By Staff
With the last of four 10-year leases have expired in January, the Ellsworth Area Chamber of Commerce will move into a refurbished space just a stone’s throw away this week.
The chamber has occupied a spot on a pad at the Ellsworth Shopping Center on High Street since 1981, according to a news release.
The original visitor center at 163 High St. had a small space, with a separate shingled roof bus stop and advertising space. The board of directors leased the location for $1 per year from the Van Loon family with four 10-year renewals.
In order to accommodate the growing staff and the need for more visitor information, the board took out a loan for an expansion of the space that included three offices, bathrooms, a larger display area and more. The staff moved back into the refurbished building in 1986.