair salon, at 255 Congress Street. The other two storefronts have been empty for months. Jen Burrall Designs Jewelry, formerly a long-time tenant left earlier this year for another location. Lila East End Yoga, formerly of 251 Congress Street, vacated the property prior to that.
Carol Morrisette, founding architect of RDS Architects, was inspecting the former Burrall storefront yesterday for Farrington. She told this blogger that the property needs work. “We can work miracles,” she said referring to an associate with her.
Morrisette said she would be giving an oral report to Farrington on the cost of restoring the property. “It depends on what Lee wants to do with this space,” she said. Morrisette formerly served on the city’s planning board.
An Envy Hair Salon employee told this blogger today that they have no idea what this sale will mean for their future. Will they be able to stay? Will they be forced out? “We just don’t know what the future holds,” she said.
Speculation among the tenants of the entire block is that Farrington intends to expand her popular LB Kitchen into a larger space. This same Envy employee said that maintenance has been lacking under Dunn’s ownership. “Fortunately, the owner’s husband is handy. We’ve relied on him to make necessary repairs to the property.”
Farrington was the owner of FIGA, a popular neighborhood restaurant that closed in 2014. The opening of FIGA was repeatedly delayed because of a struggle to get water rights for her restaurant. Farrington nicknamed the effort the “Big Dig” and even had T-shirts made-up with that nickname inscribed on them.